The Winslow mail., 1899-02-25
A RESURRECTION OF
ROYALTY.
BY Hayward H. Keneall.


In another minute Phll had turned
down his trousers, lighted a cigarette,
and, leaning back in big armchair,
was waiting eXpectaptly. / took off
my overcoat, lighted my pipe, and, aft
er preliminary cough, began:
Say. Phil-pardon my colossal nerve
but are you very fond Of Alice Clark" p
For moment there was pause.
The very incandescent light seemed to
flicker in amazement; a mouse scam
pered across the floor abashed, and |
blushed inwardly at my own boldness.
Phil looked amazed for a moment,
knocked the ashes from his cigarette
and smiled very bland smile.
''Is this joke?"
I'm in dead earnest"
''Well, 10 be truthful, / think that
Alice Clark is queen, but that's about
as far as it goes with me. We are old
friends. and good friends. You under
s;Lad?"
| heayed little sigh of relief, took
long inhalation of the subtle smoke and
said, very laconically: I'm glad of it.
''Why?' Phil asked.
"Well. n'ilnporte; just follow me" l
replied, with q relieved and knowing
smile.
One August, when l was ten years
old, my old bachelor Uncle Bob,
great sufferer from hay fever, went up
to Mackinac island, that haven for hay
feverites, and incidentally took me
with him for a travelling companion.
Well, Phil, l was q star! Poor Uncle
Bob was relieved of his hay fever, bn'
almost contracted paresis worrying
over me. In the first place, it was devil
ish rough on Lake Huron, and Uncle
Bob, besides being afflicted with mai
de mer in its most hideous form,
caught me smoking sly cigarette.
Really, l thought that he was going to
have the blind staggers or some thing
equally as horrible. After that [ useI
more discretion and fewer cigarettes
1.-TWO days after leaving home we
steamed up to the dock at Mackinac.
Uncle Bob climbed out of his nest, and
after giving his wings preliminary
flap or two, grabbed me by the hand
and toted me ashore into that unholy
mass of noisy porters, scottish Ind ans.
drunken cabmen and fiippant hotel
mattresses that surrounded the gang
plank. Uncle Bob picked out re
sPcetable looking cabby, who drove US
in his ancient carriage to the Gran!
hotel, grand only in proportions and
name. Here we engaged two rooms.
great sepulchral chambers, as gloomy
and hideously bare as receiving vaul,
in a potters' field. The atmosphere
peryading the entire hotel was as
gloomy as our rooms, for cold north
eastw:nd was blowing hard, enyelcping
everything in dull, damp mist. l was
miserable. All day long | strolled
around those big verandas, almost get
ting into a fight with Reginald Snyder,
the son of a Detroit brewer; smoked a
sly cigarette and was terribly home
sick, until l cried myself to sleep at
night.
II was standing one morning with
Uncle Bob on the hotel veranda. just iE
front of the main entrance, as very
swel-looking carriage drove up, and
handsome woman, accompanied by her
little eight-year-old daughter and a
French maid, alighted and came up the
steps toward us. l was a rather blase
youth. but I'll bet my eyes popped out
at the sight of that little girl She was
perfect little princess; not one of the
seraphic kind but roguish-looking.
blonde-haired little beauty, and her
mamma was perfect queen. Before |
vould collect my senses this little party
of beauty had passed into the hotel.
Uncle Bob was v;sibly affected but
was absolutely swept off my feet.
after that l began to get pensive.
Instead of reading Nick Carter | read
'Anderson's Fairy Tales and imagined
myself saving my little princess from
all sorts of ruffians, giants and wild
beasts. l moped about.the hotel pray
ing heaven earnestly for a chance ID
save her from some terrible calamity
and carry her trembling to her fond
mammals arms. / forgot that | was
wicked, and almost forsook Hoboker
Hank. Uncle Bob thought that l had
reformed, and consequently had much
peace for four or five days.
"Not content with moping, devoted
myself to dress. and the time | spent
tying my sashes and bows would have
been a credit 10 a Brummel. / used to
wander around the hotel veranda when
the princess was strolling up and down
with her nurse or mamma. every day
becoming more ferlorn ad discouraged
lest | should never meet her. But one
day success was mine. While walking
around q corner of the big veranda with
her nurse, sharp gust of wind took tht
princess little black hat ard rapidly
whirled it toward me, tumbl;ng her
gold hair ruthlessly about. Picking up
the darling hat darted forward. and
with very stately bow. one l had been
praciic;ng for three or four days, |
presented II 10 the little blushing beau
ty, who gurgled out an abashed Thank
YOU The nurse laughed right heartily
at our juvenile formality for fully a
minute, while the princess and waited
uneasily. What is your name, little
man?' she asked. willie Williams
replied. with as much formallty as
possible The nurse laughed again, but
very kindly this time. Then. making
a playful courtesy, said: Mr.. Willie
Williams, my protege. Miss - But
I mustn't tell you the princess namt
now; that would spoil the whole story
| Anyway. we became the best of friends
"Every afternoon we would stroll VI
and down the hotel grounds or along
the beach; or, what was better. drive
around the island with mamma. AS