Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-22
THE "KING" AND
HIS NEIGHBOR
BY Elelle Becker.


From Nav until october for 10 years Judge
Hawlev had sat on his front porch every morn
ing after breakfast for an hour OF more. Some
times he read. sometimes he smoked and some
times he whitfield. but oftener he just sat look
ing over che road across the clover meadow
and toward the distant hills. Every day court
was in session he could be seen striding along
man to describe. for he wasn't especially book
tsh nor brilliant. he wasn't Grabbed Ike
most folks would be living alone with cci
ored cook. and he wasn't easy" Someone ven
tured once to say that the judge had an In
dividuality.
little house whose strip Of garden went oravely
cut to the street between the two yards got
70 watching tor the o s sue sS %g
sit at the side windows with her cat, and tell
that purring listener wonderful things about
their neighbor. Once she imagined he was a
king in exile and she bis daughter whom he
had not seen since she was wee baby. She
was always weaving stories about somebody g
father Because I haven't one suppose, y
she reasoned one lovely June morning. when
the raspberry bushes along the fence almost
hid the solitary figure on the porch. Excuse
story of the king was in favor, 81 can't see
the king from here. I'm going to climb the
cherry tree. You may follow me, please.
Thomas then supposed to be a lady-ln-waiting
to the princess. But Thomas did not and
Alice perched in the heart of the tree. with
her feet on the lowest limb forgot him for
The Judge was whiting. "And he never
looks up when he whittles 1 wonder II he's
thinking about me- was said with a sigh.
''How Silly" she thought, as she realized she
was signing Put she started, when
Thomas. gliding stealthily, stopped her short.
and she Screamed. ''Oh, you're after pretty
bird you have-I'n tell the king as the
cat shot up the branch above her. and she re-
verified to her imaginary world.
The Judge had heard the scream. and bound
ed off the porch like boy. He looked around
for moment seeing nothing; and then en- d Aee
times in distress. The king saw her wave a
handkerchief. snd jumped over the fence and
ran Ara across Qon the Se-f nar aSd he painted
mo, sire. but the knave frightened me-
Alice said, with wide eyes Then, 'Oh, for
ing down. with embarrassed attempt at
patching things up somehow. Did the knaye
escape?" she heard, as she reached the ground
and looked up to see grave face, relieved
only by a slight twinkle in the gray eyes.
Like flash. she answered: as earnestly, her
iisten--in this hour that you have come to my
aid | have great news for you'll am the Prin-
cess Alice. your long lost daughter"
Judge said CALAMITY. Then 1 suppose you will
dine with me in the castle today
the RIBBON on her hair nearly touched the
1t was not until dinner was announced that
the two threw off their masks "oh. what
will my mother say, Mr.. HawIey7 1 guess III
lis not that thy Iady-mother coming1 Go
thou and tell her that the exiled king invites
the princess to his table."s
II was irresistible. But the Judge was begged
70 come too and ask. The quiet, dainty
woman hesftatingly gave cOnsent-a little Of
the old girlish fun lurking about her mouth.
When the next June came. and the judge had
not once sat on his porch, Alice came bounding
through the garden and around the house, one
lovely morning. where she found her neighbor.
AREN'T ever going to play any more on
the porch?'
what think you Of the princess entering the
exile OF her king forever, with the lady mother
as q Cueen?'
''Oh-oh-Ohi the grandest thing ever"
Tire Judge stopped and kissed the happy child.