The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-21
NECESSARY R[EgOU[RD[
BY ANTHONY HOPE.
Copyright, 1897. by A. H Hawkins

~ A. H Hawkins
nation invited him. But he believed in
the survival of the fiittest. and, although
Mrs. Rivers was very fit, he himself was
just by little bit filter still. Mean
while the government in the Prince 5
country faced its many difficulties with
much boldncss, and seemed on tie whole
safe enough.
The birth and attributes of rumOr
have often engaged the attention of
poets; who can doubt that their rhetor.
ic would have been embellished AMI
their metaphors multiplied had they
Possessed more intimate acquaintance
with the places where money is bought
and sold? For in respect of awakenin&
widespread interest, and affecting the
happiness of homes, what is the charac,
ter of any lady, however high born.
conspicuous or beautiful. compared with
the character of stock? Here, indeed,
is a field for calumny, for inuendo, for
hints of frailty, for whispers of in
trigue; for scandal mongers have their
turn to serve, and the holders are swift
to distrust. When somebody writes
Sheridan's comedy anew, let him lay the
scene of it in house; between his
SANDER stock and his slandered dame,
he may work out a very pretty and fan
ciful parallel
Here, however, the facts can be set
down only plainly and prosaically. On
all the exchanges there arose a feeling
o. uneasiness respecting the stock Of the
government of Prince Julian's country;
selling was going on, not in large blocks,
but cautiously, continually, in amending
driblets; surely on a system, and with a
purpose? Then came paragraphs in the
paper like whispers behind FANS dis
GUESSING the state of the government and
the country much in the vein which had
marked Mrs. Rivers dissertations. By
ROW the stock was down three points;
, by pure luck it fell another, in mysteri
GUS sympathy with the South African
mining market. Next there was a riot
/ l.. provincial town in the Princes
country, then a minister resigned and
made damaging statement in the cham
Der. Upon this it seemed no more than
natural that attention should be turned
to Prince Julian, his habits, his entour-
age, his visitors. And now there were
visitors; mobiles and gentlemen crossed
the channel to see him; they came
stealthily, yet not so secretly but that
there was para graph. These great folk
had heard the rumors, and hope had re-
vived in the breasts. They talked to
Mrs. Rivers: Mrs. Rivers had talked pre-
viously to NJ. Byers. A day later Il
weekly paper. which possesses good and
claimed universal information, an
among Prince Julian's party, and that
hf,phn fha
desirability of issuing a manifesto. Ger
tain Interior steps," the writer continued.
"are in contemplation, but of these it
would be premature to speak" There
was not very much in all this, but it
made the friends of the stock rather III
comfortable; and they were no more
happy when leading article in a lead
! ing paper demonstrated beyond possibil
/ ity of cavil that Prince Julian had a
fair chance of success, but that, if he
regained the throne, he could look to
hold il only by seeking glory in an ag-
greSsiye attitude toward his neighbors.
On the appearance of this luminous fore
cast the poor stock fell two points more;
there had been a suave qm. peut of the
timid holders.
Then actually came the manifesto;
and it was admitted on all hands to be
such an excellent manifesto as to
amount to an event of Importance.
Whoever had drawn it up-and this
question was never settled-he knew
how to lay his fingers on all the weak
spots of the existing government, how
to touch on the glories of Prince Julian's
house. what tone to adopt ON vexed
questions, how to rouse the enthusiasm
of all the Disconnected. "Given that the
princes party possess the necessary re-
sources" observed the same leading
journal, sit cannot be denied that the
situation has assumed an aspect of
gravity" And the poor stock fell yet
little more; upon which Mr.. Shum, who
had liking for taking profit when he
! saw it, ventured to ask his partner how
long he meant "to keep it up
"We'l talk about that tomorrow"
/ said Mr.. Byers. I'm going to call in
Palace Gate this afternoon" He
looked very thoughtful as he brushed
his hat ard sent for a hanson. But as
he drove along his brow cleared, and he
smiled triumphantly. If the princes
party had not the necessary resources
they could do nothing; if they did moth
ing, would not the dropping stock lift
up her head again? Now nobody was
! in a position TO solve TnaI pfODlem
about the necessary resources so surely
or so swiftly as Mr.. Byers.
A hundred yards from Prince Julian's
house he saw Lady Craigennoch walk
ing along the pavement, and got out of
his cab to join her. She was full of the
visit she had just paid, above all, of Ellen
Rivers.
Because she's the whole thing, you
know" che said. "The adherents-good
gracious, what helpless creatures! /
don't wonder the Republicans upset
them, if that's what they're all like. Oh,
they're gentlemen, of course, and you're
not. Byers (Mr. Byers smiled slightly
and smiled acquiescently), but I'd rather
have you than a thousand of them. And
the prince, poor dear, is hardly better.
Always talking of what he'll do when
he's there. never thinking how he's going
to get there"
Byers let her rum on; she was giving
him both instruction and amusement.
"And then he's afraid-Oh not of the
| bullets or the guilotine or whatever it