Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-10-18
Ki.s

dream oi pgwess ~ Hu1iee
Court to The realitY = 3oeep1ion
Was the unhappy r. <1rioe Lsn-
frey. Of Greno6(e, ~ ~
victim ola lot a FL 81. L.
81. 80 SlsIsssl| -.
he fell without suspicion into the trap
laid for him. One day in the early part
OF 1876, the dull routine Of the garden.
er's home was broken BY the arrival Of
an elaborate official letter addressed to
young Lanfrey. Il was covered with
seals and heraldic devices, and signed
by Ferdinand, late King of the Marian
ne Islands. That royal public function.
ary had slipped into the silent tomb
without issue, but, anxious that he
should be properly succeeded, had, be-
fore his death, as may hardly be neces-
sary to explain, taken pains to ascertain
who Of the royal blood was most wo.-
thy to sit on the throne of the Marian
mes. This person he found was An.
tome Lanfrey, and he commanded that
in the fullness Of time Antoine should
be summoned to the isles, there to es-
pouse his great-niece Marie Augustine,
and give to his beloved people a con-
tinuation of that mild and benefcent
rule which had made the Marianne the
most blessed among the nations Of the
earth. The royal decree was forwarded
to the fortunate heir by Louise de Con-
telmont, niece of the buried majesty of
the Mariannes. and mother ofthe charm
ing girl who but waited Lanfrey's arri-
val to become his bride. She implored
Antoine to hasten to his dominions and
assume the scepter temporarily in her
grasp. His people, his bride, and the
Provisional Council presented their du-
tiful and humble regards, and begged
that he would soon appear to claim his
own.
The old gardener shook his head
sAeptically as he heard the tale un-
folded. He even suggested doubts as
to the existence Of the Mariannes as a
sovereign power. and made so bold as
to assert that Ferdinand was a fraud
and that Spain would have more TO say
about the government Of the islands than
any pretty Countess with daughters s
hand at her disposal. But young Lam
frey, like honest Sancho.. was all aflame
with the prospect Of governing an is
land. He believed in the genulneness
OF the documents, pointed out his future
Kingdom on the map, and was royalty
backed by his mother, who was nothing
10th to exchange a gardeners cottage
for an insular palace, even Of those air
drawn kinds peculiar to the unsubstan-
tial architecture Of Spain. The mother
and the son were not slow to tell of The
good fortune ofthe latter, and the strange
business was soon the talk Of the coun-
try side.
The niece-rcgent had not inclosed
even q maravedi in her official letter,
and young Lanfrey was not in q posi-
tion financially to set sail for his domin-
ions, but he speedily found that he might
lord it in France. The conspirators,
discarded clergymen and knights OF
their wits who make Paris their home,
soon surrounded him with obsequious
proffers Of service. They brought no
gold, but they promised eternal fidelity,
and Lanfrey freely gave them all he
had to give, and allthey seemed to seek,
titles and decorations galore. How did
these titleless titles and empty gewgaws
help Them An English Journal ex-
plains
Nothing is more useful to the Paris
ian scamp than good sounding title.
Even at home, some swindler is con-
stantly making profit out OF that love
Of Lord which is SO well known a
characteristic of certain classes of Eng
lishmen. An unknown person Of good
address who calls himself Lord Fitz-
hawhaw. and refers with an airy man
ner to his father, the Earl Of Longears,
is trusted with jewelry, clothes, pro-
visions, everything. If real Lord gets
votes purely and simply because he is a
Lord, why should not sham one get
goods without paying for them. Such
swindling is merely the shadF sids- Of
that love Of rank which enriches our
Legislature with young men who don't
know what County Boards are, and
don't care. In France titles 90 as far
as with US, or further, and the French
man does not suspect Counts, Marqui-
ses, Grand Chancellors OF foreign crea-
ton. Lanfrey was the fountain of hon.
or to score Of needy knaves, who did
not care TO run the risk Of actually ta-
king titles for themselves out of their
own will and fantasy"
The most active Of the rogues about
King Antoine was one Lanfranchi, who,
claiming finance as his strong point,
was given the portfolio Of the Treasury
Of the Mariannes. Lanfranchi might
improve his Kings financial affairs. No
man could leave them in a more hope
less way than Lanfranchi found them,
for the King. a schoolmaster no longer,
had no means Of livihood save those ol
the sturdy old gardeaer, who, though a
Kings father, stood honestly hy his
hoe. Lanfranchi psUmiyedneeaf 01nss.
and the brighter he pictured the-pros-
pect the frecr became Lanffry with his
titles and benc6ces. Lanfranchi was
commissioned Grand Chancellor of the
Mariannc.; Baron: Grand Master of the
Royal Order Of Saiai-Saxueur. One
Roth. was eptrusted with the leashe. oi
the dogs Of var. One Perretti became
Captain and soae soldier Of tie guards.
Bidot, sileueed priest and mad was
had charge Of the royal conscience and
was royalty rewarded with the promise
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