The Elbert County tribune., 1918-08-02

sitluted. Two fiunkies In scarlet and
gold threw open the doors. A stray
dog that had wandered into the court
yard watched them gravely.
Il wish" snid Prince Ferdinand
William Otto. that I might have n
dog. Yesterday l met boy who has
a dog. II sleeps on his bed at night"
| Milky looked back. Although it had
been the boast of the royal family for
n century that 1t could go about un-
attended. that its only danger was
from the overzeal of the people In
showing their loyalty. not since the
death of Prince Hubert had this been
true in fact. No guards or soldiers
accompanied them, but the secret pO-
lice were always near Mt hand. So
Milky looked, mnde sure that man
in civilian clothing was close ut their
heels. and led the way across the
square to the riding school.
A small crowd lined up and watched
the passing of the little prince. As
he passed. men lifted their hats and
women bowed.
II have great many friends" he
said with sigh of content. as they
i don't really need n dog"
Look here" said Milky, after a
pause. Look here. highness. you
didn't treat your friends very well
yesterday"
IL know said Prince Ferdinand
William Otto meekly. But Prince
Ferdinand William Otto had thought
out defense. Il got back all right
didn't II" He considered. ut was
worth 1t. A policeman shook me-"
(which policemanT" demanded Nix
ky In terrible tone, and in his fury
quite forgot the rngging he had pre-
pared for Otto.
81 think I'll not tell you, II you don't
mind"
Fortune smiled on Milky that day.
Had, indeed, been smiling daily for
some three weeks. Singularly enough,
the Princess Hedwig. who had been
placed on pony at the early age Of
two. and who had been wont to boast
that she could ride any horse In her
grnndfathers stables. was taking rid
ing lessons. From twelve to one
which was. also singularly, the time
Prince Ferdinand William Otto and
Milky. rode In the ring-the Princess
Hedwig rode also. Rode divinely.
Rode saucily. Rode, when Milky was
ahead. tenderly.
To tell the truth, Prince Ferdinand
william Otto rather hoped, this morn
ing, that Hedwig would not be there.
There was a difference In Milky when
Hedwig was around. When she was
| har ha An oil nf
things. like jumping on his horse while
1t was going. and riding backward In
the saddle, and SO on. He had once
even tried jumping on his horse as 1t
galloped past him. and missed. and
had been awfully ashamed about 1t.
But when Hedwig was there. there
was no skylarking. They rode around,
and the riding master put up jumps
and they took them. And finally He'd
wig would get tired, and ask Milky
please to be amusing while she rested.
And he would not be amusing at all.
The crown prince felt that she never
really saw Milky at his best.
The riding school had been built for
officers of the army, but was now used
by the court only. Here the king had
| /.
his close friend even then. The favor
lite mare of his later years, now old
and almost blind, still had stall in
the adjacent royal stables. One of the
kings last excursions abroad had been
to visit her.
Overhead, up great runway, were
the state chariots. gilt coaches &C In
conceivable weight, travelling carriages
of the post-chaise periods, slelghs In
which four horses drove abreast. their
panels painted by the great artists of
the time; and one plain little vehicle,
very shabby, in which the royal chill
dren of long ago had fled from Kar-
nian invasion.
In one corner. black and gold and
forbidding. was the imposing hearse in
which the dead soyerelgns of the coun-
try were taken to their long sleep in
the vaults under the cathedral. Good,
bad, and Indifferent, one after the
other, as their hour came, they had
taken their last journey In the old
catafaIque, and had Joined their for
bears. Many they had been: men of
iron. men of blood. men of flesh, men
of water. And now they lay In stone
crypts, and of all the line only two
remained.
One and all, the royal vehicles were
shrouded in sheets, except on one day
of each month when the sheets were
removed and the public admitted. But
on that morning the great hearse was
uncovered. and two men were working,
one at the upholstery, which he was
brushing. The other was carefully oil
ing the wood of the body Save for
them, the wide and dusky loft was
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