Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-01-08
.Graustark
BY GEORGE BARR M'curcAEoN
Copyrighted, 1901, by Herber; S. Stone
y GEORGE BARR M,curcAEoN
cnAPrER vI-lcontinuedl
1901, by Herber, S. Stone.

/ CHAPTER NI--(Continued)
The train rolled slowly past three
mounted men whose steeds stood like
statues upon Il little knoll to the right OF
the track, men and beasts engaged in
silent contemplation of the cars. The
/ men, picturcsquely attired and looking
fierce carrying long rifles. certainly
bore an aspect that suggested the brig.
! and. When the guard entered the cur.
4 rage, Anguish asked in German for
some information concerning the rid
ers.
.Dey're frontier police guards re-
sponded the man in English, smiling ut
their establishment Both Americans
rose and shock hands with him.
"Ry George. it's good to hear n man
talk white mans language" cried An
guish.
How do you come to be holding n
job on this road? An Englishman?'
demanded Lorry. He looked anything
but English
I'm not an Englishman." said the
/ guard, flushing slightly: My names
! Sticky, an I'm an American, SIR
IAN Americana exclaimed Lorry.
4 Sticky grew loquncious.
"Sure! used to be sailor on a
United States man-o'-war. A couple OF
years ago got into trouble down at
Constantinople an had to get out of
de service. After dat drifted up dis
way aud went to rlilroadin'" He
hadn't exactly the manner of man-o'-
warsman.
! How long have you been on this
road?" asked Grenfall.
/ bout year. should t'ink. Been
on dis branch only two months. dough"
/ Are you pretty well acquainted In
/ Edelweiss?'
/ 'Oh, run in dere every other day
in an out ag'in. It's fine place-pur-
test you ever saw in your life. The
! town runs right up the mountain to the
tiptop, where the monks are-clear up
in de clouds. Dey say it SHOWS up deere
almost all de time"
Later on from the loquacious guard
{ the two Americans learned quite o
good bit about the country and city to
\ which they were going. His knowledge
I was somewhat limited along certain
/ lines, but quite clear as to others.
"Dis Graustnrk. g fer as know, Is
eeder sort o. state or somethin' be-
longin' to de umpire, governed by it's
own rulers. Edelweiss is de capital;
de big guns Of de land lives dere. I've
/ walked out an saw de castle where de
princess an de royalty hangs out. De
people spenk language of DER own,
and can't get next to ting dcy say.
dat talks French or German. Dey've
got a little standin' army of two tree
t'0usand men, an dey've got de hottest
uniforms you ever did see-red an
black an gold. / don't see why de Unit
ed States can't get up somethin' foxy
fer her soldiers to wear. Had war
over here not long ago, 1 understand
somethin' like ten or fifteen years ago.
Dere's another little country up north
Of Graustark, an dey got in wrangle
bout somethin'. an dey tell me in
Edelweiss dat for bout year dey
fought like Sam Patch
(Which was victorious?' demanded
Lorry. deeply Interested.
'l'm not sure To hear de Edelweiss
people talk you'd t'ink dey licked de
daylights out Of de other slobs but
somehow got next to de fact dat dem
other fellows captured de city an went
after slashin' big war Indemnity. I
A0,,st l,pox,. ,o,,oh ,l,0,,< IN
I'm clear off. but t'ink de Graustark
army WINS t'rashed. Everything is pros
porous now. dough, an you'd never
know dere'd been war. It's de most
peaceable town ever saw"
did you ever hear Of the Guggen-
slockers1' asked the irrepressible An
guish, and Lorry felt like kicking him.
in Edelweiss? Never did. Friends
Of yoursY'
'Acquaintanccs,' interposed Lorry
hastily frowning at Anguish.
''Yo,l won't have any trouble fndin'
'em II dare anybody at ALL said Sticky
easily. DE hotel people ought to be
able TO tell you all bout EN-"
by the way. what is the best hotel
there!' asked Anguish.
"Dere's do Burnowentz. one block
north of de depot The travellers look
ed at one another and smiled. Sticky
observing the action. "Oh,,'' he said
pleasantly, "dere's swell joint up
town called de Regengetz. It's too steep
fer me. but maybe you gents can stand
1t. II you'll hang around de depot fer
little while after we get in I'll steer
you up dere."
We'll make 1t worth your while,
Sitzky." said Lorry.
Never mind dat now. Americans
ought to stick together, no matter
where dey are Well have a drink
an ats all, just to show we're fellow
countrymen."
We'll have several drinks, and we'll
eat and drink tonight at the swell
joint you talk about" said Anguish.
I'VE may drink dere, but I'll not eat
dere. Dey wouldn't let railroad guard
inside de feedin' pen. Why, nothin'
but royal guys eat dere when dey're
downtown shoppin' or exposin' dem
selves to public gaze
True to his word, when they reached
Edelweiss late that afternoon Sticky.
their friend of uncertain origin, hur-
riedly finished his work and Joined the
travellers IN the station. Lorry and
Anguish We're deeply interested in all
they Saw-tha strange pann1n tho ouopr