The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-29

/" love of his friends, lies dead
! in the garret of the Castle of
Rats.
While learned physicians have de-
clared that the king, in the manner of
others addicted to cocaine, fell asleep
the night before, INDUCED too long in.
the fantasy of dreams, and forgot to
wake up there Is whispered CONVERSE
ton among those with whom he lived
to the end that he died of his own ac-
cord
Not that the king was tired of life.
For 1t is a strange anomoly that 1t
isn't the man who destroys his mind
who tires of the world. Not that the
king despaired of ever regaining his
strength and the command of his fac
ulties. For the dope" fiend has never
yet lived who admitted a doubt that
he would soon be cured, be proud in
the restoration of health, and stationed
again among the men vito accom-
plish in the world.
But Walter Snead believes the king
killed himself And Bill Needham be-
lieves the king killed himself. And in
all the world, Manuel of the Iphbergs
had no friends as true as these.
"It was not because the king was
iil-so ill.," exclaimed Walter with
tears rolling down his face. at was
not because he had grown tired, or
because he suffered, or because some
times he hungered. But 1t was be-
cause he feared that Bill and l had
tired of caring, of dividing our bread
with him That is why the king died.
or all the dope fends" who have
ever visited Birmingham, the most
spectacular was Manuel of the Iph-
bergs. There is a possibility that on
the banks of the. Rhine there is no
Castle Hendel. and that in all of the
kingdom of the Germans there is no
house of Iphbergs. But Manuel said
that when he first opened his eyes he
saw the Rhne,s silvery flow from the
window of the castle, md that he
spent his youth on the land of his
fathers, descendants of princes and
staunch soldiers of the empire.
And there is no reason why one
should have doubted. For as the king
lies dead. and his gaunt subjects pass
before his bier. there is something
royal in his sleeping countenance. He
might have ruled he might have sung
a song to move the world to tears. he
might have spoken syllabes of fire in
the forum of nations, or he might have
charged among screaming shells and
clashing sabres in the cause of truth
and honor.
Els subjects never doubted When
Manuel cried aloud that he was king,
he was king. And he ruled not with
rod of iron. but with a mystic wand
which he waved in a spirit of gentle
ness and love. He was in the Castle
of Rats. behind the stores of South
Twentieth street. and the length of his
reign was one half year. There he
came with the storm of winter raging
without in furious wind and scurrying
NAMED until the spring-the season of
new hope. And June came--the month
of fire, when minds craving the drug
of deadly dreams crumble, and spirits
long enchained desert the clay and
shades and ghosts.
The king came on Christmas night.
Bill and Walter, for several years
boon companions. had well prepared
to celebrate the anniversary of the
birth of Christ. Throughout the long
day they had scurred from pillar to
post in search of friends. And by the
fall of night they had well prepared.
1t had been bitter cold and droop-
ing day. The two men at the moment
when the lights begin to flash were
seen hurrying through the kingdom OF
the petty merchant, chatting to them
selves and smiling in anticipation of
Turning down the darkest alley in that
section of the city they felt their way
to the little shack long deserted of all
save bats and rats and cobwebbed
walls and crealSing hinges in the wind.
entered Rodents scurried before the
flare of their match, and a foul and
scrambled up the rickety stairs. and
felt the passage of startled bat, the
sweeping of the beating wing and
heard his tiny shrek of futile protest
But still they upward trudged and
reached the garret, their home, the
four walls of their ugly world.
They lighted the candle, gathered to-
gether the broken chairs and tumbing
benches on which in other days school
boys had scratched their names,
Strengthened the, pictures on the walls
the one of Washington directing his