The Republican., 1899-06-29
FAMOUS KINGS WE
HAVE MET
By Wardon Allen Curtis.

american to say he would like it, but
] acknowledge that 1 would. How
.yer, as that's impossible, 1 should at
least like to see a king and converse
with him"
II can't say that | ever saw a real
King" said the Rhode Islander who had
been in the French navy; "but l once
.saw a man who claimed to be a king.
Dne night, when the Arethuse was
lying in a French port, and it was my
watch on deck, l was startled by feel
ing a hand upon my shoulder and hear
Jug a strange voice whisper:
a 4 am the king of France; don't tell
anybody that I'm here
II turned and saw a rather imposing
booking man with a wild, rowing eye.
I would like to grant your request,
said 1, but it is my duty to report your
presence here, sir. 1 shall have to tell
ahe admiral
"'Please don't tell anybody. They
will execute me- said he. If you'll not
iell, I'll make you a baron when get
my throne
''But there's the admiral. I'll have
10 tell him that you are here
"'Well, offer him a marquisate from
me as the price of his silence, and, if
sen espouse my cause and deliver up
hhe feet, I'll make him a duke and
commander of the royal navy. ] have
an army ready on shore, and now l
want a naval force
81 went to the admiral at once and
aold him about the stranger.
Undoubtedly the republic is in dan
ger, said the admiral, and I'm glad of
g. There isn't enough pomp and glory
Kbout it. Here may be a chance for
us to win renOwn, Baxter. l have fore
seen royalist uprising for some time
The Paris correspondents for those
American papers you lent me have been
Ending out things about the threat
tned royalist uprising which people
over here have not seemed to know any
thing about, and here the uprising is
What salary does he intend to give to
1he commander of the navy? What did
he look like? Is it the Due de Chartres
" the Comte de Paris?'
I have never met those gentlemen,
said l. They never have been in Rhode
Island that know Of
a brought the royal parsonage into
the cabin. The admiral whispered tC
RE that he didn't recognize him as
any of the pretenders. Nevertheless
sc addressed him respectfully anc
asked him about his chances of secur
ing the throne.
4 have an army of 200, 900 men col
Sected two miles from here, and my
Charles the Eleventh Tomorrow
My king, l salute you, said the
admiral, kneeling.
Just then four men rushed into the
cabin and handculfed the monarch.
Hal cried the admiral. drawing
his sword. 'Nive lie roi la repubique!
What does this mean? Unhand his
majesty. Arrest all traitors present
as the plot crushed? Is there to be a
glorious monarchy, or is the beloved
republic safe?
Plot, monarchy? asked one of the
strangers. What are you talking
about? This is an escaped lunatic-a
nan afflicted with a mania that he is
the dispossessed king of France. We
have traced him here, and now we will
take him back to the asylum he came
from
Perhaps so; but not so fast. There
may be plot against the republic here.
Call the guard, Baxter and in a mo-
Eent the lunatic and four keepers were
surrounded.
ALLOW US to 60 said the head keep
CT. He is only madman.'
This is serious thing said the al
22iral. Even pretended pretendermay
deceive some one. The French are mer-
FRrial people, alas! and this madman
might have started revolution had.
he not been seized at the start by one
30 firm in his allegiance to the republic
RS |. He may escape from the asylum
again, and by deceiving the people be-
come source of great danger Let the
officers of the feet be summoned to
Tourt-martial.'
The officers assembled, and, as sure
as shooting, the court-martial ad-
5ndged the poor old lunatic guilty of
treason. So he was hanged at the yard
HrIu"
WAS anything done about the hang
mg?" asked the storekeeper.
Nothing, except that the admiral re-
reived a sword of honor and the thanks
CT the government" said the Rhode Is
lander who had been in the French
navy.
4 never knew no kings" said the ex-
sergeant of the Devonshire Blues, "but
met a sultan once.
at was arter the Chinese war. and
oar troOp-ship put in at some is
KIND inhabited by a Chinese sort OF
people, governed by man what called
5Sself sultan. The sultan sent word
hat any of us could call on i'm if they
Eanted to, but it turned out that |
was the only man what went.
when | got to the palace was taken
10 the all where the sultan was. and
1hey told me to crawl on my 'ands and
knees. | objected, and said l would
20 back first, but a couple of guards
Knocked me down, and told me TO crawl
rtead, as the sultan wasn't to be dis