Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1908-01-02
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HE4RZ,S AND M4GES~ IT

you SlOou Ill the Ultuulc Oh III ana were
a baseball player, you could throw a
stone across the frontier in any direc-
ton. But the vineyards were among
the finest in Europe. The prince was
a widower, and among his own people
was affectionately. styled. der Rot.
nasig," which, | believe, designates an
illuminated proboscis. When he wasn't
fishing for rainbow trout he was Sleep
ing in his cellars. He was often miss
ing at the monthly reviews, but no.
body ever worried; they knew where
10 find him. And besides, he might
just as well sleep in his cellars as In
his carriage, for he never rode horse
II he could get out of doing so. He
was really good-natured and easy-go-
ing, so long as no one crossed him Sc
verely; and you could tell him joke
once and depend upon his understand
ing it Immediately, which is more than
| can say for the. duke.
Years and years ago the prince had
had son; but at the tender age of
three the boy had run away from the
castle confines, and no one ever heard.
of him again. The enemies OF the
prince whispered among themselves
that the boy had run away to escape
compulsory military service, but the
boys age precluded this accusation.
The prince advertised, after the fash
ion of those times, sent out detectives
and notified his various brothers; but
his trouble went for nothing. Not the
slightest trace of the boy could be
found So he was mourned for sea-
son, regretted and then forgotten; the
prince adopted the grape arbor.
l saw the prince once. do not
blame the. Princess Hildegarde for her
rebellion. The prince was not only
old; he was fat and ugly, with little,
elephant-like eyes that were always
vein-shot, restless and full of mischief.
He might have made g good. father,
but l have nothing to prove this.
Those bottles of sparkling Moselle
which he failed to dispose of to the
American trade he gave to his brother
in Barscheit or drank himself. He
was 6S years old.
A nephew, three times. removed, was
waiting for the day wnen he should
wabble around in the princes shoes.
He was a lieutenant in the dukes
body-guard. quick-tempered, heady
chap. Well, he never wabbled around
in his uncle's shoes, for he never got
the chance.
/ hadn't been in Barscheit week
before heard great deal about the
princess. She was a famous horse
woman. This made me extremely anx-
ious to meet her. Yet for nearly six
months never even got SO much as a
glimpse, of her. Half of the six months
she was travelling through Austria, and
the other half she kept out of my way,
not intentionally; she knew nothing
of my existence; simply, fate moved us
about blindly. At court she was in
variably indisposed, and at the first
court ball she retired before arrived
| got up at all times, galloped over all
roads, but never did l see her. She
rode alone, too, part of the time.
The one picture CT her which | was
lucky enough to see had been taken
when she was six, and meant nothing
to me in the way of identification. For
all knew / might have passed her on
the road She became to me the
Princess in the Invisible Cloak, pass
ing me often and doubtless deriding
my efforts to discern her. My curl
osity became alarming. | couldn't
sleep for the thought of her. Finally
we met, but the meeting was a great
surprise to us both. This meeting
happened during the great hubbub of
which have just written; and at the
same time l met another who had
great weight in my future affairs.
The princess and | became rather
well acquainted. l was not gentle
man, according TO her code, but, in
the historic words Of the drug clerk, |
was something just as good. She hon
cred me with frank, disinterested
friendship, which still exists. | have
yet among my fading souvenirs of
diplomatic service half dozen notes
commanding me to get up at dawn and
ride around the lakes, something like
16 miles. She was almost as reckless
rider as myself. She was truly ia
nous rider, and woman who sits
we'll on horse can never be aught
but graceful She was, in fact, youth
full and charming, with the most mag
rifcent black eyes | ever beheld in a
Teutonic head; witty besides, and 9
scugstress of no ordinary talent II !
had been in love with her-which ]
solemn.y vow / was not!--I should
have called her beautiful and exhaust
ed my store of complimentary adjec
tives
The basic cause Of all this turmoil
about which am to spin my nara
tive. lay in her education. hold that
German princess should never be
educated save as a German. BY this
I mean to convey that her education
should not 90 beyond German litera
ture, German history, German venera-
ton cf laws, German manners and
German passiyity and docility. The
Princess IIiidegarde had been edu