Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-06-24
ChronicIed By ALLEN UPWARD

1t was on just such a night as
this, some years ago. began the am.
hassador. as soon as we were comfort.
ably settled in the smoking room of
his luxurious mansion, land King Will
Hams first wife was still alive You
are aware that it was his second wife
who is the mother of Wilhelminae
Il had forgotten 1t, but no matter"
1T is, on the contrary. fact which
must be borne in mind" retorted his
Excellency. Il was returning home
from the theater, past midnight. As
approached the Madeleine, l saw a
small crowd collected at the foot of the
steps. Crossing over to find out what
had taken place, found myself on the
outside of ring of women, the most
abandoned wretches of the quarter,
who had gathered round the figure
OF a man lying on the bottom step of
the fight, apparently intoxicated be-
yond the power to move
THE spectacle of this unfortunate
seemed to have strangely excited the
women, who were hurting at him the
vilest insults in their horrible vocabu-
larry. Incensed at the behavior or these
hays, roughly pushed my way through
them to the side of their victim. whose
clothes, disordered and covered with
mud, as they were, seemed to be those
OF a man of position. The wretched
creature was lying on one side, his
left hand outstretched. with which he
seemed to be trying feebly to ward
off the foul epithets of his tormentors
1 stopped down over him. and lifted
his head to the light.
1T was Prince Citron.'
you will easily figure to yourself
the horror of discovering the heir to
a famous monarchy, the descendant
If William the Silent. in this deplor-
able situation. / had not failed to
hear some of the dark reports as to
this young mans career; nevertheless
at such moment the only sentiment
which inspired me was that of the
most profound pity.
"Sternly rebuking the filthy hays.
who skunk away before my reproaches,
I raised the prince to his feet. and
supported him down to the edge of the
pavement, where perceived an empty
fiacre coming up. Into this I assisted
Alexander--to give him his proper
name--who instantly fell like a log
upon the cushions. Then I gave the
driver my own address, and we pro-
ceeded to the house near the Rue de
Rivoli, in which / at that time &C.
cupied small fiat.
During the short drive, Prince Alex
ander lay absolutely motionless, and
without uttering sound. But from
time to time ! caught CLEAN of dull
in his bloodshot eyes;
which were turned to me, as IL he were
trying to comprehend who I was, and
what accident had brought him into
my company.
When we got to the house, it was
necessary for me to engage the SER
vices Of the concierge to get the I'M
fortunate youth upstairs to my apart
nent, which was On the third floor.
There ! found that my valet had re-
sired, G. circumstance which / did not
-egret, got my strange visitor COM
'ortably settled upon couch: I
.oosened his collar and necktie for
aim. removed his boots, and spread
l warm rug over his feet. Then sat
Town to wait till he should recover
rom his lethargy.
While I watched his uneasy repose,
strove to recall the various things
which | had heard about the heir Of
William III He was of course we'll |
known to me by sight. for the incl |
lent ! speak of took place at time |
when | was attached to the staff OF |
he foreign office in Paris, and when, |
rs you may have heard, there was |
some talk of making me deputy and |
minister.
But preferred diplomatic career |
% a parliamentary one, and | do not |
.egret my decision. In a country like |
france, which is ruled over by the |
,ourgeoisie, politics reduces itself |
o a terribly prosaic level. ! can only |
ind the romance for which my dis
position Graves in the courts of those
countries where the will Of monarch
still counts for much, and where the
course OF the greatest events may be
decided by nod given at the right
or by sentence whispered
the intervals of waltz.
Though / never before had any in
ercourse with Prince Citron,' / was
amiliar with the stories in circula-
ion about him. 1t was generally be-
ieved that his residence in Paris was
lot altogether voluntary-that, in fact,
,s had been compelled to leave the
Hague in consequence OF some ter
ible misunderstanding with his father:
ind there were those who asserted
hat the old king Of the Netherlands
,ad sworn that his son should never
eturn so long as he himself was alive.
But. though there were hundred diff
erent versions of the cause of this ex-
lie, the truth of the matter had re-
NAMED a secret from every one, and
ven in his most reckless moments
70 allusion TO it ever passed the lips
# the prince.
In the meantime, the manner Of