The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-23
FROM cLODHOPPER
TO KING
A Story Of Feudal Times
BY F. A. mitchell

I BY r. A. mitchell q
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
During feudal times there was on
the continent of Europe a kingdom
called Apulia, which had for 80 many
years been at war with its neighbor
kingdoms that it was not possible for
its sovereigns to intermary with
theirs. The consequence was that.
since the Apulian kings were permit
ted by law to marry only those Of roy
al blood, they intermarried among their
own relatives.
There came a time when the royal
blood had well nigh run out, and when
King Caspar H., who had only one
child, daughter, to succeed him and
looked about for a husband for her.
he found not one man among his nu-
melous relatives who was fitted for
| the position Of the royal cOnsort- He
| at once ordered the heralds to ex-
anime the royal family records with
q view to hunting up some man Of re-
mote relationship who would serve the
purpose.
The heralds went to tower where
| the records of the early Apulian kings
were kept and searched back to
| time when the kingdom was a Roman
| province. To their surprise they found
| that a youth was living whose ancestor
was a former king Of Apulia. This
king had been supplanted by his
younger brother, the progenitor Of
King Caspar. The searchers immedi-
ately made known to the king that
they had found the true heir to the
throne, Caspar himself being usurper.
His majesty warned them under pen
k atty Of losing their heads to keep the
secret and at once ordered his cham
berlain to make inquiries as to the man
whose royal pedigree had been I'M
earthed.
He was named Rudolf Kantzler, the
latter being the family name Of the
dynasty in possession Of the Apulian
throne. But the family names of kings
are not in common use, and the young
man did not know that he had the
same name a. bis sovereign. Indeed.
he did not even know that he was
relative of the king. much less that he
was the legitimate sovereign.
Rudolf was a raiser Of cabbages
and other vegetables for the market.
He was a worthy youth, but without
education. His age was eighteen. and
he had been brought up clodhopper.
Nevertheless the king resolved to mar
~ him to the princess.
The Crown Princess Xenia was If
. teen years old. When informed by her
father of the situation she was very
docile, and the king had great hopes
!. of having no difficulty so far as she
was concerned in arranging the mar.
riage. He told her that he would bring
Rudolf to the palace as page. SC
that he might acquire at least We
neering OF refinement. but that he must
know nothing of the honor intended
I for him.
The princess listened to all that was
0 said to her without saying a word in
| reply. sue was utO6CShCh wv youAe
to consider the necessities OF the case
: and her mind was occupied in wonder
!, ing what her future husband was like
d She was aware that there is grea,
difference between prince and a clod
d hopper. and shade Of anxiety crossed
e her young face. But that was all the
g expression Of dissatisfaction that es
e capped her and was not noticed by hel
1t father.
3 One day when Rudolf was working
y among his cabbages-he worked thu
e farm for his mother-a messenger
1. wearing the royal livery rode up t.
.. him and told him that he had been ap
1t pointed page at the palace. Rudolf
d astonished, leaned on his hoe and for ,
'e time seemed to have lost speech: then
e. suddenly turning again to his work. h
II. said:
mo; will not go to the palace to b,
t. page. NV place is here with m!
to mother"
IN Such response had neither been an
L. ticipated nor provided for. so the mes
te senger returned and reported Il
IS Xenia was with her father at the time
IN and when he ordered the messenger t
g command Rudolfs presence at tn
N palace she asked permission to g
,e along that she might see her futur
IS husband 1t occurred to the king tina
IS in the present case persuasion woul
be better than force and the face O
he his daughter might furnish the persus
D. sion. SO he consented.
When Xenia was driven to the farr
,s Rudolf was standing at the gat,
at Xenia leaned out of the coach windo,
1t, and asked IL he was Rudolf. Whe
ed he said yes she was greatly pleased
|. He bore In face and figure evidence q
ip his royal descent and though he wa
err dressed In a countryman's apparel, az
ON peared to be manly fellow, with
he countenance denoting nobility of cha
as acter.
IS 81 have come from the king" sal
ut Xenia. 81 am the crown princess.
m wish you to be a page In my suit 70
". won't refuse me. will your
The boy. more wonder stricken ths
tn before. stood for few momen
Iat speechless: then he said:
to IF 60 to the palace who will a
err. tend to my mothers cabbages? The
he will not thrive. and she will be wit
es out support"
his An attendant whispered somethir