New-York tribune., 1909-11-28

~ the Orient Express rumbled " AiA w
u over the Danube for the last H@MSSS
time during its slow 10 the EIJESy
Near East. He aroused by an
official examining passports, which
he was informed would be restored in the railway
station at Degratz. He dsliked the implied subter
fuge but it could not be helped Austria gracious to
travellers within her bounds eXceptS those who mean
to cross her southeastern frontier There She frOwnS
and inquiries If il was known that belgrade was
in the train he would have been stopped tor days,
pestered by Offciadom, and possibly deported.
curious element of safety was, however, revealed
10y newspapers purchased at Budapest. The various
factions in Delgratz had declared truce The Del
grado partizans had telegraphed invitation TO
Prince Michael 70 and occupy the throne, and
the Prince some wiser person had sent gracious
reply stating that his matured decision would reach
kOsnOvia in due course. The National Assembly
was still coquetting with the republican idea; but.
in the same breath avowed It's patriotic lmPartlalty
In a word Delgratz wanted peace. Toward that end.
the Seventh Regiment continued TO occupy the Black
Castle the remainder of the troops stood fast and
the citizens pulled down their barricades.
Oddly enough, the Paris correspondent OF The
Budapest Gazette pointed out that Prince Michaels
was PLAYING polo in the Bos during the afternoon
of Tuesday. The journalist little dreamed that Alec
reading his sarcastic comments on the belgrade
lack Of initiative at Budapest at midnight on We'd
nesday.
THE train was about to cross the River Tave Del
gratz stands on the junction Of that stream and
the Danube) when Stampotf appeared. The Al
banian servant accompanied him.
Leave everything to Bosko' said the General.
way through the customs"
Il suppose YOU don't want me to ask any ques-
tons laughed Alec
Better not. Do YOU still adhere to Your program
of last night
Absolutely"
Stampof took off his hat. pointed through the
window, and said quietly, There. then God willing.
is Your Majesty future capital. wish TO congratu-
late Your Majesty on Your first sight of it,.
Beyond level stretch Of meadoWland the
spires and dOmes and mnarets of a white city The
not long risen, gded its graceful contours and
threw the rest OF wOndrous picture into shadow
sharp that the whole exquisite vista might have been
intago in the sapphire Of the sky The Danube,
a broad streak of silver, blended with the blue Tave
to frame glimpse of fairyland. For one thrilling
moment Alec forgot its blOOdstaned history and
looked only the fair domain spread before his
Then the black girders and crude lattcework Of a
bridge shut out the enhancing spectacle and he
conscious that Stampof had caught his hand and
was pressing 1t to his lips.
The gallant old Serb meant well for he was
patriot the core. but his impusive action grated
Perhaps it was better Alec bred in a society that
treated such demonstrations with scant respect was
suddenly recalled TO earth and the business that Law
before HIM seemed to be more IN keeping with the
modern directness of the railway bridge than with
day dreams founded on picturesque vision of Del
gratz.
The city too lost its glamour when seen from
those backdoOr suburbs that every railway in every
land appears TO regard the only natural avenue of
approach To busy communities. The line turned
sharply along the right bank of the Tave and ran
past tobacco factories, breweres powder mills scat
tered novels, and unkempt streets. Here sun.
but plenty of bare whtewash Even Alec, aCCus-
toned TO the singularly ugly etchings of Paris viewed
from Its chief railways, was completely disilluSiOned
by these drab adumbrations Of and squalor
The Tave no longer blue, but dull brown with
the mud of recent ram. Not the inhabitants
were attractive They were not garbed as Serbs but
wore unganly costumes that might have passed un-
noticed in the Bowery. He irresistiblv reminded
tho. .-gl.r