Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-16

to have, she was sitting astride him,
with painful, grinding knee on
either of his arms, and shaping his
face.
The Honorable John Rufin walked
briskly down from the sea-wall with
a smile Of profound pleasure on his
face. The perfumed Baron had not
yet perceived his charges plight.
Pollyooly did not smack very hard
at first, for she was resisting the wrig.
Cling of the Prince; but once she had
dug her toes firmly into the sand. she
gave her mind to delivering each
smack with the full swing Of her arm;
and the Prince began to below Then
the Baron saw the terrible. reasonable
indignity the hope Of the House Of
Lippe-Schweidnitz was enduring. He
broke into a curious toddling run,
uttering odd short shrieks Of the last
horror as he came.
The Honorable John Rufin placed
himself athwart the course Of the tod.
ding deliverer and said, Don't hurry,
Pollyooly; but smack him hard"
A smile Of understanding wreathed
Pollyooly's flushed but angel face: and
she did smite harder. The Honorable
John Rufiins back was turned to the
headlong Baron; but his head was
bent little sideways: and as the al
ready breathless rescuer made his final
squirting rush, he moved sharply to
the left. II was unfortunate (but
since he had not eyes in the back of
his head, It could not be helped) that
the left shoulder OF the Honorable
John Rufin. Jerking upwards hard,
should have caught the onrushing
riOht chA,,1doV ~ "a do1fvnrop "a
Baron left the firm earth. twirled in
the air in fashion which would have
won him the plaudits of the most ex.
acting vaudeville audience, came down
on his back on the sand with vio-
lence which shook all the breath out
Of his body, and lay gasping in a
darkened world.
It was a full two minutes before the
believing Of his sufficiently besmacked
charge came again. dimly. to his COM
pretending ears. Then he grew aware
also dimly. that the Honorable John
Ruffin was Standing over him and ask
ing loudly, with every appearance of
Just indignation, what he meant by
not looking where he was going. The
Baron was strongly Of the opinion
that the interposed shoulder had been
no accident; but ne was much too busy
with his breathing to say so. Then
when his breath came more easily and
he had the power to say so, he had no
longer the inclination, for the knowl-
edge Of the terrible position in which
he stood, or rather lay, had flashed on
him; he, a Prussian oficer, had been
knocked down by q civilian and was
forever disgraced.
Pollyooly continued to smack the
believing Prince: the Honorable John
Ruffin continued to ask the Baron
what the devil he meant by 1t: and
the poor wits of the painting nobleman
continued to work on his dreadful
problem Then a fash Of inspiration
showed him the saving solution; he
could accept his noisy questioner's
view that his fall had been an acct.
dent. He sat up and sulkily apollo
gized for having been knocked down.
The hands of Pollyooly were sore
from smacking Prince Adalbert. but
not so sore as his royal cheeks; and
still she smacked on. She inter5ected
between the smacks requests for an
assurance that he would cease to an.
noy the children on the beach. His
fine Prussian determination not to be
robbed Of his simple pleasures pre-
vented him from giving it. He pre-
ferCed TO below. But there are limits
even to royal endurance: and IS the
Baron rose shakily to his fest. the
Prince howled the assurance she de-
manded
And mind you do. or III smack
you again" said Pollyooly.
She rose to her feet, flushed and tri'
umphant, and rubbed gently together
her singing hands. The Prince lay
where he was, still believing.
Ten yards away Mrs. Gibson stood
holding the hand of the Lump. who
gazed at the scene in placid wonder:
and she was laughing gently Ten
, yards away. on her right. stood q
dozen children, surveying their bel.
lowing pest with joyful. vengeful eyes.
Behind them distractedly lowered
three shocked nurses, Quivering with
horror at the upheaval OF the Social
edfice.
The Baron slowly took in the hu.
initiating significance of the scene: he
, saw that the glory of royal house
had been leveled to the dust, or rather
to the sand. He caught his blubber.
ing charge by the arm. jerked him to
his feet. and led him away by ons
large ear,
Il congratulate you, POlly00ly. An
, excellent piece of work, The naughty
| foreigner will trouble us no more"
said the Honorable John Ruffln; and
, he laughed quietly and joyfully.
He was right The royal progress
the next morning was very different
matter. The Baron Won Habelschwert
still perfumed the air as he walked.
but 1t was no longer the air Of con-
quered country. His mustache was
less fierce, his stride less proprietary.
Indeed, he might easily have been mis-
| taken by those to whom his name and
, dignities were unknown. for an inof.
fensive keeper of a delicatessen shop.
Prince Adalbert of Lippe- Schweidnits
was also changed He no longer
roamed afeld; he kept within six feet
: of his protective eQuerry. He
: slouched less; and he had ceased ia
r scOwl arrOgantly ON the children. who
} no longer fed at his approach ie re-
. garded little English girls with q res
. spectful not to say timid eye, and
r edged closer to the Baron as he passed
= one, To his mind the little English
Y girl was stored with the potentialitiet
of a povder mara ina