The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-08-03

at alone, and watched the rcd bars b
# the stove fade to black. by that '
imc it was done and ne was of the
Ipned. The crown prince, who was f
stu age with the American lad up n
handthe crown prince was in the f
bert, hahiS enemies. He, old Adel- +
And none il.
Terrible th,t was forever too late. Fl
could not livts filled his mind. He II
die. The daughls, yet he could not q
sion. He must must have the pen
| whose breast the q traitor, he on
pinned a decoration. himself had
He wore his new um
| Of the day Suddenly he in honor
! could not wear it any long hat he
| no right to any uniform. He1e had
| sold his country was Of no COT had
! He went slowly out and up the
| case, dragging his wooden leg pa
| fully from step to step. He heard tn
concierge come in below. his heavy
| footsteps re-echOed through the build
! ING. Inside the door he called furi-
ously TO his niece Old Adelbert heard
him strike a match to light the gas.
In his room he sat down on
straight chair inside the door, and
stared ahead Then, Slowly and me-
chanically, he took off his new uni
! form and donned the old one. He
would have put on civilian clothes, had
he pOsspssed any. For by the deeds
of that day he had forfeited the right
10 the kings garh.
X was there that Black Humbert,
hurrying up, found him. The con-
cierge was livid. his massive frame
shook with excitement.
Quick ~ he said and swore great
oath. ITO the shop Of the cobbler
Heinz, and tell him this word. Here
in the building is the boy
what boy?'
The concierge closed great hand
on the veterans shoulder. "Who but
the crown prince himself" he said
.'Bnt / thought--how can he be
here?"
Here is he. in our very hands. 1t
is no time to ask questions"
IF he is here
"He is with the Americans" Kissed
the concierge. the veins on his fore
head swollen with excitement. Now,
go and quickly. l shall watch. Say
that when I have secured the lad l
shall take him there. Let all be ready.
An hour ago" he said, raising his
great fists on high, land everything
lost. Now-hurry, old wooden leg. 1t
is a great night"
Butt cannot. Already l have
done too much. l am damned. have
lost my soul. l who am soon to die
You will go"
And, at last, he went, hObblinS down
the staircase recklesSly. because the
looming figure at the stairhead was
listening. He reached the street
There. only block away, was the cob
b!er's shop, lighted, but with the dirty
curtains drawn across the window.
Old Adelbert gazed at 1t. Then he
commended his soul TO God, and turned
toward the palace. Before it were
packed dense throngs Of silent people
Now and then a man put down box
and rising on it, addressed the crowd
attempting to rouse them. Each time
angry hands pulled him down, anC
Kisses greeted him as he skunk away
Had old Adelbert been alive to any
thing but his mission, he would have
seen that this was no mob Of revo
lutionists, but a throng of grievine
people, awaiting the great bell of st
Stefan's with Its dire news.
Then, above their heads, it rang out
slow, OminOuS, terrible. A sob raj
through the crowd. In groups, and al
last as q whole, the throng knelt. Mer
uncovered and women wept.
The bell rang on. At its first notes
old Adelbert stopped, staggered, allnos
fell. Then he uncovered his head,
Gone" he said. 1.-The old king
My old king"
His face twitched But the horror
behind him drove him on through th'
kneeling crowd. Where it refused t
yield, he drove the iron point of hi:
wooden leg into yielding flesh, and 81
made his way. Some one raised or!
and others took it up.
THE king" they cried. "Show u
the little king"
But the balcony outside the deat
kings apartments remained empty
The curtains at the long windows were
drawn, save at one, opened for DIR
The breeze shook its curtains to ant
fro, but no small, childish figure
emerged. The cries kept up, but there
was n snarl in the note now.
1.-THE king! Long live the king
8 Where Is hep
A man in u red costume, near OLE
: Adelbert, leaped on box and Lighted
e a flaming torch AYE" he yelled
"call for the little king. Where is he
. What have they done with himT
t Old Adelbert pushed on. The vOic'
: of the revolutionist died behind him
! In a chorus of fury. From nowhere
e apparently, came lighted box banner
e proclaimng the chancellor's treason
/ and demanding a republic. Some o
s them instructed the people to gathe
e around the parliament where, 1t wa
y stated, leading citizens were alread
forming a republic. Some, more vic