Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-11-10

against abhorrent creeds, my mercy
and pity for those vast throngs of the
crushed and despised people whom
centuries of injustice have cursed! 1
am one of them, heart and soul. They
tell me that history repeats itself. No;
1t contradicts itself, and such king as
1.-The incarnate satire on all des-
potisms, outrages, feudalisms of the
past-is one of history's harshest con-
tradictiOnS!'
His excitement had hared up like live
flame, but in an instant more it died
and he was again his calm self. . The
princess, however, returned to her chair
with ashen face and staggering step.
Words like these were literal blows of
insult to her; they wrought in her the
same sensation asthe hooting of mob
at her window would have done, or a
volley of stones flung into her carriage.
THE fault has been mine, minei'' she
exclaimed, brokenly, as soon as any
voice at all would come to her. 81
left you among your fathers people,
and they have always flown in the face
of order, with their horr1d heresies and
paganisms. For you to feel as you tell
me, Clarimond, is in my sight a fearful
blasphemy;" and here the princess
wrung her beautiful white hands. ''Bat
still, my son, if you think like this, you
need not, for such reason, act like this.
And at once-yes, at once, Clarimond-
1 wish to speak to you of your possible
marriage. You have already seen
Blanca d'Este. That she is lovely in
face and form it will be foolish even to
remind you; no one can look on her
without conceding thus much. But her
nature is no less winsome than her per
son. / have dreamed of making her
your wife; IL will not sayothat have
come here with this positive purpose,
but it has held over me an undoubted
sway. Such a marriage as that would
work in you the most helpful and
steadying changes. Oh, don't fancy
that mean for you to take Blanca as if
she were dose of medicine! She has had
men of the highest rank at her feet, and
refused them; she is captivating, as you
will Soon see, apart from her name, her
birth, yes, even from her beauty. /
mean that she is accomplished in hun
dred pretty, appealing ways, which
adorn her native strength of character
like the enameling on silver. Still, in
| spirit this dear girl is already dedicated
to the church. and perhaps if you were
to lay your crown before her she would
sweetly yet firmly refuse 1t. But ali,
| my Clarimond, if she should bend that
golden head of hers for you to set it
there, how invaluable would prove her
wifehood! Her queenhood, too, should
say, and you would revere in her both
qualities. By degrees her influence
would tranquilize in your fevered mind
all these wild and fruitless loncinrs
which are the fatal pride of intellect
alone. You would slowly realize that
kings are the sacred Wears Of Gods
| will, and that the only safe watchword
of the great, common. witless mass is
| obedience You would slowly realize
| again, my dear son.
| But here Clarimond ventured an in.
terruption- He had borne much from
his mother in the past; he was prepared
to bear much from her in the future,
| since already it had grown clear to him
that she had arrived with the intent Oh
a permanent sojorrn. But just now,
notwithstanding that late effort at self
control which had resulted SO success.
fully, the King once more felt ais nerves
In danger of tumult- He had never be.
haved to his mother with the faintest
lack of respectful gallantry; he was In
deed incapable of any act toward hea
except one of gentleness and liberation,
no matter how exacting or imperious