The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-13

convenient doorstep, SaZeu uPoH ILLS
deep-voiced Teutonic mob with good
deal Of curiosity. It must haze num-
bered upward Of thousand individuals,
compact in its center and near the pal
ace, but scattering toward its edges.
"A sea of faces, a sea of pale, frowning
faces" thought, and / realized for the
first time in my life what q perfect meta
phor that is-a sea Of faces. No other
Imaginable phrase could so exactly
have hit off the scene before me; a sea
of faces, a surging, troubled sea. Young
mems faces. for the most part; many Of
them quite beardless.
students from the university" I
guessed.
NV own station was at the very out
skirts OF the assemblage, the station OF
q casual spectator. Sharing my friendly
doorstep with me, there were couple
Of sharp-faced priests, two or three
prettyish young girls - bare-headed,
presumably run out from some OF the
neighboring shops-and young man
with pointed black beard, rather long
black hair, and broad -brimmed, soft
felt hat, who looked as if he might be
member Of that guild to which I myself
belonged, the ancient and honorable
company Of artists.
To him addressed a question:
Students, SUPPOSE
@Yes, their leaders are students. The
students and the artisans Of the town
are Of the Princess party. The army,
the clergy, and the country folk are for
the Prince"
He had discerned from my accent that
I was foreigner; hence, doubtless, the
fulIness of his answer.
1T seems to be a harmless mob
enough" I suggested. They maze
lot of noise, TO be sure; but that breaks
no bones"
There's just the point" said ne.
sThe Princess friends fight only with
with their throats. If che had some
bone breakers among them, the present
complication could never have arisen.
But meanwhile the multitude cont:r-
ued to shout, in keys so diverse as TO
exhaust the chromatic scale:
Give US our Princess!
Where is the Hereditary Grand
Duchess?"
A-sWhere is Mathilde?"
Down with Conrad"
Shame on Conrad"
Hang Conrad"
Death to Conrad
And such like. SO that for Conrad, on
the whole, it must have been a BAD
quarter o. an hour.
Presently, however, came the sound
of "A bugle winding iE the distance: Inc
sound drew nearer and nearer. Pretty
soon the bugler in person appeared,
gorgeous in uniform, mounted upon 3
beautiful white horse. advancing Slowly
DID the Bishofsplatz. towards the crowd,
trumpeting with al! his might. ,
What is The meaning OF thatr J
asked.
THAT is the signal to disperse,' an
swered 10y companion. He looks like
g. Major General, doesn't he? But he's
only a trumpet sergeant, and he's fol.
lowed at hundred yards by battalion
of infantry. His trumpet blast is by
way O. warning. Disperse quietly, II
saws, and all will he forgiven. larry
and the soldierv will arrive and make
things hot for you."
His warning does not seem to pass
unheeded,' l remarked. -,
"Ob. they're a chicken hearted lot
these friends OF the Princess, he as
sented contemptuousiv.
Already the mob had heG2n to melt
Of mob. properly speaking, N q few
minutes. nothing was left; only few
stragglers in knots here and y there ere
among them my acquaintance ane my
self. He was handeome young fellt'w
with a thin. dark face, bright Drown
eyes, and voice so soft that il had
heard without seeing him, I should al
most have supposed the speaker to be
wuman.
We 100 had better be off," he said.
And prove ourselves also chicken.
hearted" queried l.
"Oh, discretion Is the better part o.
valor, he returned.
But ] should immensely like 10 stoI
and see the advent ot the military"
submitted.
-Ha! Like or not, I'm afraid your
have to, now," he cried. Here they
eome. -.