The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-31

until they are dead, SAID the count NVN'
teously. your head is better?'
1T does not pain me as it did and I'm
sure I'll be able to get out tomorrow.
Thank you very much for your interest
said Lorry. May I inquire after the health
Of the Countess Halfont? TIL excitement
of last night has not had an unpleasant
effect, 1 hope
She is with the princess and both are
quite well. Since our war, gentlemen,
Graustark women have nothing TO acquire
in the way Of courage and endurance. You,
of course. know nothing of the horrors of
that war"
but we would be thankful for the story
of il. your excellency. War is a hobby of
mine. I read every wal scare that gets into
print" said Anguish. eagerly.
I'VE. of Graustark. at present have every
reason TO recall the last war and bitterly
to lament its ending. The war occurred just
fifteen years agO-but will the recital tire
you. Mr.. Lorry? 1 came TO spend a few mo-
ments socially and not to go into history.
At any other time / shall Be
1T will please and not tire me. I am
deeply interested. Pray go on" Lorry has
tened to say, for he was interested more
than the count suspected.
Fifteen years ago Prince Ganlook, Of
this principality-the father of our Yetive-
became incensed over the depredations Of
the AXphain soldiers who patrolled our Dor
der on the north. He demanded restitution
for the devastation they had created, but
was refused. Graustark is a province COM
prising some eight hundred square miles
of the best land i'm this part Of the world.
Our neighbor is smaller in area and popula-
ton. Our army was better equipped, but
not so hardy. For several months the fight
ing in the north was in our favor, but the
result was that our forces were finally
driven back to Edelweiss, hacked and bat
tered by the fierce thousands that came
over the border. The nation was staggered
by the shock, for such an outcome had not
been considered possible. We had been too
confident. Our soldiers were sick and worn
by six months of hard fighting, and the
men Of EdelWeiss-the merchants, the la
borers and the nobility itself-few TO arms
i'm defense of the city. For over a month we
fought, hundreds of our best and bravest
citizens going down to death. They at last
began a bombardment of the city. To-day
you can see the marks on nearly every
house in Edelweiss. Hundreds of graves in
the valley to the south attest the terrors
of that siege. The castle was stormed. and
Prince GanIook, with many of the chief
men Of the land, met death. The prince was
killed in front of the castle gates, from
which he had sailed in a last, brave at
tempt TO beat off the conquerors. A bronze
statue now marks the snot on which he
fell. The princess, his wife, was my sister.
and as L held the portfolio of finance. it
was through me that the city surrendered,
bringing the siege to an md. Fifteen wears
ago this autumn-the 10Th OF November. to
be explicit-the treaty of peace was signed
in Sofia. We were compelled to cede a por-
tiog of territory in the far northeast. valu-
able for its mines. Indemnity was agreed
upon by the peace commissioners, amount
ing to 100000 900 gavvos, or nearly $50. coo 600
in your money. In fifteen years this money
was to be paid, with interest. On the 10Th
of November, this year. the people of
Graustark must pay 100000 gavvos. The
time is at hand, and that is why we recall
the war so wildly. 1t means the bankrupt
cy OF the nation. gentlemen
Neither of his listeners spoke for some
moments. Then LOrry broke the silence.
you mean that the money cannot be
raiscd?' he asked.
80 III "a treasury. our DpOnIp
have been tayea so soreIy in rebuild;nr
'heir MONIES ana al recuperating from the
effect of dat dreadful invasion that thew
nave oeen unable to pay the levies. You
must remember that we are a small nation
ana resourceiess' gentlemen. Your nation
could secure $SO,0OO.O0 in one hour for tho
mere asking. To us it is like a death blow.
am not betraying a state secret in telling
you OF the sore straits in which we are
placed, for every man in the nation has
been made cognizant of the true condi-
tons. We are all facing it together"
There was something so quietly heroic in
his manner that both men felt pity. An
guish. looking at the military figure. sked.
You fought through the war. your ex-
cellency?'
Il resigned as minister. sir, to 20 TO the
front. 1 was in the first battle and I was in
the last" he said. simply.
And the princess--the present rulor T
mean. was a mere child at that time Whom
did she succeed to the throne" asked
Lorry.
'Oh. the great world does not remember
our little history! Within a year after tho
death Of Prince Ganlook, his wife. my Gle
ter. passed away. dying of a broken heart
Her daughter. their only child. was ac-
cordinS TO our custom. crowned at onco
She has reigned for fourteen wears and
wisely since assuming full power. For tbroo
years she has been ruler de facto. She has
been frugal. and has done all i'm her poU,er
TO meet the shadow that is descending
And what is the alternative in case tho
indemnity is not paid?' asked Iorrv
breathlessly, for he saw something bright
in the approaching calamity.
THE cession of all that mart of Crane
tark lying north OF Edelweiss. including
fourteen towns. all of our mines and orr
most productive farming and grazing
lands. In that event Graustark will be no
larger than one of the good-sized far~x IN
your western country. There will be moth
ing left for the Princess Yetive to rule
save a tract so small that the word nrirci-
palits will be Il travesty and a jest. This
city and twenty-five miles TO the south q
strip about $50 miles long. Think of IL,
Twenty-Five by $50 miles. and Vet called q
p~rincipalityi Once the proudest and most
prosperous state in the east. considering
its size, reduced 90 that, Ach. gentlemen
gentlemen. I cannot think OF it without
tearing out a heart-strinE and suneriog
such pains as mortal man has never en-
durcd. 1 lived in Graustark's DAYS Of
wealth. power and supremacy: God has
condemned me TO live i'm the days of her de-
tendency. weakness and poverty. Let us