The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-04-07

Through most Of her life Virginia
had known the lack Of money, but she
| would not have exchanged thousand
pounds for the contents of that little
bag.
! Hohenlangenwald is the name Of the
house from which the rulers of Rhae-
tia sprang. Therefore everything in
the beautiful city Of Kronburg which
can take the name Of Hohenlangen-
walG has taken it, and it was at the
Hohenlangenwald hotel that suit Of
rooms had been engaged for Lady
Mowbray.
The travellers broke the long journey
at Melinabad, and Virginia's study Of
trains had timed their arrival in Kron-
burg for the morning Of the birthday
eve, early enough for the first cere-
mony of the festivities, the unveiling
! by the emperor Of statue Of Rhaetia
| in the Leopoldplatz, directly in front
of the Hohenlangenwald hotel.
Virginia looked forward to seeing the
| emperor from her own windows. as.
according to her calculation. there was
an hour to spare, but at the station
they were told by the driver of the
| carriage sent to meet them that, the
crowd in the streets being already very
great, he feared il would be tedious
| undertaking to get through. Some of
| the thoroughfares were closed for traf-
fc. He would have to go by a round
about way and in any case could not
reach the main entrance Of the hotel
At best he would have to deposit his
passengers and their luggage at side
entrance in q narrow street.
AS the carriage started from far
away came burst of martial music
military band playing the national
air which the chamois hunter had
| heard a girl sing behind closed door
at Alleheiligen.
The shops were all shut, would be
shut until the day after tomorrow. but
| their windows were unshuttered and
caylv decorated to add to the bright
| ness of the scene. Strange old shops
displayed the marvellous chased silver,
the ieweled weapons and gorgeous en-
broideres from the far eastern prov
inces of Rhaetia. Splendid new shops
rivaled the best Of the Rue de Ia Paix
in Paris. Gray medieval buildings
made wonderful backgrounds for dra-
pery Of crimson and blue and garlands
of blazing flowers. Modern buildings
Of purple red porphyry and the famous
honey yellow marble of Rhaetia dut-
tered with flags, and above all, in the
heart of the town, between old and
new, rose the Castle Rock. Virginia's
pulses beat as she saw the home OF
Leopold for the first time, and she was
proud Of its picturesqueness, its riches
and grandeur, as ie she had some right
in 1t too.
Ancient narrow streets and wide new
streets were alike arbors Of evergreen
and brilliant blossoms. Prosperous
citizens in their best. inhabitants of the
poorer quarters and stalwart peasants
from the country elbowed and pushed
each other good naturedly as they
streamed toward the Leopoldplaz.
Handsome people they were. the girl
thought, her heart warming to them
and to her it seemed that the very
air tingled with expectation. She be-
lieved that she could feel the mag
netic thrill in it even if she were
blind and deaf and could hear or see
nothing Of the excitement.
1--WE must be in time! We shall be
in time!" she said to herself. II shall
lean out from my windows and see
him."
But at the hotel, which they did
finally reach. the girl had to bear a
keen disappointment. With many apol-
ogies the landlord explained that he
had done his very best for Lady Now
bray's party when he received their
letter a fortnight before and that be
had allotted them a good suit, with
balconies overlooking the river ut the
back Of the house-Quite Venetian ef-
feet. as her ladyship would find. But
as to rooms at the front-impossible!
All had been engaged fully six weeks
in advance. One American millionaire
was paying q thousand gulden solely
for an hours use of small balcony,
today for the unveiling and again to-
morrow for the street procession. Vir-
glnia was pale with disappointment.
"Then III 90 down into the crowd and
take my chance Of seeing something"
she said to her mother when they had
been shown into handsome rooms sat
isfactory in everything but situation.
II must hurry or there'.l be no hope"
"N1y dear child, impossible for you
to do such a thing" exclaimed the
grand duchess. Il can't think of allow
Ing it. Fancy what crush there will
be-all sorts Of creatures trampling
on each other for places. Besides. you
could see nothing"
ooh, mother" pleaded the princess
in her softest. sweetest voice. the voice
she kept for extreme emergencies Of
cajoling, Il couldn't bear to stay shut
up here while that music plays and the
crowds shout themselves hoarse for
my emperor Besides. it's the most
curious thng-I feel as If a voice kept
calling to me that I must be there.
Miss Portman and III take care Of
each other. You will let me CO. won't
your
OF course the grand duchess yielded.
her or, stipulation being that the two
should keep close to the hotel, and the
princess urged her reluctant companion