Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-10-27
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

CHAPTER v.-CoNrBuED
"And this" he at length faltered, 'is
3altravia- You have often told me of
its beauty, but"
"Oh, this is nothing" broke in Eric's
cool and pleasant voice. "One gets
these effects in other places. Our sem
sets here are apt to be little sensation
al I'm envious of them. They inter
fere with my architectural improve
ments- Dear boy, don't lose your head;
your positively gasping.'
''Oh, let me gaspI'' exclaimed A1onzo.
TITS such a keen1y novel feeling in such
a cause
''Ah, but that emotion is premature"
objected his friend. 'You have not vet
seen Saltravia in all its fine reality. L
resent that sunset 1t destroys values,
as you artists would say. What a pity
that one cannot suppress sunset when
1T becomes too sanguinary, just as If it
were a rebellion"
But you never have rebellions in
Saltravia," said Alonzo.
mo; they're quite too fond of the
king. can imagine revolution here,
but it would be conducted on principles
wholly artistic"
''Oh, Eric, Erici'' cried A1onzo,
you're not bit changed. You're pre-
cisely as if we had met yesterday. Who
but you could have thought of an arts
tic revolution?''
Eric, who had a pale, calm, strong
featured face, and who often said his
most surprising things without the yes
tige OF a smile, now answered in very
serious tones:
II assure you, my dear Lonz, that the
INC of
its unpleasant qualities, such as the
actual taking of human life, could be
cultivated in sort OF fcte with striking
success. The Athenians performed
their tragedies in the open air; why
should ut we Saltravians, III a larger
way, repeat bloodlessly some of the
great ePCchs of history3. Let US talk to
the king about it. He is coming to
meet You He is very receptive, you
will find, to all original ideas. If you
and he do not swiftly like one another
1 shall be pierced with disappointment"
The king coming to meet me!'' STAN
mered Alonzo. $50 soon? II am not
prepared for an audience with his mai
esty.''
The last blaze of the setting sun now
abruptly ceased, and in 4 second the ut
most verge of the valley grew a dusIzy
green. In this altered light the river
took chastened luster like that OF wet
silk, and here and there along its edges,
or on the TANKS of the ro-
bust and darlsening mountains,
multicolored villas cleaned forth
in fairy-hke profusion. each with
its engirding garden riot of bloom.
Directly before him, and only few
hundred yards away, Alonzo perceived
= throng of ladies and gentlemen ap-
preaching. In the DINNER yet clearer
air ne could discern that the feminine
shapes were winsome, rich of garb, and
that the masculine ones betrayed in
their way an equal elegance.
Confident that this dainty multitude
meant the sovereign and his attendant
-courtiers, AlOnzo drew backward, and
in turmoil of sharp embarrassment
grGsped the arm of his friend.
CHAPTER VI.
Fries voice. however, struck reassur-
fncly on his ear.
Yes, my dear Alonzo.,i 1T is the king
l had no idea that he would pay US this
honor. But he is so exquisitely gra-
cious that one never knows what new
act OF kindness he will commit The
persons who surround him are quite
harmless beings, l assure you. They
perhaps possess all the native ill-breed-
ing of high-bred aristocrats, but are
well aware that the faintest act of dis
courtesy toward anyone whom Clari-
mond favors would promptly end in
their exile from the court. pray you
have not the least sense of awkward
ness. The king never permits it to live
n 10 hoS
drous gift-that of destroying idle GER
enony. Do not address him as your
majesty He greatly dislil1es that
form, SO separative and so constantly
reminiscent of his royal rank. l am
sorry enough, dear Lonz, that you
should see him SO soon. had wanted
that we should talk for hours about him
together before you and he were
brought face to face. He is so remark
able, so prominently distinguished. I
am sure there was never q king like
him in all the world before. / some
times think there has never been a
king either SO great or so good, though
that, of course, is saying much. But if
our century is productive of anything
interesting and extraordinary it should
DE her kings, which are both anomalies
and abSurditieS. | think Clarimond
plainly realizes this fact. l could have
consumed hours in talking of him to you
before you and he met, if it had not
been for his caprice to come and greet
you as he has done. He has just left
the palace, you know. You can get a
good view of it 'yonder on the spur of
the mountain, now that the sun has
sunk. | called it my bee in the bonnet,
that palace, until it was quite finished.
Do you care Tor it?''
Care for it, good Heavens, Eric"
Alonzo felt his blood beat, as only the
blood of an artist can when he gazes
upon work that seems to him noble and
grand. The faded daylight had now
brought out new tints, dark and rich,
in sward and foliage. From a slope of
the dim and majestic mountain lowered
King Clarimopd's abode. As master
piece of building it was no less delicate
than sublime Wrought entirely of
white marble, it loomed against the un-
dulant lawns and terraces that COM
passed it in an intricate maze Of turrets
and spires. 1t was enormous with re-
spect TO the space that it covered, and
yet so lace-ike in its ethereal proper
tions that you might have named it the
very hlament or cobweb of architecture
To Alonzo that kings deep regard for