Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-07-05
AMERICAN PUSH.
Copyright 1891, by the Authors Alliance
BY EDGAR FAwCETT.

INOpyrlSnG 4OJI1 ny Cu0 AuGnOFS AAllauCo
Ill rrInce Pn11ibert (who would IN
stantly have decided to challenge any
equal and almost any inferior who
should thus have assaulted him), this re-
proach from his king produced only a
sort of grief-stricken dismay. He
clasped both hands together like ter
rified woman, and then, with a look of
infinite reproach from his splendid
| dusly eyes, hurried almost reelingly
away.
| Clarimond at once called out to the
assemblage, in tones vibrant, high
pitched, yet full of extreme dignity:
Ladies' and gentlemen, ask your par
don for what has occurred, and beg that
| you will now do me the kindness of
leaving me alone with my mother, the
| princess, to whom 1 must speak few
| private words"
| He stood as he spoke at the side of
| the chair into which his mother had
sunk He was the picture of perfect
self-control, and, though paler than any
one present had ever before seen him,
the kingliness of his bearing had never
been more finely manifest.
In little hubbub of murmurs the en-
tire throng pushed toward the doors
To the kings ears came nothing articu-
late, and yet the excited hum might in
| part have been translated by phrases
like these, falling with sibilant tumult
from friends, lukewarm friends, partial
foes and foes inactive though malign:
"A fine king, on my life!"
ITO insult great nobleman for
merely paying him the proper COURT
ale rebuked him quite justlyp'
Hes a horrible gamesterr'
'As if king should talk like school
master!"
80 he should spend some of his mil
lions in charity"
What does the king spend? Come,
powl"
They're always calling him so gen.
erous"
"He gives thousands and thousands to
the poor every year"
Hes enormously rich"
well, he more than halves his in
come"
ooh, bah!'
Did you ever hear of anyone who
sought him for help going away empty
handed?"
"And he spends hours each week Wis
jting the poor"
Anyway, Philibert deserved just
what he got"
1.-THE emperor may take this up
81 hope he will. Philibert's his
friend"
1.-THE emperor can do nothing"
"Oh, absurdl'
''Preposterous!"
81 should say it was! That king as
noble and good as ours should be brow
beaten in his own palacep'
And thus the talk buzzed on, finally
dying into complete silence. The doors
had closed behind the last retreating
figure. Not even q servant remained.
The princess was still seated. Her son
stood before her, looking down into her
face. And his own face was far sterner
than she had ever before seen it.
"At last 1 can speak," he said,
measuredly breaking the silence, land
tell you what long ago you should have
heard from me-"
"And that lisp" she queried, with On
information of hauteur, though secretly
not little alarmed.
''It is this: Your reign has now
ceased, and mine, if you please, must
begin"
"Your reign, Clarimond? If only you
could reign"
"Oh, shall, never fear" And he
lifted one hand with telling gesture
that seemed to add: "Wait and see."
But shall reign, be sure of it, in my
way, not yours"
my son! AS if 1 had sought to in
terfere with your rulershipn'
GCVo,, houo co,,oLt ~ o,,or1r % -,
terfere with it. Yes, of late even politi-
cally-but now all such folly is at an
end. have been far too lenient with
you. shall show you henceforth how,
in playing with fire, one may sometimes
| SINCE ones fingers"
''Clarimondl Have you forgotten that
I am your mother?''
''No; remember it too well; other
wise I would have you past my from
tier inside the next two hours"
"Ah" walled the princess, equally
swayed by rage and fright, "it is too
plain that you have forgottenr
| 'No; but it was you that for many
years forgot am your son; when the
chances of throne overshadowed me
then you remembered my existence"
"You-you insult mel"
| hhNO no WISH W 10 So puU, DOleV6
me, have both the wish and the in
tention of restraining you. Since you
came into my territory, weeks ago,
nothing but discord has resulted. In a
hundred minor ways you have opposed
me. My dislilzes have been set at
naught; my detractors have been en-
couraged; my allies and supporters have
been treated with contempt. Appoint
ing yourself royal chatelaine of the pal
ace without my permission, you have
invested that dignity with continuous,
If covert, revolt. need define myself
no further. owe you no explanation
of your own deplorable conduct. From
this time forward you are under the
strict surveillance. Every act of yours
will be watched"
"You exile yourself if so you prefer, :"
replied the king. There was bell-rope
within q few yards of him, and he
moved toward it, with hand lifted as if
in the act Of R11mmoniD0 n servant nc