The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-01

Are-His Majesty Only Smiles at QueS-
 tfons and Remarks Significantly That
 He Is Satisf1ed-$2Oo, GOO Worth of Pearls
 In a Matchbox-Royal Plans Uncertain,
 but Will Probably Remain Here Few
 Months-Say, Girls, Don't Any of You
 Want to Be a Queen?
 Matt had scarcely reached the end when there was a violent conmotion outside-horses galloping, men descend ing excitedly, the porch shaking with the tramp of feet, and pull, pull, pull at the bell as though the house were on fire. A second later a crowd of newspaper men and photographers surged into the room, spattering the carpet with mud and snow; noisy, Jostling throng in heavy overcoats, all demanding the Kanaka king.
 Me first, gentlemen" cried May nard, grabbing Matt as though he were a bale of goods. s'The kings mine till noon!''
 '"The dickens he isr' exclaimed one of the mob elbowing up to Matt. ''We're all in on this, aren't we, boys p
 You bet we are,'' came from dozen ready throats.
 Matt rose, speechIess with rage, and, tearing himself clear, strode to the door and up to his bedroom Here with a bang he locked himself in, the "nOlS pdck pOunQlnS dt HIS H0eIS I4Ac school boys after a runaway
 "I'm not king,'' he roared through at them. There's not word of truth in that idiotic article. The first fellow that breaks down my door will get his head punchedr'
 It was fully half an hour before they descended, disheartened and growing, to bundle into their sleighs and depart. '"Three hoots for the, kipgr' cried one of them, trying to. lead of, abuts his suggestion met with ne response. and the jingling bells drowned his solitary effort.
 A little later there was a. shuff1ing, numbering sound outside Matt's door, and Hoyt's husky voice came through the keyhole
 Shay, ole man, you aren't angry with me- are you? Good joke. Dresh it up a bit and git if dollarsh! Didn't mean any harm-shole and honor, didn't mean any harm Great newspaper stuff, shat story. Royal Broughton re- turnsh to chi1dhood's home, and got if deliarsh for it. Come along and painsh town red. Come along, you old stiffv'
 The Manaswan Banner printed the Clarion tale in full and by that one is- sue lifted Matt from obscurity to local greatness.
 Matt's own appearance contributed not little to the deception. Men who have led adventurous lives on the from tiers of civilization usually get pc culiar stamp-a peculiar and marked individuality. Matt was not only good looking, but there was something un-s usual, attractive and even distinguish ed about him. It was impossible for any one to place Matt; the Sherlock Ho1meses were always! baff1ed; he fit ted into no class and yet had an air This capacity to rouse interest. favora- ble interest, is a human possession of great value. It has also, of course, it's drawbacks. When the Banner raised Matt to kingship Manaswan was thrill ed, but not altogether surprised. Manaswan had long been aware that he was somebody out of the way.''
 One result of the grotesque fiction was to bring Matt into contact with some of the better families of the place. The C1eghorns. the Randalls, the Russells and the Bucks - all in some manner or other contrived to scrape acquaintance with him. These social overtures, made first out of sheer curiosity and in most instances inspired by the women, opened to Matt a number of pleasant, if somewhat stiff and old fashioned, households. And he was led finally into the extrav- agance of buying evening clothes and began to cut a modest dash in. Mana swan society.
 It wasn't the best society, however. There was an upper crust still, to ioI7 Russells and the Bucks were as hoT1ris outside the gates. In this higher realm were the Marshalls, the old general and his daughter, who rode thorough bred horses and lived within vast park; the Derwents, owners of the shoe factories; the Bells, and others an aristocracysof wealth and compact lY exclusive. The old general had been American minister to half the courts of Europe and was described as very grand"
 Matt enjoyed the homespun gayeties to which he was now so often invited the candy pul1ings, the parties where they played games, the jolly sleighing rides and suppers. They offered him a more enlivening companionship than he found in the boarding house, which in contrast grew drearier every day till it's fly specked walls took on the aspect of morgue. But money was ebbing fast, and the arrival of spring and Daggancourt's lengthening face all hastened his resolution to leave Manaswan and pay flying visit to Kentucky to spy out the land. The mules were calling, and it was time for dreams to become realities! Dag gancourt would have bought pair in Manaswan, loaded their joint eff feets on a wagon and started off. But Matt was not such a burner of bridges. He would prudently inspect mule ter ritory and mule conditions and then return with well formulated mule plans.
 While nerv1ng himself to depart and putting it off from day to day on one excuse or another, be wrote to Snood