The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1907-05-16
lcnntlnnod from T.nsl Meekl

They burned the offensive bicycle in
the courtyard of the palace, ceremo-
niously, too, and the princess had wit
messed this solemn auto da fe from
her barred window. 1t is no strain
upon the imagination to conjure up
the picture of her fine rage, her threat
ening hands, her compressed lips, her
fearless, flashing eyes, as she saw her
beautiful new wheel writhe and twist
on the blazing fagots. But what the
deuce was a poor duke to do with a
niece like this?
For time l feared that the United
States and the Grand Duchy Of Bar
scheit would sever diplomatic rela.
tions. The bicycle was, unfortunately.
of American make, and the manufac-
turers wrote to me personally that
they considered themselves grossly in
suited over the action OF the duke.
Diplomatic notes were exchanged, and
| finally prevailed upon the duke to
state that he held the wheel harmless
and that his anger had been directed
solely against his niece. This letter
was duly forwarded to the manufac-
turers, who, after the manner of their
kind, carefully altered the phrasing
and used it in their magazine adver-
tisements. They were so far appeased
that they offered me my selection from
the private stock. Happily the duke
never read anything but the Fliegende
Blatter and Jugend and thus war was
averted.
Later an automobile agent visited
the town---at the secret bidding of her
highness.-but he was so unceremo-
niously hustled over the frontier that
his teeth must have ratified like
dancers castanets. 1t was great
country for expeditiousness, as you
will find, IL you do me the honor to
follow me to the end.
So the grand duke swore that his
niece should wed Doppelkinn, and the
princess vowed that she would not.
The man who had charge of my horses
said that one of the palace maids had
recounted to him dialogue which
had taken place between the duke and
his niece. AS l was anxious to be off
on the road l was compelled to listen
to his gossip.
The Grand Duke--In two months
tilhe you shall wed the Prince of Dop-
pelkinn.
The Princess-What! that old red
nose? Never! l shall marry only
where l love.
The Grand Duke-Only where you
love (Sneers) One would think, to
hear you talk, that you were capable
of loving something.
The Princess-You have yet to
learn. | warn you not to force me. |
promise to do something scandalous.
will marry one of the people-a man.
The Grand Duke-Bah! (Swears
softly on his way to the stables.)
But the princess had in her mind
a plan which, had it gone through
safely, would have added many gray
hairs to the dukes scanty collection.
1t was mighty ingenious plan, too,
for woman to figure out,
In his attitude toward the girl the
duke stood alone. Behind his back his
ministers wore out their shoes in wait
Ing on the caprices of the girl, while
the grand duchess, half-blind and half
deaf, openly worshiped her willful but
wholly adorable niece, and abetted her
in all her escapades. So far as the
populace was concerned, she was the
daughter of the favorte son, dead
these Is years, and that was enough
for them. Whatever she did was right
and proper But the hard-headed duke
had the power to say what should be
what. and he willed it that the Prin-
cess Hildegarde should marry his old
comrade in arms, the Prince of Dop-
pelkinn.