Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-10-14
A Princess
OF Idlewild
By WILLARD BRAKEMAN

ldleW1ld, the prince Of which died,
leaving only one daughter. Narcissa.
She became the sovereign. Narcissa
from her earliest youth had been u
studious person.
The principality Of Idlewild was very
like those Of Italy during that period
when great poets and artists fourished
and the practical gave place to the SEN
timental.
Shortly after the coronation Of the
new sovereign the prime minister was
replaced by Il poet whose verses were
setting the ldlewildeans crazy. This
change was followed by the replace
ment Of the secretary of war by Il lady
%reproducer Of Greek festal dances.
Then was the portfolio Of finance Civ
en- to a man whose performances on
the violin had often moved audiences
to tears. The minister Of the interior
was replaced by a oma whose reci-
tationS We're considered marvellous.
Thus did Princess Narcissa replace a
practical cabinet by an artistic one.
Many Of the people We're delighted
with the new managers Of affairs of
state, but a few shook their heads and
~prophesied that the ley departure
would not be successful.
The new cabinet had hardly been
formed when King Wolfgang ". of
Tessebianca sent a deputation to Idle
wild asking for the repayment Of a
long standing debt due him by the
principality. The prime minister re-
ceived the diplomats, addressing them
in hexameters. lauding their sovereign
and welcoming them to Idlewild, then
turned them over to the minister of
finance, who poured forth such melo-
dies on his violin that they We're in
raptures, forgetting all about the debt
they had been sent to collect.
They were about to return to the
king of Tessebianca when one of their
number remembered hat the king
would probably ask for the funds. He
ventured to reopen the subject and
was informed that the matter proper
~ belonged to the interior department.
and the head of hat bureau would ad-
dress them. Having been introduced
to her, she gave them one of Demos
themes orations in the original Greek.
Transporting them with admiration.
The embassy departed. toe full of
emotion for utterance, and made their
way back to Tessebianca. Before
reaching home the spell under which
they had been brought had been dis
solved under the heat and dust Of the
journey, and they knew not what re-
port they should make to the king as
to the results of their mission. After
q conference they decided to tell his
majesty that the government of Idle
wild had refused to discuss the ques-
ton of the debt due Tessebianca and
had sem them away with many COM
pliments for his majesty. but no
money.
Now, the king was & rigidly prac-
teal sovereign. lie scoffed at the
compliments paid him in heNameters
and forthwith declared war against
Idlewild, sending there a hundred
gentlemen on horseback with twenty
trumpeters to proclaim a state Of hos
tility between T%essebianca and Idle
wild.
When these gentlemen reached the
borders of Idlewild they sent word to
the princess, inviting her to come Out
and listen to what was in store for her
on account Of their sovereign's wrath.
The princess sent for the minister of
war, and the two were closeted to-
gether for an hour. A messenger was
then sent to the war proclaimers that
the princess would listen to the proc
lamation the next morning. There
upon the d~eputation. at the invitation
Of a country gentleman, went in camp
on his lawn, that was level and green
as the surface of a billiard table.
They had scarcely breakfasted the
next morning when, hearing music.
they looked up and saw a company of
dancers headed by the war minister Of
Idlewild dancing eXquisitely. For
two hours, with intermissions for rest.
these ladies danced before the pro-
Chalmers Of war, then invited them to
listen to a fantasia on the violin by
the minister Of finance. These eNer-
cises were followed by others from diff
ferent members Of the cabinet, and the
program was continued the next day.
One of the proclaimers, with a soul
so small that it could be stuffed into q
haZelnut, left the festivities and. gal
Looping to his sovereign, Informed him
of what was taking place. His majes-
ty, in Il towering rage, mounted his
horse and never stopped till he had
come upon his proclaimers of val be.
ing entertained by the Idlewildeans.
BY this time the princess had come on
the ground, and the king, of course,
rode up to the canopy under which
she sat on her throne and, dismount-
ing, advanced to make an angry pro-
test against the winning owe Of his
messengers.
The queen smiled so sweetly upon
the king that the angry word OF his lip
was turned to a compliment. She then
introduced how prirpn ninicfor wh0