The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-07-09
In the Line Of
Succession
By JOHN D. PARKER

blood royal.
Now, the youngest of the king:
daughters, one day looking out through
baron caracoling by on horseback anc
was struck by one OF Cupids shafts
Remembering that she could marry
only prince of the blood, straightway
the injustice of the matter struck her
Being a fine scholar. with taste fol-
mathematics. she sat down and began
to compute her chances of ever com
ing to the throne. After covering sew
eral yards Of paper with figures she
arrived at the conclusion that her
chances of being sovereign were but
one in several millions. So she went
to her father. with whom she was a
great favorite, and. finding him in the
council room. said:
Papa, have seen young man. not
of royal blood, but a baron, whom !
wish to marry"
mo, my daughter" replied the king.
you cannot. You must marry a
prince"
"Why is that necessary" asked the
girl.
"Why is it necessary? Why, because
all your brothers and all your sisters
might be removed and you would be
queen. 1t IL forbidden that queen
should have husband not of the blood
royal"
The princess sent for the papers con-
tanning her computations as to her
chances Of attaining the throne and,
laying them on the council table.
which. though ten feet long. was COM
pletely covered, invited her father TO
go over the figures with her that he
might see what chance there was that
the people would require her services
to govern them. The king put on his
spectacles and, leaning over the papers.
began to study the calculations.
The princess had assumed there was
one chance In five that her oldest
brother, the heir apparent, would die
and the crown would descend to the
next male in line. The king admitted
that there was scarcely one chance In
five for that. since the crown prince
was very strong and healthy, as, in
deed. were all his children. Then the
princess figured that the chances of the
second oldest son dying. too, were
greatly decreased. And in this way by
process of arithmetical progression
she went on to figure the decrease of
her chances of coming to the throne.
The king took off his spectacles and
wiped them with his royal handker-
chief and said:
These fgu" es. my daughter, are
based simply on the lives of your BROTH
married and have children who will in
herit before you. Therefore If your
chances, figured on the first basis, of
coming to the throne are but one in
several millions. on the second basis
they would be only one in several bill
lions or perhaps trillions. I think it
may be safe for you to marry one not
of royal blood, but there Is a contin-
gency you have not considered. Sup
pose there should come earthquake,
war or pestilence that would sweep
away our whole royal family except
you. Then you would be queen, and
husband not of royal blood would be
The princess withdrew and in
month returned to her fathers with
eight strong men bearing roll of pa
per on which she and fifty assistants
had figured the chances of all the
royal family being swept away by
earthquake, war or pestilence. and.
placing the roll on the floor. they be-
gan to unroll 1t that the king might
see the result of the calculation. But
the king shrugged his shoulders and
asked for the result. The princess
told him that the chances against her
becoming queen through earthquake,
war or pestilence were expressed by |
thirty-nine figures, which was beyond |
that could be expressed in
words.
Then the. king told her that she |
might marry the baron. and she was
30 happy that she tainted for Joy.
Now, the king loved his daughter |
very much, though 1t required thirty
nine figures to express the chances
against her succeeding him, and.
that the young baron whom
she loved was necessary to bring her |
to herself again, sent messenger |
posthaste for him. When he came he
was ushered into the presence of the |
princess. not knowing why he had been
sent for.
Now, the princess. though bright at
figures. was not equal to the task of
telling young man who had never
seen her that she loved him and wish
ed him to marry her. The conse-
quence was that after trying for a
ong while to find way out of the
matter she dismissed him without tell
ing him why he had been sent for.
Since she never found courage to de-
.lare her love the affair came to moth
ng. But 1t was fortunate that it did,
'or during a naval review, at which
Ill the royal family except the young
,st daughter. who was indisposed.
we're on the kings yacht 1t caught
ire, and all were either burned to
ieath or drowned.
The queen married prince.
TONOPAH SWEPT BY FIRE.