River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-07-11

years, naQ come again ITOm GLZel, anu
| it was he who had administered the
sacrament. The king had reused for
| it, and had smiled at the father.
| "Sol" he said, almost in a whisper,
"you would send me clean! It is hard
| to scour an old kettle"
Doctor Weiderman bent over the
bed. Majesty" he implored, "if there
is anything we can do to make you
comfortable"
"Give me Hubert's picture" said the
king. When his fingers refused to hold
| it. Annunciata came forward swiftly
and held it before him. But his heavy
eyes closed. With more intuition than
might have been expected of her, the
archduchess laid it on the white cover
let, and placed her fathers hand on
it.
The two sisters of mercy stood be-
side the bed, and looked down at the
quiet figure.
81 should wish to die So" whispered
the elder. ga long life, filed with
many deeds, and then to sleep away!"
"a long life, full of many sorrows !"
observed the younger one, her eyes
! full Of tears. "He has outlived all
that he loved"
Except the little Otto"
Their glances met, for even here
| there was question.
AS if their thought had penetrated
the haze which is, perhaps, the mist
that hides from us the gates of heaven,
the old king opened his eyes.
"Otto!'' he said. "I-WiSh-"
Annunciata bent over him. 'He is
coming, father" she told him, with
white lips.
She slipped to her knees beside the
bed, and looked up to Doctor Weider-
man with appealing eyes.
81 am afraid" she whispered. "Can
you not-Y
He shook his head. She had asked
a question in her glance, and he had
answered. The crown prince was
gone. Perhaps the search would be
successful. Could he not be held, then,
until the boy was found? And Doctor
Weiderman had answered "No."
In the antechamber the council
waited, standing and without speech.
But in an armchair beside the door
to the kings room the chancellor sat,
his face buried in his hands. In spite
Of precautions, in spite of everything,
the blow had fallen. The crown prince,
to him at once son and sovereign, the
little crown prince, was gone. And
his old friend, his comrade Of many
years, lay at his last hour.
Now he waited for the kings death.
Waited numbly. For, with the tolling
Of st. Stefan's bell would rise the cry
for the new king.
And there was no king.
In the little room where the sisters
kept their medicines, so useless now,
Hedwig knelt at the prie-dieu and
prayed.
The king reused again. "Mettlich?"
he asked.
The elder sister tiptoed to the door
and opened it. The council turned,
dread on their faces. She placed a
hand on the chancellor's shoulder.
'His majesty has asked for you"
| w u6u lie 1OOk0Q up, UdLCu, Sic UOAL
down and took his hand.
"Courage!" she said quietly.
The chancellor stood a second in
side the door. Then he went to the
side of the bed, and knelt, his lips
to the cold, white hand on the counter
pane.
"Sire!" he choked. sit is Met
lich.'
The king looked at him, and placed
his hand on the bowed gray head.
Then his eyes turned to Annunciata
and rested there. 1t was as if he saw
her, not as the embittered woman of
late years, but as the child of the
woman he had loved.
GA good friend, and good daugh-
ter" he said clearly. Few men die
so fortunate, and fewer sovereigns."
His hand moved from Mettlich's head,
and rested on the photograph.
The elder sister leaned forward and
touched his wrist. "Doctor!" she said
sharply.
Doctor Weiderman came first. the
others following. They grouped
around the bed. Then the oldest Of
them, who had brought Annunciata
into the world, touched her on the
shoulder.
"Madamel" he said. Madame, L
his majesty has passed away"
Mettlich staggered to his feet, and
took long look at the face of his old
sovereign and king.
In the meantime, things had been
happening in the room where the
council waited. The council free of
the restraint of the chancellor's pres
ence, had fallen into low-voiced con-
sultation. What was to be done?
They knew already the rumors of the
streets, and were helpless before them.
They had done what they could. But
the boy was gone, and the city rising.
Already the garrison of the fortress
had been ordered to the palace, but
it could not arrive before midnight.