The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1895-12-11

name of a We'll known ean Francisco
paper.
"Ah, I have heard of you, 1 remark
ed. | never had, but then it is the
proper thing to say to IL newspaper
woman She likes yon all the better for
it, although satisfied that you have lied.
Miss Stanford smiled g%raciously.
"That was nice of you" she said quiet
ly, and then, without more ado, went
at the heart Of her dilemma.
"Do you know the crown prince of
Austrian" she began.
"No-I left Vienna when only 4
and"-
"Oh, please don't frivol," cried my
little friend from Frisco. Its too seri-
GUS a matter"
"What? Knowing the prince or no
knowing him?"
Both" she replied, with an air of
evaporation. "But listen. The Crown
Prince Ferdinand Of Austria is on this
train. His car is a special in the rear of
onrs. ard he is touring the Rockies. /
have been sent to obtain an interview
with him, but my card has been return
ed twice by Count Somebody or other,
who is one Of the suite. To all inteuts
and purposes the prince has refused to
see me-
1.-THE idiot, u ejaculated-"er-I-
mean-the man must be insane"
no said Miss Stanford, ignoring
my remark, "he's been talked to death,
that's all. / overheard your conversa-
ton and discovered your profession.
You are IL newspaper man."
True" said, but if the prince
will not receive you he certainly will
not listen to my request.
Here is Il PLAN" went on my jour
n~alistic friend. II must see the prince.
It's absolutely necessary to my future.
I am determined to talk to him. There
is no one else in this part of the car but
ourselves. Suppose you forced an unwel-
come attention on me-what should l
be most likely to do?o
"You'd run away, wouldn't your" ]
hazarded.
Run where?" she gasped. where
should / run TOT"
Unto the next car, by Jove," ! an
swered, catching the daring idea.
"That's it. And the girl from Frisco
literally danced in her seat with delight.
"Don't you understandable prince is
young, he is chivalrous-even hot head
ed, they say. If you will pursue me in
to the next car l will be your friend for
life. Will you do it?"
She sat there with both hands extend
ed toward me in an attitude of suppli-
cation. / saw Parkin coming down the
aisle from the smoke r in the rear end,
and witnessed the establishment on his
face. He ducked out again as silently as
a ghost.
1t was risky business this chasing
women into princes caravans, but still
it was business. Lord, if l could only
get that royal Austrian to punch my
head, that and the story leading up to it
woule sell like a new Yankee toy in the
Strand. 1t was a good enough thing to
take a chance ON.
"All right" l said. go on"
Like lightning she was off down the
aisle, past the smoking compartment,
where my Winnipeg friends were await
ing my arrival, and into the rear coach.
Three piercing shrieks uttered as she
disappeared brought a crowd of foreign
notables to her rescue, and I was uncer-
enormously hustled off the platform by
n Of the biggest of the lot. The next
instant l was struggling desperately in
the arms of those three engineers from
Winnipeg, who swore l had suddenly
gone insane and wanted to telegraph my
friends. 1t took me half an hour to ex-
plain matters to them and to the con-
ductor, whose indignation passed all
understanding. Then Miss Stanford
emerged, leaning on the arm of a stiff
backed dignitary of the Austrian court,
who bowed her into our Car with pro-
found ceremony.
"Shake hands" she cried, her face
flushed with excitement and satisfac-
ton, 'tshake both hands, kiss me if you
want to. I've got 1.-THE best story that
ever was printed"
Somehow l always thought that Miss
Stanford forgot to print the best part OF
the story. And this is the whole truth
about that interview with Ferdinand. =
Arthur James Peglar in st. Louis Re-
public.