Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1918-07-05


sat alone. and watched the red bars
of the stove fade to black. BY that
time it was done, and he was OF the
damned. The crown prince, who was
of an age with the American lad up
stairs. the crown prince was in the
hands of his enemies. He, old Adel-
bert, had done 1t.
And now it was forever too late.
Terrible thoughts filed his mind. He
could not live thus. yet he could not
die. The daughter must have the pen
sion. He must live. a traitor, he on
whose breast the king himself had
pinned a decoration.
He wore his new uniform, in honor
Of the day. Suddenly he felt that he
could not wear 1t any longer. He had
no right tc any uniform. He who had
sold his country was OF no country.
He went slowly out and up the stair
case, dragging his wooden leg pain
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 a
straight chair inside the door, and
! stared ahead. Then, slowly and me-
chanicaily, he took Off his new uni
form and donned the old one. Re
would have put on civilian clothes, had
he possessed any. For by the deeds
of that day he had forfeited the right
to the kings garb.
1t 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 a great
oath. "To the shop of the cobbler
Heinz, and tell him this word. Here
in the building is the boy"
"What boyF'
TIE concierge closed a great hand
on me veterans shoulder. "N no but
the crown prince himselfr' be said.
But / thought-how can he be
here7"
Here is he, fin 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,
90, and quickly. l shall watch. Say
that when l have secured the lad, I
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"
"But-I cannot. Already have
done too much. amp damned. have
! lost my soul. l who am soon to die"
you will go"
And. at last, he went, hobbling down
the staircase recklessly. because the
looming figure at the stairhead was
| listening. He reached the street.
| There, only block away, was the cob
blers 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 1t were
packed dense throngs of silent people.
Now and then q man put down box,
and rising on II, addressed the crowd,
attempting to rouse them. Each time
angry hands pulled him down, and
Kisses greeted him as he SUNK 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 grieving
people, awaiting the great bell of st.
Stefans with its dire news.
Then, above their heads, it rang out,
slow, ominous, terrible. A sob ran
through the crowd. In groups, and at
last as q whole, the throng knelt. Men
uncovered aud women wept
The bell rang on. At ITS FIRST notes
old Adelbert stopped, staggered, almost
fell. Then he uncovered his head
"Goue" he said. 1.-THE old king
Ny old king!"
His face twitched. But the horror
behind him drove him on through the
kneeling crowd Where IT refused to
Yield, he drove the iron point of his
wooden leg into yielding flesh, and so
made his way. Some one raised cry
nld others took 1t up.
"rhe king!' they cried. "Show US
the little king"
But the balcony outside the dead
kings apartments remained empty.
The curtains at the long windows were
drawn, save at one, opened for air.
The breeze shook its curtains TO and
fro, but no small, childish figure
emerged. The cries kept up but there
was a enarl ia the note now.
"The king! Long live the king
Where is her.
A man in q red costume, near old
Adelbert, leaped on box and lighted
a flaming torch. "Aye" be yelled,
"call for the little king. Where Is hel
What have they done with himT'
Old Adelbert pushed on. The voice
of the revolutlonlst died behind him,
in a chorus Of fury. From nowhere.
apparently, came lighted box banners