Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-04-13

announcement on the jester.
He Who calls himself the free baron
Of IIochfclS:' observed the fool set
| ting down lie glass from which he had
moderately partaken.
Aye d man of royal and peasant
| blood" larSlly answered the free
booter '.tmhtion and Arrogance are
F.. the kingIy Inheritance: strength. a con-
stjiut ION of iron the loWhorn legacy.
, What think You of such an "ndow=
| ment:"
.,Yoji are far from your castle. my
lord ot Ii ,chfrl>. commented the jest
er :b,ehllA. unlilnutul Of Il question
Ne ielt uut called ulon to answer
Md Vet as safe as in my own
mountain nest. returted the free
baron or frccboptrr iudiherentiH. WHO
would bctray me: lhere is not
troaper of mime but would die for his
master You would not denoliiire me,
because hut why en,lnlernle the rea-
sons: hold YOU in the palm of my
hand. and when close my fingers
there's the end of YOU.
| Put wEcre-alloW me the Wine has
a rare flavor. and hc reached for tie
flask.
"l,rink freely. returned the pretend
er 1T is ine kings OWN. and you are
lny guest You We're about to ask
"N'hcuce came the idea for this mad
adveiauYt: said the jester his eyes
seemingly bent III admiration Oh the
goblet he he.d-a l.alf globe of crystal
sustained hy golden Racchus.
Idea" repeated the self called
baron, with a gesture of satisfaction
it was ulorc than an idea. 1t was
an Inspiration, born of chat chance
which points the way to greatness
! The feat accomplished. all Europe
| will wonder ut the wanton exploit
| At first Francis will rage. Then,
seeing me npregnahly intrenched.
he will make the best of the marriage,
especially as the groom is Of royal
blood Next an alliance with the
French king against the emperor. Why
not: Was not Francis once ready to
treat even with Solyman to defeat
Charles. an overture which shocked
o'hristendom: And while Charles
|
tecting his country from the Turks a
new leader appears. devil may care
fellow and then and then
He broke off abruptly, stared before
him as though the fumes Of wine were
at last beginning to rise to bis head,
| toyed with his glass and drank 1t
quickly at draft. what al alluring
wil-o tie wisp is tomorrow" he NUT
tered.
An Elusive hope that reconciles us
with today" answered the plaisant.
"Iuusive.." cried the other. Only for
poets. dreamerS. fools!'
and you. Sir Baron. are neither one
nor the other remarked the Jester.
NO philosopher. hut plain soldier.
who chops heads. not logic. But the i'll
spiration that caused you to embark
/ upon this hot Drained, pretty enter
priSe:''
"Upon a spur of rock that overlOoks
the road through the mountain is set
the Nulture'S Nest. Sir Fool began the
adventurer in a voice at once confident
and. arrogant. AT least so the time
honoreI fortress of Uochfels is dis
paraeingly designated by the people
AS the road is the only pass through
the mountains. naturally we come
more or less in contact with the peopIe
who go by ou: doors. Being thus forced
through. the situation of our fortress
into the proximity of the travelling
public. we have from time to time
made such sortics as are practlced by
a belea2uered garrison and have III
consequence taken prisoners many trat-
ticners and traders whose goods and
chattels were worthy Of our attention
as spoils of wHr. Generally we have
confined our operations to migratory
merchants who carry more of value
and cause less troHble than the emper-
or's sollticrs or the kings troopers. but
occasionally we brush against one Of
the latter bands so that we may keep
III practice III laying our blades to the
griHdstone and also to show we are
sols!iers. not robbers.
(Which remains to be proved" muir
INJURED the attentive jester Your par
don, noble lord as the other half
started from his chair: 'let me fill your
glass. lis pity TO neglect Such royal
wine. Proceed with your story. Come
! we presently to the inspiration?'
"At once" answered the apparently
appeased master of the fortress, wip-
ing his lips. "One day our western
outpost brought in messenger, and
when we had stripped the knave, upon
him we found n miniature and let
ter from the princess to the duke. The
latter was prettily writ, with here and
there a rhyme. and moved me might
? IT, The eagle hath its mate. | thought
but the vulture of Hochfels is single
and this reflection. with the sight OF
. the picture and that right, fair script
r saddened me.
And then, on a sudden, came the
inspiration. Why not play hand il