Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-12-22
The Hiow Pals.
CHATTER ~.


Before the Prince left on the follow
ing morning, / saw him. and iEfimafed
that II u sui "a lis G nscnIefcs woaIi
carry on the work Ag hal IJegun az all
events. for tire present. He acGuiesced,
with a rod. and there size rs1gt or n g I.
In the eaTiy winter twilight. tie
sIedge which was 10 csrry the Prime
southwark drew up at tie main Ell
trance 70 the castle. Several other
sledges. with luggage and attendants,
had gone on iE advance. Nearly tile
whole population OF the village ASSEM-
bled there TO speed their lord ON his
way. Even tie Princess Er0penssl vas
there. booking like q paIiid wax doll ~
the midst or her fuFs. The Princess
Irene was there. erect and graceful az
a yOung poplar, her eyes burning rs III
sine wished that she. too. YVES going out
into the great world. 4 take a share in
the ruling ~ IN empire. The ssFyauts
were ctfere. headed by Nie0laicn, the
steward. and n few Of the tenants.
One Of these latter, a great, hulking
fellow Of thirty or whereabouts. had a
petition In his hand--I suppose about
some matter connected with his farm
and he was waiting for q favorable
moment on which 10 present. IL. In his
opinion. thAt moment canle wllen the
Prince, having made his adieux, was in
the net 0f stepping ipto the sIedge. lie
kneH IN one knee. and, bowling until
HIS forehead almost touched the snow,
he held up the petition In his right
hand.
No doubt the mans importantly at
such a moment, annoyed the Prince.
In any case. he lost bis temper. and
raising his right foot, be pushed the
kneeIIng suppl ant with his foot, SO
that tie man lost his balance aud tum~
blcd owe h~eadl0ng on the frozen SHOW.
a loud langlI went up from the little
crowd Of sycDplania, and the Prince,
without as much as q second glance at
the mOnjik whom he had Spurned from
him. got into the sledge aud drove of
like the wind.
For myself, my checks flushed with
indignation t9 see a fellow man treated
with such contumsly. IT was tie deep
iredical contempt thus displayed for q
man 81 his own flesh and blOo1 that
made my gorge rise. In spite Of my
self for | did not wish 10 add 20 The
moujlk's humiliation by staring at him
u glanced ut him 10 see how he tool
his require. ! was prepared 10 see at
angry. flushed face. eyes I'm which the
hot tears were starting or o black.
lowering yiSagc and a months muttAr-
ing curses. 7 never was more disap-
pointed In my life. A foolish smile
still rested on the simp'e fellows face.
and hes did not 40 much az take the
trouble to brush the muddy snow Off
his sheei,skin. as he began 10 discuss
with some Cf his companions the mer-
IT'S of his rejected petition.
Looking mp suddenly, | met the eyes
Of the Princess Irene. She had. 10
dot:bt, seen the expression in my face,
and I coulG only guess nj her feeling ia
the matter. Yet she was blushing.
Seeing that l was observing her. she
moved closer to me and said, In a low
tone
You nccd not look so shocked. Ba-
sill Idoyna was not hurt"
II did not suppose he was / replied,
as / turned away. Had I been speak
Ing to anyone else. l would have add
ed: Except In his soul"
The Princess bcckoncd the moujik to
come To her, and. from his kneeling
down and kissing the hem OF her dress
when she had done with him. | had 30
doubt that she bad been giving him
money. or promigir~ him some favor.
Gould any power npon earth trrn
these poor creatures into mem |
asked myself, as | went back into the
cnstle. IF | am not mistaken, fbat
fellow would gladly consent 80 feel the
application tf a mans DO 4 @ cry morn
Ing OF his life, II he were 10 pocket az
forwards us much as the Princess has
given him just now"
After this, things went on nj the cas-
tic with . placid monotony. thar but
for the Princess Irene would have been
TO IRE Infinitely wearisome. In the
morning ! superintendent the labors or
stonecutters ami sawyers, in order 10
see that all was going Of well and that
the Prince was getting something, mt
oil events. for his money. The money
was little enough, and I sometimes
thought the work was even less.
For an hour before luncheon, and an
other hour In the afternoon, | was busy
with calculations. account books AID
indoor toll; aud generally / paid u see
ond visit 10 the workmen before night,
that | might see how much they had
done during the day.
The Princess and her daughter dine1
early while the Prince was away. and
IL became n habit with them 10 invite
me to help them get through the long
winter evening. The elder lady was
as much IN invalid as ever she had
been. but she had n nervous dread Of
going early 10 bed. She much prefer
red to slt beside the steve. or the great
OPEN fire OF pine logs. and listen 10 chr
daughters music or play a game OF
chess with me.
She w0sS a bright. CHEEKY old lady in
spite of Ter weak health.
Fol me MS anyone may guess. there
was no drcariness, no mon0tony IN the
life | was leading. | was In Paradise.
For some time after the departure OF
the Prince | kept n strict guard over
myself. taking care that I should see
AS little of the Princess Irene as posi-
bic. and avoid anything like coniiden.
tial conversation with her. But the
temptation OF her daily presence. and.
above all, OF her changed manner was
toe much for me: and by the end of
the re sord week | had given mp the
useless struggle. What II Irene would
never be more 10 me than she was
1rIxrA u~f.a< go h.l - a.