The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1916-03-29

| ASK her, not me-" fiared Mrs. Blith-
ers. "And don't glare at me like that"
See here, Lou, I've got things fixed
so that the Prince of Groostuck can't
very well do anything but ask Maud
| to-
That's just IT," she exclaimed.
MAUD sees through the whole ar
rangement, VIII. She said last night
that she wouldn't be at all surprised If
you offered to assume Graustark's debt
to Russia in order to-
That's just what I've done, old girl, q"
said lie in triumph. I'm have EN-
sewed up so tight by next week that
they can't move without asking me to
loosen the strings. And you can tell
Maud once more for me that I'll get
This prince for her if
"Dut she doesn't want himl"
"She doesn't know what she
wants." he roared. "Where is she
,oing on the day of the ball?"
"To New York"
"By CAD, Tll-Tll see about that"
h. grated. 'T'll see that she doesn't
leave the grounds If l have to put
guards at every gate. She's got to be
reasonable. What does she think I'm
putting sixteen millions into the
Grasstork treasury for? She's got to
stay here for the ball. Why, it would
be a crime for her to-but what's the
use of talking about it? She'll be
here, and she'll lead the grand march
with the prince. I've got it alp
"Well, you'll have to talk to her.
I've done all that / can do. She
swears she won't marry a man she's
never SEEN"
In order tc get on with the nara
tive, shall be as brief as possible in
the matter of the Blitherwood ball.
In the first place, mere words would
prove to be not only feeble, but ac-
tually out of place. Any attempt to
define the sensation of awe by re-
course to dictionary would put one
in the ridiculous position of seeking
the unattainable. The word has its
meaning, OF course, but the sensation
itself is quite another thing. AS ev-
cry one who attended the ball was
filled with awe, which he tried to put
forward as admiration, the attitude
of the guest was no more limp than
that Of the chronicler. In the second
place, ] am not qualified by expert
ence or Imagination to describe ball
that stood its promoter not a penny
short of one hundred thousand dol
lars. l believe l could go as high as
fifteen or even twenty thousand dol
lar affair with some sort of intelli-
gence, but anything beyond those fig
ures renders me void and useless.
Mr.. Blithers not only ran special
train de luxe from New York city,
but another from Washington and
still another from Newport, for it ap-
pears that the Newporters at the last
minute couldn't bear the idea of 60
ing to the metropolis out of season.
He actually had to take them around
the city in such way that they were
not even obliged to submit to a
glimpse of the remotest outskirts of
the Bronx.
From Washington came an amazing
company of foreign ladies and gentle
men, ranging from the most exalted
Europeans to the lowliest of the yell
low races. They came with gold all
over them: they tinkled with the
clash Of a million cymbals. The pres
ident of the United States almost
came. Having no spangles of his own.
he delegated a major general and
rear admiral to represent Old Glory,
and no doubt sulked in the White
House because a parsimonious nation
refuses to buy braid and buttons for
its chief executive.
In order to deliver his guests at the
doors Of Blitherwood. SO to speak. the
Mr.. Blithers had a
temporary spur of track laid from
the station two miles away, employ
ing no fewer than a thousand men to
do the work in forty-eight hours.
Work on terminal extension in New
York was delayed for a week or more
in order that he might borrow the
rails, ties and work trains.
Two hundred and fifty precious and
selected guests ate two hun
dred and fifty gargantuan dinners
and twice as many suppers; drank
barrels of the rarest of wines; smoked
two dollar perfectos and
stuffed their pockets with enough to
last them for days to come.
A great many mothers inspected
Prince Robin with interest and con-
fessed to a really genuine enthusi-
asm. The ruler of Graustark (four-
afths of the guests asked where in
The world 1t wasD was the lion of
the day. Mr.. Blithers was annoyed
because he did not wear his crown,
but was somewhat Modified by the
that he had neglected to
bring 1t along with him in his trav-
els.
Exercising potentate's preroga-
i've. Prince Robin left the scene of
somewhat earlier than was
expected. AS matter Of fact. he de-
parted shortly after /. Moreover.
being a prince. 1t did not occur to
him to offer any excuse for leaving 80