Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-19

Quarter of century before. he Travelled
incognito. But where she had used the
somewhat emphatic name of Guggen-
slocker he was known TO the hotel
registers as Mr. r. Schmidt and ser
want"
There was romance in the eager
Young soul of Prince Robin. He rev.
eled in the love story of his parents.
The beautiful Princess Yetive first saw
Grenfell Lorry in an express train 60
ing eastward from Denver. Their
wonderful romance was born. so to
speak. In Pullman compartment. car,
and 1t thrived SO splendidly that it al
most upset a dynasty. for never-in all
of nine centuries-had a ruler Of Grau-
stark stopped to marriage with a COM
moner.
And so when the farsighted minis
try and house of mobiles in Graustark
set about to select a wife for their
young ruler they made overtures to
the Prince of Dawsbergen. whose do
main adjoined Graustark on the south.
The Crown Princess of Dawsbersen,
then but fifteen. was the unanimous
choice of the amiabl matchmakers in
secret conclave. This was when Robin
| was seventeen and just over being
! fatuously in love with his middle aged
/ instructress in French.
| The Prince of Dawsbergen dispatch
/ ed an embassy of noblemen to assure
| his neighbor that the match would be
| highly acceptable to him and that in
! proper season the betrothal might be
announced. But alack. both courts
| overlooked the fact that there was in
| dependent American blood in the two
! young people. Neither the Prince of
| Graustark nor the Crown Princess of
Dawsbergen-whoSe mother was a
| Miss Beverly Calhoun of Nirginia-was
disposed to listen to the voice of eX-
pediency: in fact, at j safe distance of
| three or four hundred miles the young
sters tiguratively turned up their noses
at each other and frankly confessed
that they hated each other and
wouldn't be bullied into getting mar
ried. no matter what anybody said. or
something Of the sort.
"S'pose I'm going to say I'll marry a
girl I've never SEEM" demanded sew
enteen- year-old Robin. full of wrath
Not |. my lords. I'm going to look
about a bit. if you don't mind. The
world is full of girls. I'll marry the
one | happen to want or I'll not marry
at ALL"
But. hishness," they protested. ''yor
must listen to reason. There must bt
a successor to the throne of Graustark
You would not have the name die witt
you. The young princess is
rs fifteen, you say" he interrupted
loftily. Come around in ten year;
and we'll talk it over again. But In
not going to pledge myself to marry {
child in short frocks, name or NJ
name. Is she pretty
The lords did not know. They hat
not seen the young lady.
If she is pretty you'd be sure Il
know it, my lords, so we'll assume sht
isn't. | saw her when she was three
years old. and she certainly was {
fright when she cried. and. my lords
she cried all the time. No. III no
marry her. Be good enough to say II
the Prince of Dawshergen that In
very much obliged to him. but its quite
out of the question
And the fifteen year-old crown prin
in or
her doting parents that she was tireC
of being princess anyway and yer!
much preferred marrying some ont
who lived in a cottage. In fine. sh'
stamped her little foot and said she'C
Jump into the river before she'd MARI.
the Prince of Graustark.
But he's a very handsome. adorable
boy" began her mother.
And half American, just as you are
my child" put in her father encourag
ingly. Nothing could be more suit
able than
II don't intend to marry anybod.
until I'm thirty at least, SO that end
it, daddy-I mean your poor old high
ness"
Naturally we do not expect you Il
be married before you are out o
short frocks. my dear" said Prime,
. Dantan stifiiy. But a betrothal ii
; quite another thing. 1t is customar,
to arrange these marriages years be
, fore
is Prince Robin In love with me-"
"1-ahem-thats a very silly ques
ton. He hasn't seen you since yol
were a baby. But he will be in low
= with you, never fear"
He may be in love with some on,
else. for all we know. so where do
come tn?'
"Come inT' gasped her father.
{ shes part American. DEAR" ex
[ planned the mother with her pretties
: smile.
t Besides" said the crown princess
! with fnality. I'm not even going t
| be engaged to a man I've never seer
And IL you insist, I'll run away a
! sure as anything"
And SO the matter rested Fiv
years have passed since the initial over
lures were made by the two courts
and although several sly attempts wer
made TO bring the young people TO
, proper understanding Of their case the
. aroused nothing more than scornfu
laughter on the part of the principals
/, And 10 one saw the portentous shad
ow cast by the slim daughter of WI
liam ". Rlithers. for the simple res
son that neither Graustark nor DAVIS