The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1909-08-20

beasts In Asia and in Hottentot land,
took snapshots in ST. Petersburg and
almost got to the north pole with one
of the expeditions. Not in months
journey would you meet truer thor
oughbred. more agreeable chap q
more polished vagabond, than Holdings
worth Chase, first lieutenant in Dame
Fortunes army. Tall, good looking,
rawboned, cheerful, gallant. he was
the true. comrade of those merry. reck-
less volunteers from all lands who find
commissions, in Fortunes army and
serve her faithfully. 4 NJ a
He was nearly thirty when the diplo-
matte service began to appeal to him
as pleasing variation from the rigor-
GUS occupations he lad followed here
tofore. One Of his unces was con-
gresham, and another was in some
way connected with railroads. He first
sought the influence of the latter and
then the recommendation of the for
mer. In less than six weeks after his
arrival in Washington he was off for
the city of Thorberg, in the grand
duchy of Rapp-Thorberg. carrying
with him an appointment as consul
and supplied with the proper stamps
and seal of office.
At the end Of five months he loathed
Thorberg; he hated the inhabitants;
he smarted under the sting of royal
disdain; he had no real friends, no
boon companions. and he was obliged
to be good. What wonder, then, that
the bored. suffering, vivacious Mr..
Chase seized the first opportunity to
leap headforemost into the very thick
of a most appalling indiscretion.s ~
When he first arrived in Thorberg to
assume his sluggish duties he was not
aware of the fact that the grand duke
had an unmarried daughter, the Prin-
cess Genevra
She was visiting in ST. Petersburg
or Berlin or some other place when he
reached his post Of duty, and it was
toward the end of his fifth month be-
fore she returned to her fathers palace
in Thorberg. He awoke to the i'm
portance of the occasion and took some
slight interest in the return of the
royal young lady, even going SO far as
to follow the crowd to the railway sta
ton on the sunny June afternoon. a
He saw the princess for the first
time that afternoon, and he was
bowied over. to use the expression of
his English friends with whom he
dined that night She was the first
woman. that be had ever looked upon
that he could describe. for she was the
only one who had impressed him to
that extent. This is how he pictured
her at the American legation in Paris
a few weeks later:
Ever see her? Well, you've some
thing to live FOR, gentlemen. I've seen
her but three times, and l don't seem
| able to shake off the spell. You've
never seen such hair. Cad, it's as
near like the kind that Henner painted
as anything human could be. except
that it's more like old gold. ii you can
understand what mean by that. Not
bronze. mind you. nor the raw red,
butch. well. I'm not a novelist, 50
can't halfway describe it. She's
rather tall--nOt too tall, mind you
five feet five, ia say-whatever that is
in the metric system. Slender and
well dresSed-oh, that's the strangest
thing Of all. Well dressed! Think Of
a princess being well dressed! I'd say
she's twenty-five or twenty-three years
Of age-not a minute older. think her
eyes are very dark gray, almost blue
Her skin is like a--a-oh, let me see.
What Is there that's as pure and soft
as her skin? Something warm, and
pink. and white. dye see? Well, never
mind. And her smile. And her frown!
You know, I've seen both Of 'em, and
ones as attractive as the other. She's
real princess, gentlemen, and the
prettlest woman I've ever laid my
eyes upon And to think of her as the
wife Of that blithering little ass. that
nincompoop Of Karl Brabetz! She
loathes him. Pm sure-I know she
does. And she's got to marry him!
That's what she gets for being grand
dukes daughter. Brabetz is the heir
apparent to some duchy or other over
! there and is supposed to be the catch
/ of the season. You've heard of him.
He was in Paris this season and cut
quite a figure-a prince with real
money in bis purse. you know. l Won
] der why 1t Is that our American girls
can't marry the princes who have
money instead of those who have none.
Not that l wish any of our girls such
bad luck as BrabetZ! I'll stake my
head he'll never forget me!' Chase
concluded with sharp. reflective
laugh in which his hearers joined. for
the escapade which inspired it was be-
ing slyly discussed in every embassy
In Europe. 3- "a
But to return. The advent of the
princess put fresh life into the slow
going city and court circles. Charm
ing people whom Chase had never
seen before seemed to spring into ex
istence suddenly: the streets took on 9
new air; the bands played with ;
1aSt md tia army ap;nLnJ