The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-11-07

reaches the little domain after an ar
Euous, sometimes perilous, journey
erom the great European capitals,
whether they be north or south or west
never east. He crosses great rivers
Gnd vide plains; he winds through fer
tile valleys and over barren plateaus;
ae twists and turns and Climbs among
somber gorges and rugged mountains;
BE touches the cold clouds in one day
and the placid warmth Of the valley in
She next One does not go to GrauStarK
gor pleasure jaunt. It is too far from
xhe rest Of the world, and the ways are
oftea dangerous because Of the strife
among the tribes of the intervening
mountains. If one hungers for excite
ment and peril, he finds it in the jour
Gey from the north or the south into
sae land of the Graustarkians. From
Vienna and other places almost direct.
F west the way is not so full Of thrills,
Cor the railroad skirts the darkest OF
1e danger lands.
Once in the heart Of Graustark, how
ever, the traveller is charmed into
dreams OF peace and happiness and
paradise. The peasants and the poets
sing In one voice and accord, their
psalm being Of never ending love.
Down in the lowlands and up in the
alls the simple worker Of the Soil re-
3eices that he lives in Graustark; in the
Wwas and villages the humble mer-
Giant and his thrifty customer unite
20 sag the song Of peace and content
nenEs in the palaces Of the noble the
same patriotism warns its heart with
Saeughts of Graustark, the ancient.
Prince and pauper strike hands for the
love of the land, while outside the
great, heartless world goes rumbling
on without a thought Of the rare little
principally among the eastern noun
Eains.
In point of area Graustark is but q
mite in the great galaxy Of nations.
CHANGING over the map Of the world,
one is almost sure to miss the ininites-
snaaa patch Of green that marks its To-
Saaon. One could not be blamed il
Ae regarded the spot as a typograph-
heal Or Typographical illusion. Yet the
people Of this quaint little land hold
sn their hearts a love and confidence
SAat are not surpassed by any Of the
aordly monarchs who measure their
patriotism by miles and millions. The
Graustarkians are sturdy, courageous
Tace. From the faraway century when
they fought themselves clear Of the
Tartar geke to this very hour they
iaave been warriors Of might and valor.
THE boundaries of their tiny domain
were kept inviolate for hundreds Of
years, and but one victorious foe had
come down to lay siege to Edelweiss,
She capital Axphain, powerful prin-
cieality in the north, had conquered
GTaustark in the latter part of the
nineteenth century. but only after
bitter war il which starvation and
Eamiae proved far more destructive
than the arms Of the victors. The
treaty Of peace anG the indemnity that
tell to the lot Of vanquished Graustark
have been discoursed upon at length
b at least one history.
g Those who have followed that his
aary must know, Of course, that the
;ea1gning princess, Yetive, was married
% "a young American at the very tag
end Of Fhe nineteenth century, This
admirable couple met in quite romantic
fashion while the young sovereign was
travelling incognito through the United
States of America The American,
spsead;d fellow named Lorry, was SO
persistent IN the subsequent attack
2apon her heart that all ancestral preju-
Ilces were swept away, and she be-
zane his bride with the full consent OF
eaer ENHANCED subjects. The manner
u which he wooed and won this young
and adorable ruler forms a very ct
sEactre chapter in romance, although
snmentaned in history. This being
he tale Of another day, it is not timely
- dwell upon the interesting events
which led up to the marriage Of the
sersncsss yetive to Grenfall Lorry Suf-
ice 1t to say that Lorry won his bride
ssgaSust all wishes and odds and at
he same time won an endless love and
esteem from the people Of the little
Ssingdom among the eastern hills. Two
years have passed since that notable
Saet1ding il. Edelweiss.
LOFTY and his wife, the princess,
seaae their home in Washington, but
spent q few months Of each year in
f0eaweiss. During the periods spent
"a Washington and in travel her affairs
n Graustark were in the hands Of a
capable. austere old diplomat, her
ancle, Count Caspar Halfont Princess
Jelga rc;sned as regent over the pri.l-
SssaIty o. Axphain. 80 TIE south lay
9ae prancii,&,::ty Of DawsDergen, ruled
ag young Prince Dantan, whose half
aeosher, the deposed Prince Gabriel,
lad been for two years a prisoner In
&sssaustark, the convicted assassin OF
G'caace Lorenz Of Axphain, one time
Sustor FOR the hand Of Yetive.
1e was after the second visit Of the
Etoecys to Edelweiss that serious turn