Gloucester County Democrat., 1902-05-22
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAe
Princess Susette
And the Sentry
Observation-Disclosures
By HARRY G. CARR
..... Copyright, 1909, by the
S. S. Mcclure Company

a.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There was vivid flash in the sun
shine as the sentry by the palace gate
raised his saber in salute to the Prin-
cess Susette.
Her highness had run away from her
nurse and stood peeking out curiously
into the great world beyond the gates.
The children of the lodgekeeper were
making mud pies in the creek that
skirted the palace grounds. The Prin-
cess Susette wished that she, too,
might make mud pies.
! The flash from the sentry's saber
caught her eye. The Princess Susette
meditatively sucked one little pink
thumb and surveyed him with round
eyed wonder. He looked big and ter
rible on his great gray troop horse.
what makes you do thatY' inquired
Princess Susette plaintively, for the
long saber at present arms" was glim-
mering with little hot flashes of light.
Because you are a princess" said
the sentry briefly.
A wave of discomfort swept over the
face of the Princess Susette.
81 don't want to be a princess" she
walled. "They won't let you do nossin'
when you are a princess"
The sentry sat in frozen silence.
The eye of the princess wandered
back to the lodgekeeper's children
making mud pies by the creek.
II wish could make mud pies," said
her highness wistfully.
| The Princess Susette came timidly
out from the gateway and touched the
sentry's huzzar boot with a tiny dim
pied hand.
"Mr. Soldier" she said softly, 81
wish could make mud pies"
"The orders are that nobody can pass
the gate," growled the sentry.
The sweet lips of the Princess Su-
sette quivered, and the big blue eyes
| of the Princess Susette filed with
| tears.
"Oh, Mr.. Soldier" she sobbed, 'T'm
such lonely little girl! wish had
some one to play wiz"
The heart of the Princess Susette
overfowed with woe. Her highness
leaned heavily against the shoulder of
the big war horse and wept bitter tears
on the saber tache of the sentry. The
boot of the sentry was streaked with
royal tears, and the black from the SEN
try's stirrup strap begrimed the face of
the princess.
The sentry glared straight out to the
front and center through strange mist
that dimmed the outlines of the gate
post opposite.
The gray troop horse bent his head
and softly nozzled the plump, heaving
shoulders of the unhappy little Prin-
cess Susette.
The light Of an inspiration came into
the tear stained face of the princess.
She sat down in the middle of the road
and peeled off her shoes and stockings.
The little barelegged maid in stiff
white lawn presented a queer figure
of princess as her highness padded
back to the sentry.
MIL OOAOACAy 6uC DOSdA .
but the speech died on her lips. She
had just discovered that making fig
ures in the dust with ones bare toe is
the most fascinating amusement in
the world. She was recalled from her
absorbing occupation by the distant
rattle of pony hoofs. Her nurse was
in pursuit.
The princess looked up eagerly at the
sentry.
"Mr. Soldier" she said.
The sentry looked straight out to the
front and center and paid no heed.
"Mr. Soldierw this in breathless
panic.
Still the sentry would not look, so she
gave his leg vicious pinch.
The sentry's saber flashed again to
present arms"
"Can l go now?" asked the Princess
Susette.
Nobody can pass" said the sentry
gruffiy.
The princess looked up at him slyly.
"Mr. Soldier, nursy wouldn't let me
go barefooted because she said only
little nobodies went barefoot. I'm no.
body now."
And the Princess Susette held up her
shoes and stockings for him to see.
| On one side the sentry could hear
the hoofbeats growing louder. and
through the shrubbery he caught a
glimpse of a pony cart driven hard. On
the other side he heard the splash of
water and the happy shout of the
| lodgekeeper's children. The lips Of
the lonely little princess were begin
ming to culver again when the sentry's
saber flashed defiant gleam as it rose
| in salute.
"Pass" said the sentry shortly.
The Princess Susette, barelegged, ran
| down the road and shyly made her
way into the bakery business with the
| lodgekeeper's children. The sentry
glanced out Of the corner of his eye to
the right of him, to the left of him.
No one was nigh.
Then he called cautiously after the
Princess Susette: Build dam across
the creek. That's more fun than max
ing mud pies"
When the pony cart came dashing up
in hot haste, with groom and fright
ened nurse, the sentry, without trace
Of expression in his face. was staring
at the gatepost opposite.
| "Where is the Princess Susette?'
gasped the white faced nurse.
The sentry sat in stern silence. 1t
was against his orders to talk.
| "Where is the Princess SusetteY' de-
manded the nurse in sudden terror.
The sentry stared on at the gatepost
opposite, but beyond the gate came q
childish treble that the nurse knew.