Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1900-05-30

things for which there wns no account
Ing. but 1t has been usually after Il
contest with the wine iagon. and Mt
the time my head was none of the
clcarest so would not venture to say
whether they were ghosts or no."
"Imaglnc. then. that in one of the
corridors Of your castle mt midnight
You met white rohrd. transparent
figure. through whose form your sword
passed scathcssly-what would you
do. my lord"
"1ndred. your majesty. would take
10 my neels ana Dcstow myselr else-
where rs speedily as possible"
Most wisely spoken. and you, who
are no coward. who would face willing
ly In combat anything natural. would
| In certain circumstances trust to swift
, flight for your protection. Very well.
MY lord; you are now confronted with
! something against which your stout
arm Is as unnvailing rs It would he II
| an nppnrition stood in your path. There
is before you the spccter of subtlety.
| Use arm instead of brain. and you are
lost man. The archbishop expects no
! apology. He looks for Il stalwart. stub
born man. dcfying himself and the EN-
plre combined. You think perhaps that
the imperial troops vii. surround your
| castle and TINT you may stand siege.
| Now, the emperor would rather have
| you fight with him than against him.
/ but In truth there will he no contest.
( Hold TO your refusal, and you will he
| arrested before you leave the precincts
OF this palace You will be thrown into
| dungeon. your castle and your lands
sequestered. and call your attention
| to the fact that your estate adjoins the
| possessions of the archbishop Mt Co
chem. and Heaven fend ne for hint
ing that his lordship casts covctous
eyes over his boundary, yet npverthe-
less h. will probably not refuse 10 ac-
crpt your possessions in rcpnrnt!ou for
the insult bestowed upon him. Put
1t this way. if you like: Would you
rather pleasure me or pleasure the
archbishop of Treves?"
swered the count. iN
! "1'hen it will please me well If YOU
promise to apologize 10 his lortlshp the
archbishop of Treves. That his lord
ship VIII be equally pleased | very
much doubt"
"Will your majesty command me In
open court TO apologlze?"
81 shall request you 10 do so. | must
uphold the fcudal law"
"rhen beserch your majesty TO
command mo. for am loyal subject
and will obey"
God give me many such" said the
emperor frrvently. "anl brstow upon
me the wisdom to deserve them"
He extended his hand 10 the count.
then touched n bell on the table beside
him. The officer who had conducted
WinncburG entered silently ana actpd
as his guide back to. the thrungri
apartment they had left The count
SAW tlnt3the great crimson curtains
were now loopcd up. giving view
of the noble interior OF the room he
yond. thronged with the great of the
empire. The hail lending to 1t was
almost deserted. aud the count. under
convoy of two lanccmen. being nearly
ms tall as their weapons. imsscd in to
~ dHl lOulN M tNtS
turned upon him. He was brought TO
n stand before an elevated dnls. the
center of which was occupied hy
lofty throne which at the moment
was empty. Near II on the elevation
stood the three nrchhisliops of 1'reveS.
Cologne and Maypnce. ON ihr her
side tie count palntine OF the Rhine
with the remaining three electors The
mobiles of the realm occupied plncrs
according to their degree Az The stall
wnrt count came in II buzz OF CONVEX.
81 lion swept over the hall like II breeze
among the leaves OF forest. A ma
lignnnt scowl darkencd the counic-
nance of the archbishop of I'reves. hut
the faces Of Cologne and Mnypnce TX
pressed n certain Christian rcsignn-
lion regarding the cont timely that had
been endured by their colleague. The
count stood stolidiy where hp was
placed nmhGnzed NJ the vacant throne.
turning his eyes neither 10 The right
nor the left. Suddenly there was
fanfare of trumprts. and instant ST.
lcnce sm0tc the assembly. First came
officers Of, the Imperial guard In shiu-
ing armor, then the immediate nd
visers and councillors OF his majesty,
anu Inst of all the emperor himself. n,
ro1e Of great richness clasped Mt his
throat and thrilling behind him. the
crown OF the empire upon his head.
His face was pale and stern. looking
what he was a,nionarch and man.
The COUNT rubbed hts ,vrs and could
scarcely behave ih1t lAN stood now in,
the presence OF one who had chatted
amiabiyA With hAnt huSia few moments
before,
The emperor sat- on his, throne, and
one OF his councillors whispered for
some mowenSs 70 him, Then. the, en-.