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BLONDEL UP TO DATE.

(_A FRAGMENT FROM A HISTORY OF THE FUTURE._)

And so it happened that the King was taken and imprisoned, no one knew
whither. His followers, saving one, treated the matter very calmly.
The exception, who was supposed to be wanting in his wits (he played
on the barrel-organ), determined to do his best to rescue his Royal
Master; and an idea occurred to him. He had noticed that when he
performed on his musical instrument those who, perforce, were obliged
to listen to him acted strangely. Some of his audiences had frowned,
others had shaken their fists at him, and all had gone quickly away.
Only once had a loiterer stayed behind, smiling a sweet smile, as
if he were enjoying the music. To his regret, BLONDEL subsequently
ascertained that the apparently charmed listener was stone deaf. So he
argued that if his music had so great an effect upon the population
of his native village it would work marvels in the wide world without.
And thus, with a heart full of hope and courage, he started on his
travels.

He wandered, turning the handle of his organ, for many a weary mile.
He passed through towns, hamlets, and cities; the people put their
heads out of their windows, and urged him imperiously to be gone; and
as he hurried away he gazed at their faces, hoping to have seen the
King, his Master, but without avail. He felt, that were His Majesty to
hear his music, there would be a farther supply of language savouring
rather of the dicing-house than the cathedral. But, alas! his search
was in vain. At length, he reached London, and found it as silent
as the grave! There were no German bands, no Niggers, not even a
hurdy-gurdy! Greatly surprised, BLONDEL asked a policeman the meaning
of this strange, this unlooked-for quietude!

"Strike up that organ of yours," said the constable, surlily, "and I
will soon show you!"

BLONDEL turned his handle, and was immediately arrested.

"What for?" echoed the policeman; "why, for infringing the provisions
of the Jacobi Street Music Prohibition Act!"

And with this brief explanation BLONDEL was carried off to prison!

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NOTICE.--Rejected Communications or Contributions, whether MS.,
Printed Matter, Drawings, or Pictures of any description, will in no
case be returned, not even when accompanied by a Stamped and Addressed
Envelope, Cover, or Wrapper. To this rule there will be no exception.

E