The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1903-07-25

last brave attempt 10 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 IL was
through me that the city surrendered
bringing the siege 10 an end. Fifteen
years ago this autumn the Goth OF No
yenber. 10 be eNplicit-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
2o,oO0.0OO gavvos, or nearly S30.OOO.0O0
In your money In fifteen years this
money was 70 he paid with interest
On the 10th Of November this year
the people Of Graustark must pay %.
OO0,O0a gayyos The time Is al hand
AMI that Is why we recall the war So
Niyidly. II means tie baabrlptcy of
the nation gentlemen
Neither Of lis listeners spoke for
some moments. lhen Lorl'v broke the
silence
You mean that the money cannot
be raisedg" he asked.
1T is not in our treasury Our peo-
pie have been taxed so sore,y in re.
building their homes ana 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 small nation and OF
limited resources. Your nation could
secure $300O0,0O0 In one hour for the
mere asking. TO us IL is like n death-
blow. l am not betraying a 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 II together"
There was something so quietly he
role In his manner that both men felt
pity. Anguish looking at the military
figure, asked:
"You fought through the war. your
excelency?"
81 resigned as minister. sir. 10 go 10 ,
the front. was I'm the first battle
and was In the last" he said simply. ,
And the princess-the present ruler. ,
mean-was mere child at that time. ;
When did she succeed 10 the throneY' :
asked LorrS
"Oh, the great world does not re-. I
our little history! Within n 4
year after tie death OF Prince Gan c
ook his wife. my sister, passed away. 4
lying OF a broken heart Her daugh-
er, their only child. was, according 10 n
'ur custom, crowned at once. She has n
eigned for fourteen years, and wisely G.
ince assuming full power. For three Il
ears she has been ruler de facto. She g,
las been frugal and has done all in n
er power 10 meet the shadow that IS it
ascending"
And what is the alternative I'm case Il
he indemnity is not paidT" asked bt
.orry breathessly, for he saw some n
hing bright IN the approaching calam- 50
v. Ia
The cession OF all that part Of Grau- V,
ark lying north Of Edelweiss, includ- I'll
* fourteen towns, all OF our mines
nd our most productive farming and be
razlng lands. In that event Grau- be
ark will he no larger than one of the es
'od sized farms In your western coun- dc
y. There Will he nothing left for her
val highness TO rule save n tract so IN
nall that the word principally will pr
travesty and icst-this city and Gil
'enty-five miles TO the south, strip dc
'out 100 miles long. Think of il! sol
10y 100 miles, and yet call he
a principality! Once the proudest ~
q most prosperous state I'm the east. SUI
nsldering its size, reduced TO that, me
IN, gentlemen gentlemen, | cannot gr,
INK of II without tearing out n heart pri
ing aud suffering such pains as NOR TN,
man has never endured. / lived I'm sta
austarks days of wealth, power and ult
Dremacy. Cod has condemned me TO ant
IN the days of her dependency, mis-
akness ana poverty. Let us talk no Civ
re of this unpleasant subject" IL '
Willingly, your excellency. since IL or,
lstastcful 10 YOU. hope, however, quo
Will permit me To ask how much VIII
are short Of the amount" said pos
ny considerably, yet curiously. offe
our minister OF finance. Caspon, rat,
be able TO produce 100000 CAV But
at the stated time, far from enough GOO
$ amount has been sucked from the RAG
pie from excessive levy and has nml
n boarded for the dreaded day. OF !
ms we would. II has been impossl- III
TO raise the full amount The pco- mos
have been bled and have responded III
ly, sacrificing everything To meet bloy
treaty terms honorably, but the In !
In has been too great. our army hers
cost us large sums We have I'm 81
ngthened our dcfenses and could. into
I'D we go TO war, defeat Axphaln. not
we have our treaty to honor. We who
q not take up arms 60 save our civil
rs from that honest bond I'll
'ur levies have barely brought the cnbi
unit necessary 10 maintain an army hers
enough 10 inspire respect among guld
G who are ready TO leap upon us rcacl
Instant we show the least sign Of fuse,
'ess. There are about us mowers a.,