Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-04-01

given by his companion was that OF
one OF his numerous estates,-"you
must be in a mighty queer profession
and meeting mighty crooked men II
you've such poor estimate Of human
nature that you think fellow can't
be civil without fishing for his neigh
boris goods. You drop that idea, and
get away from the folks who gave it
to YOU
IF l cannot get away from Them"
said his friend slowly, Il can at least
remember always that once in my life
a service, disinterested service, was
rendered me-"
Presently the king addressed the
American a little wistfully:
"Hollingsworth, do you merely as
sumo this ight-heartedness? Is 1t
really true that you have nothing
weighing on you?"
The Texan turned with an impatient
gesture; shadow crossed his face.
Even his clear brown eyes darkened
as with cloud.
God knows" he muttered. Il never
knew real trouble till came here. But
now"
"Tell me-" The exQuisitely sympa.
thetic infections of the kings trained
voice were not to be resisted The
| facedly.
Don't laugh at me-" he said hest
| tatingly, ''but 1.-The truth isl love
a girl here and l can't get her. At
least, 1 haven't been able SO far" he
| added more cheerfully.
The king barely suppressed smile.
"Who is she, Hollingsworth?
Daughter of an old fellow who's
worth a shocking lot of money, came
in for windfall-that is, er hat cine
Erbschaft gemacht. Du verstehst?"
"Gewiss!" smile dhis friend, quite
untroubled by the familiar thou"
And he wants to buy a title with
| it. 1 don't think he'd care how poor
the title is, Just so it's Won something.
Evidently then. it would be come
down to take commoner for his SON.
! in-law" He spoke lightly, but his
eyes were full of passionate desire.
But, hang it! what's the use of talk
| ing about it? She won't leave him
without his blessing, though l could
| dispense with it very comfortably
His name." suggested the other,
| and he lives in
Hollingsworth answered Indifferent
ly. His friend might know the name
if he liked. They were strangers and
would never meet again.
They parted, to the intense relief
of the watching courtier. The Texan
stared regretfully after his whilom
companion.
downright good company" he said
half aloud. plagued pity he's hard
| up. Wish l had doubled that check,
| however it might have strapped me. "
Johann Schmitt sat smoking his
pipe over dying fire. He was think
| ing gloomily that all his money had
brought him no nearer his idea of
| paradise. All, to be addressed as
| Baron" "the noble Herr Baron" If
only
Then summons to the capital, 80
miles away interrupted his dreams,
and frightened him until his usual
ford hue was almost purple.
When he stood before the King his
limbs were weakening under him, and
in his extremely commonplace fairness
there was no hint of the beauty pos.
sessed by his daughter. That did not
concern his royal master, who, be.
sides, knew well enough what BIOS
SONS sometimes flourish on a gnarled
stock.
Herr Schmitt." he said abruptly.
II hear you are ambitious. You
would acquire tit1e?"
Johann fell on his knees.
Gracious Majesty" he faltered. Il
meant no harm"
Neither do l." said the King. II
am going to create you Baron Leb-
enwohl. To be sure. your estates will
be of the barest, but you are rich
enough to improve ON them. Get up"
Johann staggered up, dazed with his
good fortune. Then he Strengthened
himself and lot the news how through
his veins like wine. The shiver went
out of his muscles, suppressed AFRO
gance flushed his red face.
"Sire," he said, "you overwhelm me
with your beneficence! And If the
treasury wishes loan-without inter.
est"
mo loan," said the King abruptly.
'T shall bestow this title on you SO
that your daughter may be worthy to
marry Herr Hollingsworth. of Texas,
who recently asked her bend. See
that the nuptials are consummated at
once"
Gracious Majesty, he groaned,
What avails it to be Baron If
must have a vulgar plebeian son-in.
law? Unless" he added hopefully.
"your condescension will ennoble him
tool"
The King looked down on him, then
glanced aside at the hawkfaced Duke.
who stood near with biting scorn in his
face for this now member of the aris-
tocracy. Neither In his new creation
nor in the self-satisfied courtier Of
years standing did the King find hint
of what he ought. Then with inward
vision he saw again the hard, white
sands, and pacing them the upright.
clean-cut Texan, with his frank, mel
low voice and unselfish, fearless eyes.
mo-" he said quietly, Il cannot
ennoble him."
New York's Immense Wealth.
Nowhere in the world are the out.
ward, visible evidences of wealth more
impressive than in New York. The