The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-09-12


Only I don't think she Is made Of the
proper stuff for q reigning monarch.
She is too giddy, too lisht-headed, sort
of mad-oap hoyden. She thinks TOO Ut
tic Of her dignity. Court ceremonial is
Infinitely tiresome to her; and the slow,
dead lifo Of Y she fairly hates.
Harmless, necessary x she has been
! known to cali it. She was never born to
DO tho motionless 1igure-head OF this
tiny ship OF state; and with such crew!
Oh. YOU should see the ministers and
courtiers! Dry bones and parchment.
puffed up with tedious German etiquette!
She is too easily bored, too fond Of
amusement. She was born to be Be-
hemian, an artist, like you or me.
pity her, POOR thing,-1 pity every one
whose destiny is to inhabit this dreary
principality-but can't approve OF her.
She, too, by-the-by, is fiddler. Shc
is said to play the violin very well. My
own thought is-beware of tiddling MOI
archs."
"You hint Nero, saidi
"Yes. I've no doubt she'd fiddle over
the ashes Of Y with the best will in
tho world. Say Nero crossed with a
Haroun- al-Raschid. fear her reign
would be marred by many queer mid
night escapade, like that of tho merry
caliph, only without his intermixture Of
wrong righting. She'd seek her own
amusement solely, though to sock that
in ", pshaw! You might as we'll
seek for blood in q stone. Oh, she'd
make no end Of mischief. The devil
hath no agent like woman bored.
That's rather true, agreed, laugh
ing. And Conrad-what Of him?"
"Oh, Conrad's a beast, squint-eyed,
calulating beast, there's no doubt OF
that. But beast might make good
enough grand duke; and, anyhow. q
beast'is oil that beastly little grand
duchy like this deserves. However, to
tell you my own secret feeling, [ don't
believe he'll have the chance prove it.
Mathilde, for all her onnui, is described
as most tenacious of her rights, and as.
q shrewd little body. too, down at the
bottom. That is inconsistent, but
there's the woman of it. Oh, she's in
consequential to degree! I can't help
suspecting somehow that unless her
uncle has really killed and buried her
she will contrive by hook or crook to
come to her throne. For my part, I'm
sorry. 1 should prefer to be ruled by
! Conrad. But would not bet my money.
on him, all the same. Have you ever
seen him? He has the funniest, ugliest
squint in Europe"
That night was very long, though we
accomplished a lot Of talking; very cold
it seemed, too, though we were III mid
summer. I dozed little, with the
stone wall of the castle for pillow. At
| daybreak our guards were changed. At
six O'Clock we were visited by dappcr
little subaltern, a lieutenant, who looked
US over, asked our names and sundry
other personal questions, scratched his
chin for a moment, refiectively, and
finally, with an air Of inspiration, babe
| US begone.
The gates were thrown open, and we
| issued from our prison free
Its been almost u sensation" said
Sebastian Roch "Well, so one can ex-
| perience almost a sensation, even in
Il! Live and learn.
"You are not q patriot, said I.
my dear, dear sir, am patriotism
personified. I am identified with my
country heart and soul. Only find it
dull. II that be treason, make the nest
OF it. I could not love thee, dear, so
we'll, loved I not dullness less. 1t is
not every night that am arrested and
sit on barrel smoking cigarettes with
| irrhfo oI ic|,
are not generally accounted a lively
race, but by comparison with the in
habitants of Y they shine like
diamonds"
Il dare say so," acquiesced "But
I'm not English. I'm American"
SO perceive from your accent, an
swered he, impertineEtly. But as I
told you once before, it amounts to the
same thing. You wear your rue with q
difference, that is all.
Speaking of sensations, said T, II
shall die il I don't drink a cup OF coffee F"
You'll find no public house awake at
this hour" said Sebastian.
Then I'll wake one up, vowed I.
What! and provoke violation OF the
law? By law they're not allowed to be
open between midnight and Z o'clock.
ooh, laws be hanged. must have a
cup Of coffee.
Really, you are delightful, asserted
Sebastian, putting his arm through
! mine.
Presently we came to beer hall, at
whose door began vehemently to bang
My friend stood by, shaking with laugh
ter, which seemed to me disproportion-
ate to the humor of the event.
You are easily amused" said I.
"Oh, no; far from it; but this is such
4 lark, you know, said he.
BY and by we were seated opposite
each other at table, slipping hot coffee,
served to us by a sleepy kellner in a
soiled white apron.
AS looked at Sebastian Roch, I OBJ
served startling phenomenon. The
apex of his right whisker had become
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