Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-06-07

"If he's red. he's right"
pal throne to greet me. Two faces only
stood out side by side clearly before
my eyes-the face of girl, pale and
lovely. surmounted by q crown of the
glorious Elphberg hair flor in a wom-
IN 1t is glorious), and the face of man
whose full blooded red cheeks, black
THAR and dark, deep eyes told me that
at last was in the presence of my
brother, Black Michael. And when
he saw me his red cheeks went pale all
In a moment and his helmet fell with
clatter on the floor. Till that mo-
ment believe that he had not realized
that the king was in very truth come
to Strelsau.
OF what followed next remember
nothing. knelt before the altar and
,he cardinal anointed my head. Then
rose to my feet and stretched out
nv hand and took from him the crown
Of Ruritania and set it on my head,
md swore the old oath of the king.
Then the great organ pealed out
again. the marshal babe the heralds
proclaim ME, and Rudolf V. was
crowned king, of which imposing cere-
mony an excellent picture hangs now
in my dining room. The portrait OF
the king is very good.
Then the lady with the pale face ana
the glorious hair, her train held by two
pages. stepped from her place and
came to where l stood. And herald
cried:
Her royal highness the Princess
Flayia"
She courtesied low and put her hand
under mine and raised my hand ana
kissed it., And for an instant l
thought what had best do. Then l
drew her to me and kissed her twice
on the cheek, and she blushed red, and
why. then his eminence the cardinai
archbishop slipped In front of Black
Michael and kissed my hand and pre-
scented me with letter from the pope,
the first and last which l have ever re-
ceived from that exalted quarter!
And then came the Duke OF Strelsau'
His step trembled, swear. and ne
looked to the right and to the left, as
man looks who thinks on fight, ana
his face was patched with red ana
white. and his hand shook so that 1t
jumped under mine, and l felt his ups
dry and parched. And | glanced at
Sapt. who was smiling again into his
beard. and, resolutely doing my duty
in that station of life to which had
been marvelously called. / took my
dear Michael by both hands and Kissed
him on the cheek. think we were
both glad when that was, over!
But neither in the face of the prin-
cess nor in that of any other did see
the least doubt or questioning Yet
had and the king stood side by side
they could have told us in an instant,
or at least on little consideration.
But neither they nor anyone else
dreamed or imagined that l could be
other than the king. So the likeness
served, and for an hour / stood there,
feeling as weary and blase as though
had been king all my life, and ev-
erybody kissed my hand, and the am
bassadors paid me their respects,
among them old Lord Topham, at
whose house In Grosvenor square l had
danced a score of times. Thank heav-
en-. the old man was as blind as bat
and did not claim my acquaintance.
Then back we went through the
streets to the palace, and ! heard them
cheering Black Michael, but he, Fritz
told me. sat biting his nails like man
In a reyerie, and even his own friends
said that he should have made a BRAY
err show. was in carriage now, side
by side with the Princess Flavia, ana
rough fellow cried out:
"And when's the weddingT and as
he spoke another struck him In the
face crying, "Long live Duke Michael?'
and the princess colored-it was an ad-
mirable finland looked straight In
front of her.
Now I felt in difficulty, because
had forgotten to ask Sapt the state or
my affections or how far matters had
gone between the princess and myself.
Frankly, had I been the king the fur
ther they had gone the better should l
have been pleased. for / am not q slow
bIooded man, and had not kissed
Princess Flavia's cheek for nothing
These thoughts passed through my
head; but, not being sure of my ground.
said nothing, and in moment or two
the princess. recovering her equanim-
ity, turned to me.
"Do you know, Rudolf" said she,
"you look somehow different todayT
The fact was not surprising, but the
remark was disquieting.
"You look" she went on, more
sober, more sedate. You're almost
careworn. and declare you're thin.
ner. Surely it's not possible that
you've begun to take anything seri-
0usly"
The princess seemed to hold OF. the
king much the same opinion that-Lady
Burlesdon held Of me.
I-braced myself up to the conversa-
ton.
would that please your I asked
softly.
"Oh, you know my views" said she,
turning her eyes away.
"Whatever .pleases you try 10 40"
I said. and as / saw her smile and
blush thought that l was playing the
kings hand very well for him. so
continued, and what said was per-
fectly true:
-; fro BE CONTINUED