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

garded your majesty might be thus
translated into French.
But the title failed to please. ImTne-
| diately Clarimond placed his hand on
the speakers arm. Let it be mon
Sieur' between u.s. he said. II like
that better. But you were in Paris for
little while coming here, as I think
Eric told me- ran his next words.
And you like Paris? Or are you in
that one respect un-American?"
81 like it beyond all other places
Alonzo answered. And then he added:
Except Saltravia."
'.Saltravia is perhaps the most
opposite place to Paris" smiled Clare
mond. ''that the world contains. Be-
| sides, you.do not know it yet
! ''Ah, but have been able to see how
beautiful it isl
''That is because your friend has
made it So
These airy villas are his work, mon
| sieur, no less than your astonishing
palace?'
NEARLY all are his work. As soon as
felt how remarkable was his genius
| for architecture, I said to him, in so
many words: Transform my little
kingdom for me- And he has done
so.'
But surely with great expedition"
The king laughed. Struggling his
| shoulders ''Our Eric declares himself
lazy. Is it not absurd? True, I have
assisted him with large funds and
hordes of workmen. But he has labored
with fine industry"
"A labor of love, surely"
''Of art, which never succeeds in its
| achievements unless love spurs and
guides it. One can do nothing well
without loving to do tor so imagine.
This particular sweep of country repre-
| sents Eric's masterpiece of effort. West
ward are the homes of people who have
neither the fortunes nor the culture to
live artistically. And on the further
| side of the palace Saltravia assumes an
aspect which is inevitably more COM
monplace. There are the two large ho-
tells, the four celebrated springs and
| the casino. Eric improved rather than
rebuilt all that It is more populous,
far less rural than the prospects which
| now greet US, and may remind you of
certain places like Carlsbad, or HON
burg, or Baden. Eric has his own little
abode, however, in which / believe You
| are to inhabit suite of chambers 1t
is near the palace, and commands a
view Of just these heights and dells for
which you have already declared a
liking. In a short time we will reach
| it, and there, monsieur, / will venture
to leave you. Tomorrow, after you
| and your old friend have had time for a
| memorial chat, and when few hours
of refreshing siumber have followed the
excellent glass Of wine which am sure
you will get at dinner, 1 shall be greatly
pleased to receive you at the palace. We
will walk through the picture galleries,
talk a little over what is there already,
and then ask one another what sorts OF
unsecured canvas would prove the
most desirable. Eric tells me that he
trusts no ones perception OF thorough
worth in art so implicitly as he trusts
your own"
Alcnzo felt himself reddening with
doubt of self. Here, In this incompara-
BILE spot, almost under the shadow of
that glorious marble poem which filed
him with new regard for the soul
from whence it had sprung. to hear
words Of expectant confidence in his
own powers of aesthetic insight! It
seemed almost like merciless mockery.
He shook his head. and in very faltering