The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1918-10-11

guarded. Even Minna, slipping off for
an evening hour with a village sweet
heart, was stealthily Swallowed. Be
fore this. fine ladies had changed gar
ments with their maids and escaped
from divers unpleasantnesses.
At the end of two days the countess
was able to be up. She moved
languidly about her room. still too
weak to plan.
| And on the fourth day came the
crown prince of Livonia on a pill
grimage.
The manner of his coming was this:
| There are more ways than one of
reaching the hearts of an uneasy peO-
| pie. Remission of taxes is a bad one.
1t argues a mistake in the past. in ex-
acting such tithes. Governments may
make errors. but must not acknowl-
edge them. There Is the freeing of
political prisoners, but that, too, is
dangerous. when such prisoners
breathe sedition to the very prison
walls.
And there is the appeal to sentiment.
The government, pinnlng all Its hopes
to one small boy. would further endear
him to the people. Willy statesman
that he was. the chancellor had hit
on this to Offset the rumors of He'd
wigs marriage.
"a pilgrlmager' said the king. when
the matter was preached to him. For
what? My recovery? Cannot you let
your servant depart in peace?"
''Pilgrimages," observed the chancel-
lor, "have had marvellous results, sire.
| do not insist that they perform
miracles, as some believe,"-be smiled
faintly-"but as matter of public
feeling and remedy for discord. they
are sometimes efiicacious."
81 see," said the king. And lay still.
looking at the ceiling.
"Can 1t be done safely?" he asked
at last.
"The maddest traitor would not
grimage. The people would tear him
limb from limb"
Nevertheless, 1 should take all pre-
Cautions" said the king. "A mailman
might not recognize the-er-religious
nature of the affair"
The same day the chancellor visited
Prince Ferdinand William Otto, and
found him returned from his drive and
busy over Hedwig's photograph frame.
1T is almost DONE" he said. II
slipped over In one or two places, but
1t is not very noticeable, is it?"
| The chancellor observed 1t judicially,
and decided that the slipping over was
not noticeable ut all.
"Otto," said the chancellor gravely,
II want to talk to you very seriously
about something 1 would like you to
do. For your grandfather"
It'll do anything for him. SIR"
1--WE know that. This Is the point.
He has been Ill for long time. Very
ILL.,"
The boy watched him with a trou-
bled face. "He looks very thin" he
said. Il get quite worried when see
him."
Exactly. You have heard of EtzelT
Prince Ferdinand William Otto's
religious instruction was of the best.
He had, indeed, heard of Etzel. He
knew the famous pilgrimages In order.
and could say them rapidly, beginning,
the year of Our Lord 915-the Emperor
Otto and Adelheid, his spouse; the
year of Our Lord 100, Ulrich, Count
of Ruburg; and so on.
(: "When people are ILL.," he said sage
ly, they go to Etzel to be cured"
Precisely. But when they cannot go
they send some one else, to pray for
them. And sometimes, If they have
faith enough the holy miracle happens
and they are cured"
| The chancellor was deeply religious,
and although he had planned the pill
grimage for political reasons, for the
moment, he lost sight of them. What
If, after all, this clear-eyed. clean
hearted child could bring this miracle
of the kings recovery? 1t was
famous shrine, and stranger things had
been brought about by less worthy
agencies.
II thought" he said, that If you
would go to Etzel. OTTO and there pray
for your grandfathers recovery, it
1t would be good thing"
The meaning of such a pilgrimage
dawned suddenly on the boy. His eyes
filled, and because he considered it I'M
manly to weep. he slid from his chair
and went to the window.
| "I'm afraid he's going to de-" he
said. in n smothered voice.
The chancellor followed him to the
window. and put an arm around ms
shoulders. Even that would hot be
so terrible, Otto" he said. death,
to the old, is not terrible. 1t is an
open door, throreh which they go glad
ly, because-because those who have
gone ahead are waiting just beyond
it,"
Are my mother and father walt
ing?"