Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1905-03-21
NEW SERIES. VOL. XL, NO. -

His royal highness Ludwig will
helm, prince of Coburg- Gotha.s said
Motley. with the air OF profaning 81
sacred title by letting 1t slip from
his plebeian tongue
Peggy stared.
sMunsterberg-he' the prince-doing
America incog.," Motley went on.
Peggy turned pale. She rose and
tripped over the poodle Motley rat
tied out the whole story and capped 1t
triumphantly with confession to the
title on the part Of his royal highness.
By the time he had finished she was
the old self possessed Peggy.
do you think you've told me any
news?" she asked easily. And then,
lest she should betray herself, she gath
cred up the poodle and fed TO the
house.
Peggy may be forgiven II she
dreamed of many things after that
of an old gray castle In the hills Of Co
burg, of three letters and a royal title
preceding her own name, of stationery
bearing the crest of the triple headed
eagle. In fact. she did dream much Of
these advantages at first, and the In
teresting German of that first Wednes-
day night hop was suddenly vested in
her mind with much romance and
much eligibility.
Then-oh, heart of womant-after the
first romance of the thing had worn
Off and his royal highness had begun
to repeat his rather slender store OF
bright remarks she found herself
dreaming of Donald Macomber and
wondering why he had not come back
to her as all the others had. She re.
membered that Macomber had always
been masterful and high handed even
as a sutton and that 1t was because he
had been unwilling to yield some triv-
ial point that she had broken with
him. She began to think seriously and
to compare his royal highness with
Donald. And when the comparison,
point by point, was ended Peggy was
a very unhappy girl, to whom the cas-
tie in Coburg was nightmare.
And because OF all these things the
throne of Coburg- Gotha barely escaped
losing its heir
1t happened one August evening. His
royal highness was padding Peggy
slowly about the lake, singing as he
padded little sentimental German
songs and looking very contented.
Peggy gave the song no heed. She
was watching solitary figure in an
approaching canoe. The figure bent
TO the paddle in an easy, familiar man
ner. There could be no mistaking
those broad shoulders and that curly
brown hair The two canoes drew
nearer. The man in the other canoe
looked up. Peggy smiled and bowed.
The man nodded coldly and began to
paddle faster.
Something seemed to clutch her
throat. The prince was quite forgot
ten. She realized only that Donald
Macomber was padding out of her
sight and out of her life
"Donnld!" she cried.
He padded on, with never a glance
IN her direction.
''Donaldr' she cried again, and as he
still gave no heed she tremblingly stood
up.
His royal highncss gasped.
'Sit down-sit DOWN. he urged.
Peggy deliberately put one little foot
on the spreader, and in a moment they
were in the water.
When she came to the surface she |
was seized by strong arm, and q big, |
tender voice said evenly:
Don't struggle, dearest. You are
safe with me-"
And Peggy closed her eyes and was |
very happy.
Not so his royal highness of Coburg- |
Gotha. He was fioundering about mis-
erably and shouting spasmodically be-
tween choking gurgies:
"Help-in Gods name, helpl I do
not swimw
The rescuers fished them out, Prince |
Ludwig Wilhelm of Coburg- Gotha first,
for he was far spent. And while at |
the inn they were rolling him In hot |
blankets and pouring brandy down his
throat Peggy was laughing and crying
Historically on the shoulder of the 9th
er prince although he was not known
to the world at large by hts title, It Is
true-and making most absurd con-
fession. When she had finished Don
AIDS face was very grave.
"But If he had drowned, what then.
Peggy?' he questioned.
"Coburg- Gotha could have got along
without prince better than could
without you she said.