Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-23

TO tNc leaIt. lueSC men were men OF l..
family Surely 10 father Of son could T.
see that lonely child and not offer him
Loyalty.
With the same wisdom, no had given
the boy small instruction, and no speech
Of thanks let him say what comes
into his head" Mettiich had reasoned
1T will at least be spontaneous and
boyish."
The Grown Prince was somewhat ner-
vous. lie blinked rapidly ls tho dele
CATION entered and proceeded up the
room. However. happening at that mo-
ment to remember Milky with the brass
inkwell, he forgot himself in amusement.
lie took good look at the gold caskct,
as II approached, revcrently borne, ana
rather liked it's appearance. II would
have been, he reflected, extremely con-
venient TO keep things In, pencils ana
or lsers, on his desk. But OF course, he
would not have It TO Keep. quite
number Of things passed into his pos
session and out again with the same
iightning-like rapidlty
The first formalitics over, and the
Crown Prince having shaken hands nine
times, the spokesman stepped forward.
lie had brought a long, written speech
which had already been given to the
hesitation lie folded it W.
"Your Royal Highness," he said, look
ing down, Il have here long speech.
but all that II contains I can = briefly.
1t Is your birthday. Highness. Eve come,
representing many others, to present
to you our congra tulations, and--thc
lovo of your people. 1t Is our hope'-~-
he paused Emotion and excitement
were getting the better Of him "our
hope, Hghness, that YOU will have many
happy days. To further that hope we
are here today to say that We repre-
genting all classes, are your most loyal
aubjecta. We have fought for His Ma
jesty the King. and If necessary we
will fight for you" lie glanced beyond
the child at the Council, and his tone
was strong and impassioned. But to-
day we are here not to speak Of " lr,
but to present TO you our Congratula-
tions, our devotion and our loyalty"
Also n casliet, He had forgotten that
lie stepped back, was nudged, and
rccolleCted.
"Also a gift" he said, and ruined n
fine speech among smiles. But the pres
ontation took place in due order, and
Otto cleared his throat.
Thank YOU all very much" he said
1T Is a very beautiful gift. I admire
1t very much. l should like to keep K
on my desk, but ] suppose Il is too
valuable. Thank you very much"
The spokesman hoped that it might be
arranged that he keep It on his desk
an ever-present reminder of the lovc Of
his city, To this tho Chancellor OBJ
served that it would be arranged and
the affair was over TO obviate the
[ difficulty Of having the delegation back
down the long room, it was the Crown
/ Prince who departed first with the Cham
cellor.
Altogether it was comfortably over.
and the Chancellor reflected grimly that
/ the boy had done WELL lie had made
friends Of the delegation at a time
when he needed friends. As they walked
along the long corridors OF the palace
together tho Chancellor was visualizing
another scene. which must como soon,
pray God with as good result: the time
when, the old King dead and tho solemn
bell OF the cathedral tolling, this boy
would step on TO the balcony overlook
ing the palace and show himself to the
great throng below the windows.
TO Offset violence and anarchy itself,
only that one small figure on the bal
cony!
Late in the afternoon the King sent
for Prince Ferdinand William Otto. lie
( had not left his bed since the day he
had placed the matter Of Hedwig's mar
riage before the council, and now he
knew he would never leave it. There
were times between sleeping and waking
when he fancied he had already gone
and that only his weary body on the
bed remained At such times he saw
Hubert only. strangely enough not as
a man grown, but as small boy again
and his Queen, but as she had looked
Na-han he married
her and when at last, after months OF
married woOing, she had crept willing
into his arms,
So, awakening from a doze, he saw
the boy there and called him Hubert
Prince Ferdinand William OTTO feeling
rather worried. did the only thing he
could think Of. He thrust his warm
hand into his grandfather's cropping one
and the touch Of his soft flesh reused
the King.
The Sister left them together, and
in her small room dropped on her knees
before the holy image. There, until he
left. She prayed for the Kings soul, foI
: the safety and heavenly guidance OF the
hoy. The wind stirred her black habil
and touched gently her white Golf She
prayed her pale lips moving silently
In the Kings bedchamber Prince Fer
dinand William Otto sat on q high chan
and talked. He was extremely reuNeo
that his exile was over, but he viewed
his grandfather with alarm. His aunt
had certainly intimated that his run
ming away had made the King worse
And he looked very i'll.
I'm awfully sorry grandfather h'
said.
FOR what?'
"That / went away the other day
sir"
TT was, after all, a natural thing e
. do"
The Crown Prince could hardly be
lieve his ears.
n little freedom" The King lay still
with closed eyes. .,
Prince Ferdinand william Otto rel
uneasy. "But 1 am very comfortapl