Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-01

' = . = WV
II could not retire until 1 had salts
fed myself as to Mr.. Lorry's condition
and his comfort" said he in his broken
English. He seated himself near tho
couch and bent sharp, anxious eyes on
the recumbent figure.
ooh, he's all right" volunteered An
guish readily. BE able to go into
battle again tomorrow"
'That is the way with you aggressive
Americans, am told. They never give
up until they are Dead" said the count
courteously. "Your head is better?"
ut does not pain me as it did, and
I'm sure I'll be able to get out tomor-
row. Thank you very much for your
interest" said Lorry. MAY inquire
after the health Of the Countess Hal
font? The excitement Of last night
has not had an unpleasant effect,
| hope" m
"She is with the princess, and both
are quite well. Since our war, gentle
men, Graustark women have nothing
to acquire in the way of courage and
| endurance. You. of course, know moth
| ing Of the horrors of that war"
''But we would be thankful for the
story of it, your excellency. War. is a
hobby of mine. read every war scare
that gets into print" said Anguish
| eagerly. v
| We 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? /
came toJsPend a few moments socially
and not fto go into history. At any
other time Eshall be't-3s ~. .llf.s II
1'Itawhl please iand mot tire. me.
am deeply interested. Pray. go on"
Lorrw ihastened ITO say,afor he was in
tepested lmoret than the count suspect
ed;F 'f3s FIg asa tIs .%sJ4 e9GJ5 3C44I %
Fifteen years ago Prince sGanlook
Of this principalityJ the father of 1eur
princess, became incensed over the dep
relations Of the Axphain soldiers who
patrolled our border OH the north. He
demanded restitution for the devasta-
ton they had created, but was refused.
Graustark is province comprising
some 300 square miles of the best land
in this part of the world. Our neigh
Dor is smaller III area and population.
Our army was better equipped, but not
so hardy. For several months the fight
ing in the north WIS in our favor, but
the result was that our forces were
finally driven back TO Edelweiss, hack
ed and battered 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
M!t,orers and the mobility itseIf+fiew to
arms fn defense lbf. the cityII Borrower
q rhehtas I'VE efoughta hundreds ofiou
best and bravest citizens going down to
deafhsI They att last began a lombard
nlenf. ofrthercity:o Today you can see
the marks onienearly' every house lin
Edelweiss. bHundreds of graves in the
valley to the south a ttest the terrors Of
that SIEGE The' castle was stormed,
and Prince 5Ganlook, 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 attempt to beat off the con-
querors. A bronze statue now marks
the spot on which he fell. The prin-
cess, his wife, was my sister, and as /
held the portfolio of finance it was
fhrnnUh thof Tho Oft
bringing the siege to an end. Fifteen
years ago this autumn-the Goth of No
voknber, to be explicit-the treaty of
peace was signed in Sofia. We were
compelled to cede portion of territory
in the far northeast, valuable for its
mines. Indemnity was agreed upon by
the peace commissioners, amounting to
20,00O,O00 gavvos. or nearly S30,0o0,O0O
in your money. In fifteen years this
money was to be paid, with interest.
On the goth Of November this year,
the people of Graustark must pay 25,-
100000 gayvos. The time is at hand,
and that is why we recall the war SO
WILDLY. 1t means the bankruptcy Of
the nation, gentlemen"
INGlthCl VI LIS LISTENERS cooke
some moments. Then Lorry broke the
silence.
"You mean that the money cannot
be raised?" he asked.
1T is not in our treasury. Our peo-
pie have been taxed SO sorely in re-
building their homes and in recuper-
ating from the effect Of that dreadful
invasion that they have been unable
to pay the levies. You must remem-
Der that we are a small nation and of
limited resources. Your nation could
secure 100000 600 in one hour for the
mere asking. To us 1t is like a death
blow. l am not betraying state Sc
cret 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 conditions. We are all fac
ing It together"
There was something so quietly he
rofc In his manner that both men felt
pity. Anguish, looking at the military
figure, asked:
You fought through the war, your
exesi;aney;'
II resigned as minister, sir, to go to
the front. / Waa 81 the first battle