The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-11-14

the cover upon the table-cloth, and
dashed in mad haste from the room.
Wondering somewhat at this precipitate
conduct, was about TO fill my plate,
when / was arrested in the act by a
great noise of hurrying feet upon the
pavement without. People were run
ming and calling 10 each other, and al
together there was SO much tumult that
/ said TO myself, "Ah, another mob!"
Then /, too. left the parlor, and hast
ened to the street door of the inn.
/ There / discovered honest Strumpf
and honest Mrs. Strumpf, supported by
the entire personnel OF their establish
ment, from the boots to the billiard
marker, all agape with astonishment, as
three loquacious citizens poured news
into their ears.
aOtto is dead" said the first citizen.
He died at sixteen minutes past six
more than an hour ago.
But that is nothing" cried the Sec
ond citizen. The great news is this.
Listen to NC
no, to me-" interposed a third. Il
have 1t directly from one Of the senti-
nels at the palace. The pretender, Con-
rad, has been knitted like pig; and jolly
we'll he deserved it, too. 1t Was be-
tween four and five o'clock this after
noon. A monk, a young monk, Fran
ciscan presented himself at the Mar
morhof, and demanded an audience OF
the Prince. The palace guard-and it
is straight from one of them that have
the story--of course refused him ad-
mittance: but he was determined, and
so at last the Princes chamberlain gave
him a hearing. The upshot was he
wrote word or two upon slip OF pa
per, sealed it up with wax, and begged
that 1t might be delivered to his high
ness forthwith, swearing that 1t con-
tanned information of the utmost impor-
lance to his welfare. The chamberlain
convened his paper to the Prince, who,
directly he had read it, uttered a great
oath. and ordered that the monk be ush-
cred into his presence and that they be
left alone together. Alone accordingly
thew were left. More than an hour
passed. At little after six arrived the
news OF the death of the old Duke. An
officer entered the Princes chamber to
report it him. There, If you please, he
found his highness stretched out dead
upon the floor, with knife in his
heart; the monk had vanished. Ihey
could find no trace whatever OF
Whereabouts. Also had vanished the
paper he had sent in to the Prince, but,
what the police regard as an important
clue. he had left another paper, twisted
around the handle of the dagger, wherein
was scrawled in a disguised hand: In
the country of the blind the one-eyed
men may be kings, but Conrad only
squintedl'"
THE grand point of it all you have
omitted" put in the second citizen. 1T
is this. Shut up in an inner apartment
of the Marmorhof, they have found the
hereditary Grand Duchess Mathilde
alive and well! Conrad has been keep
ing her prisoner there these two
weeks.
The tidings thus delivered by these
worthless proved to be substantially cor
rect.
sThe Duke is dead! Long live the
Duchess" cried the populace. ),
1t was like delightful old-fasnioned
blood and thunder opera, and l was
almost behind the scenes But OH that
hypocritical young ribald monk, Sc.
bastian Rochi What had become OF
him? Wonld he keep his promise to
look me upf The police We're said TO be
prosecuting diligent eudeayor to LOOK