Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-06-14
chancellor said gravely. ITO a ruler,
his people must come first"

And so, in the clear light from the
room behind him, Otto the Ninth first
stood before his people. They looked
up, and hard eyes grew soft, tense
muscles relaxed. They saw the erect
ness of the small figure, the steadi-
ness of the blue eyes that had fought
back their tears, the honesty and fire
and courage of this small boy who
was the king.
Let such of the revolutionists as re-
NAMED scream before the parliament
house. Let the flames burn and the
drums beat. The solid citizens, the
great mass of the people, looked up
at the king and cheered nightly. Rev
olution had that night received its
death blow at the hands Of a child.
The mob prepared to go home to bed.
While King Otto stood on the bal
cony, down below in the crowd an
American woman looked up, and sud-
denly caught her husband by the arm.
Robert" she said, Robert, 1t is
Bobby's little friendl !"
"Nonsense !" he retorted. TITS
rather dramatic, isn't it? Nothing
like this at homel See, they've
crowned him already"
But Bobby's mother looked with the
clear eyes of most women, and all
mothers.
"They have not crowned him." she
"The absurd little kingl They have
forgotten to take off his paper crown!"
l.
The dead king lay In state in. the
royal chapel. Tall candles burned at
his head and feet, set in long black
standards. His uniform lay at his
feet, his cap, his sword. The flag of
his country was draped across him. He
looked very rested.
In a small private chapel nearby
lay old Adelbert. They could not do
him too much honor. He, too, looked
rested, and he, too, was covered by
the flag, and no one would have
guessed that a part of him had died
long before, and lay buried on a bat
tlefield. 1t was, unfortunately, his old
uniform that he wore. They had add
ed his regimental flag to the national
one, and on 1t they had, set his shabby
cap. He, too, might have been a king.
There were candles at shis head and
feet, also; but alas, he had now no
sword.
Thus it happened thai old Adelbert
the traitor lay in state in the palace,
and that monks, in long crown robes,
knelt and prayed by him. Perhaps he
needed their prayers. But perhaps, in
the great accounting, things are bal
anced up. the good against the bad. In
that case, who knows?
The palace mourned and the palace
rejOiced. Haeckel had told what he
knew and the leaders of the ~terrorists
were In prison. Some, In high places,
would be hanged with a silken cord.
as was their due. And others would
be esthetically disposed of. The way
was not yet clear ahead, but the crisis
was passed and safely.
Early in the evening, soon after he
had appeared on the balcony, the court
had sworn fealty to Otto the Ninth.
He had stood on the dais in the throne
room, very much washed and brushed
by that time, and the ceremony had
taken place. Such a shout from re-
lieved threats as went up, such a clat-
ter as swords were drawn from scab.
bards and held upright in the air.
"Ottol" they cried. And again.
"Otto."
The little king had turned quite pale
with excitement.
Late in the evening Milky Lariscf
went to the council room. The our
Gil had dispersed, and Mettlich sal
alone. When Milky was announced he
frowned. Then, very family, he
smiled. But he IA stern enough when
the young soldier entered. Milky
came to the point at once.
81 have come" ne said, ITO know
what I am to do, sir"
"Do?" asked the chancellor, colby.
whether the crown-whether the
king is safe or not" said Milky, look
ing logged and not at all now like the
picture of his mother. 81 am guilty Of
of all that happened"
The chancellor had meant to be very
hard. But he had come through a
great deal, and besides, he saw some
thing Milky did not mean him to see.
He was used to reading men. He saw
that the boy had come to the breaking
point.
"Sit down." he said, "and tell me
about it."
But Milky would not sit. He stood,
looking straight ahead, and told the
story. He left nothing out, the scene
on the roof, his broken promise.
ALTHOUGH" he added, his only word
Of extenuation, "God knows I tried to
keep it,"
Then the message from Countess
Loschek, and his long wait in her bou-