The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-22

udlNC, dl llCos, ScNcHUccH- y cdhE ON1 maidens, fresh from school, and as far as earnestness was concerned, she might have been fresh from the cra- de. In making garlands, as in more weighty undertakings, there must be head to direct, and the younger and less capable girls had been thus told of to help their elders. The stately Ermengarde was clever enough and resolute enough to have directed far more important affairs than a court ceremonial. Bertha, by her side, was giggling little thing, with only will enough to do the simplest thing she was bidden.
 A few minutes before she had gig gled when the head gardener came up to chat for two minutes with Ermen- garde; she now began to litter afresh as she saw some one else approaching, this time a stranger. There was a constant going to and fro of function aries, most of whom found time to in- terchange word or two with Er- mengarde, the brilliant, beautiful daughter of the head forester.
 The intruder this time was a stranger, and naturally addressed himself to the most striking girl he caught sight of, as he descended the marble steps leading to the garden.
 He was sunburnt, bearded, hand some fellow, who looked more like a soldier or sea- -faring man than a civil ian, much less an official of fastidi- ous little court. His dress, too, had a careless, rustic look, and his hands showed signs of exposure to all weathers. There was, however, a certain winningness, 6onhomte and candor about him that made up for these drawbacks; a certain ease, too, betokening the educated gentleman.
 "Pardon me, fraulein," he said, dropping bare headed into seat be- side the two girls. "Allow me to repose myself an instant. Here is my card: Adolf Christian Neumann, king's messenger. I have just ridden from the harbor on a special errand, and had at the same time a sly hint to see how things were getting on. I only hope this king of yours may prove worth all those roses !"
 Was any king that ever lived worth so much?" asked Ermengarde, with more of sorrow than scorn in her beautiful smile.
 The young man smiled also, and looked at the speaker penetratingly and with deep and glowing admira- tiOn. What glorious creature! he was evidently thinking to himself. This tall, stately, golden haired girl possessed natural, inborn dignity, and, unlike these fisher- maidens, her com panions, has seen more of the world than her own little island. The head torester's daughter was, indeed, an accomplished and we'll bred lady.
 You are no courtier?" he said, ev- idently provoked, yet fascinated by her outspokenness. "Your heart is evidently not in your work"
 "Whose heart can ever be in such work as this?" she replied. "We flat ter kings, while all the time we either hate or despise them"
 "This is free country" the stranger put in. "Why not wear black to- morrow when the king comes, thus protesting in your own person against his iniquities?"
 Ermengarde now laughed merrily. The incongruousness of the image thus suggested, appealed to her sense of humor. She wondered what all the loyal islanders would make of 1.-the head forester's daughter in black when every other maiden had put on white and rose garlands!
 "I assure you," she answered, moth ing would please me better had I no one but myself to consider. But am the head torester's daughter. In all social observances l am tied hand and foot"
 "Tell me-" the young man went on settling himself comfortably in the rustic seat, evidently determined to talk as long as he could get her to lis- ten to him; "what are these vilenesses, these desperate sins of your especial monarch, that make you long to cut off all kings heads?"
 "Nay, history wants no more such martyrs" the girl said; "but since kings have ceased to be law-givers, what good purpose do they serve? And they get too much flattery. They live as completely shut out from the real life of the people as if they inhab- ited the planet Jupiter"
 His mood changed from gay to grave.
 "These roses, then, are mere show of loyalty; the festive appearance this island puts on in honor of the royal visit means-nothing?"
 "What should it mean?" Ermen. garde cried again, with a scornful smile. "We are not living in the child hood of history. Even the rude fisher- folk now think for themselves. They know we'll enough that it is the laws l that shield them from harm mt tho