Catoctin clarion., 1910-02-17
The commgs aud goings Of peopl
IN hurry and dread, controlled by tn
little metal moving hands Of clock
always made him sad.

His perturbation was very evident
and the prince noted In sorrow that it'
Cause was connected In some manne.
with the slowly moving hands Of the
timepiece.
His highness arose and went to the
young mans~bench.
II beg your pardon for addressing
are disturbed In mind. lf II may serve
to mitigate the liberty | have taken
will add that / am Prince Michael. he'll
to the throne Of the electorate Of Val
leluna. appear incognito. Of course
as you may gather from my appear
. ance
ut IL a fancy Of mine to render
aid to others whom | think worthy q!
II. Perhaps the matter that seems
to distress you Is one that would
more readily. yield to our mutual ef.
forts
The young man looked up brightly nj
the prince-brightly. but the perpendic.
ular line of perplexity between his
brows was not smoothed away. lie
laughed. and even then It did not. But
still he accepted the monetary diver
sion.
"Glad to meet you. prince" he said
good humOredly. Yes. Id say you
were incog. all right. Thanks for your
Offer OF assistance. but ! don't see
where your buttlng In would help
things any. It's a kind Of private af.
fair. you know. But thanks all the
same"
Prince Michael sat at the young
mans side. He was often rebuffed.
but never Extensively. His courteous
manner aud words forbade that.
Clocks said the prince. ARE
shackles on the feet Of mankind. l
90 have observed you looking persistently
at that clock. Its face IL that Of a
tyrant: Its numbers are false rs those
ON II lottery ticket: its hands are those
Of bunkO steerer who makes an
appointment with you to your ruin.
Let me entreat you to throw OF its
humilLting bonds and to cease to
order your affairs by that insensats
monitor Of brass and steel"
II don't uru iy." said the young
man. II carr! 4 watch except when
I've got my radiant rags on"
II know human nature as | do the
trees and grass" said the prince. with
earnest dignity, II am master Of
philosophy. graduate In art. and !
hold the purse OF a Fortunatus. There
are few mortal misfortunes that can.
not alleviate or overcome. ! have read
your countenance and found In II hon.
eSty and nobility as well as distress.
! beg Of you to accept my advice or
aid Do not belle the intelligence I
see in your face BY Judging from my
appearance Of my ability to defeat
your troubles"
The young man glanced at the clock
again and frowned darkly. When his
gaze strayed from the glowing horo
logue Of time 1t rested intently upon
four story red brick house In the row
Of dwellings opposite to where he sat.
The shades were dra wn, and the lights
In many rooms shone dimly through
them.
Ten minutes to 9!' exclaimed the
young man. with an impatient gesture
Of despair. He turned his back upon
the house and took rapid step or two
IN a contrary direction.
"Remainr' commanded Prince Mi.
chael In 80 potent a voice that the dis.
turbed one wheeled around with
somewhat chagrined laugh.
'I'll give her the ten minutes. and
then I'm on" he muttered. and then
aloud to the prince. IN join you In
confounding all clocks. my friend. and
throw In women too"
"Sit down." said the prince calmly
Il do not accept your addition. WO-
men are the natural enemies Of clocks
and therefore the allies Of those who
would seek liberation from these mon
sters that measure our follies and linn
It our pleasures. II you will so far
confide In me would ask you to re-
late to me your story"
The young man threw himself upon
the bench with reckless laugh.
''Your royal highness. | WILL" he
said In tones Of mock Difference. DO
you see yonder house--the one with
three upper windows lighted? Well
at 4 o'clock |, stood In that house with
the young lady am-that is. I was
engaged to. | had been doing wrong.
my dear prince. had been naughty
boy. and she had heard Of II. want
ed to be forgiven. Of course. We are
always wanting women to forgive US.
aren't we. prince?
~ want time to think over It, said
she There Is one thing certain-I
will either fully forgive you or will
never see your face again. There will
be no halfway business. At half past
g. she said. at exactly half past g.
you may be watching the middle upper
window Of the top fioor. IL decide
to forgive l will hang out Of that win
dow a white. silk scarf. You will
know by that that all is as was be-
fore. and you may come to me. II
you see no scarf you may consider
that everything between us Is ended
forever That" concluded the young
man bitterly, ''is, why have, been
watching that clock. The time for
the signal to appear has passed TWEEN
ty-three minutes: Do you wonder that .
am Il little disturbed. my Prince Of
Rags and whiskers?"
LET me repeat to you" said Prince
Michael In his even. we'll ,modulated
tones. "that women are the natural
enemies Of clocks. Clocks are an evil.