Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-12-15

me reception.
Hardly had / stated the purpose o.
my mission when / saw the couni
start and change color. He looked
at me with penetrating gaze.
His majesty appears-in his--nor
metaphysical health" he said with
difficulty. gulping down the words.
Mental, my dear count, mental.
| rejoined. l saw the muscles Of his
face twitching and knew that / had
him at the confessional. by the
way" / continued, approaching him
where is his majesty"
I'm damned II know" the count
exploded. Then we looked at one an
other earnestly and both saw that the
time had arrived for frankness.
us it the emperor or is 1t some i'm
postor?" / asked.
1T is not the emperor" the count
replied. "The resemblance is almost
perfect. II would deceive anybody
who had not known his majesty SC
intimately as /. Nevertheless, know
that It is not the emperor. But how
can l denounce the man without lay
ing myself open to Imprisonment as
a lunatic?''
"Tell me how and when the trans
formation occurred" ] asked.
TT was about IS days ago. was
the minister in attendance for the
week at the royal palace. His maj
esty had gone to bed in his inner
apartment, which overlooks the street.
A guard was on duty in the outer
rooms / was passing through to In
spect them before my departure when
we heard the emperor's bell rung. His
valet hurried in, came out, and an
nounced that his majesty desired to
see me. When / entered l found him
in his pajamas, sitting up in bed.
Count Lichtenstein. you have been in
my service for many years, have you
not? he said. l bowed. And you
would do any favor for me- I would
serve your majesty in any way pos
sible.' answered. Then he replied.
be so good as to stand on your head.
my dear count. to relieve my ennui' ("
what did you do?" l queried.
81 stood on my head" replied the
count. slow blush creeping up be-
meath his bearded cheek. "And then
l perceived that this was not my en-
peror And ever since / have lived
in an agony of doubts. with no one to
whom to confide my suspicious"
What Of the prisoner In the for
tress?" | asked.
Count Lichtenstein choked. you
have heard?9 he cried.
l nodded, waiting. Suddenly Count
Lichtenstein grasped me by the arm
wildly.
This man-this false emperor-or-
dered him to be placed in mask and
taken to the Turkish border fortress
of Chodovay," he said He thinks
his order has been obeyed. But /
have managed that he shall remain
in the prison here. The chief of po-
lice is of my own following. But I
have not dared to see this man-this
so-called lunatic-for know 1t is my
emperor"
He collapsed into chair, painfully
agitated. 1t was with some difficulty
that / brought him to a more reason
able view of affairs. for he talked of
suicide and of having betrayed the
honor and safety of his ruler. Finally
l induced him to secure me a presen.
tation to the pseudo-emperor at the
leyee on the following day.
had taken up my residence in a lit.
tie. transformations house In a respect.
able. but not fashionable. quarter. On
the following afternoon, arraying my
self in court dress, summoned a car.
riage and had myself conveyed to the
palace, where / found myself in the
midst of throng OF notables. all
pressing toward the throne room. A,
the door was jammed in the mob and
held immobile for several moments,
during which ! Witnessed a remark.
able spectacle.
Before me. not IL feet away, stood
the impcstor upon a crimson carpet
under a canopy. surrounded by bis
staff. all a-glitter with colors and or.
ders. A gentleman in plain black had
just bowed to him and turned to pass
on, but the emperor (as l must call
him) detained him. / had no din.
Guilty in recognizing the features OF
Mr.. Timothy Purroy. the American
ambassador.
"One minute, Mr.. Purroy," cried the
emperor, In fluent English. Il hear
there's mad Yankee in the hands
Of the police who thinks he's the EN-
peror of Austria. What?"
Il have heard the report. your maj
esty," answered the American ambas
sador with dignity.
well. then. what are you staring
at. pinhead?" the emperor cried. &c
about your business"
held my breath, wondering what
Purroy would do. If he had boxed
the emperor's ears in the midst OF his
encourage. should not have been sur
prised. But he only looked him stead
lily in the face until the emperor lost
countenance and turned away fretful
". Then Mr.. Purroy backed out
bowling. past where | stood. and
heard him mutter:
IF that lunatic weren't emperor Of
Austria I'd swear he was born and
bred Vermonter,"
And suddenly was struck motion
less by thought that, having gath
nrad force in nv mind liffla h.. li44i.