River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1918-04-18


to his governess, "that he would have
something else to do. He's the
chancellor, isn't he?"
The king had passed bad night,
and Haeckel was still missing. The
chancellor's heart was heavy.
The chancellor watched the crown
prince, as he sat at the high desk,
laboriously writing. 1t was the hour
of English composition, and Prince
Ferdinand William Otto was writing
a theme.
"About dogs" he explained. "Tve
seen great many, you know. | could
do it better with pencil. My pen
sticks in the paper"
He wrote on, and Mettlich sat and
watched. He caught Miss Braith-
waite's glance, and he knew what was
in her mind For nine years now had
come, once year, the painful ami
versary of the death of the late crown
prince and his young wife. For nine
years had the city mourned, with flags
at half mast and the bronze statue of
the old queen draped in black. And
for nine years had the day of grief
passed unnoticed by the lad on whom
hung the destinies of the kingdom.
Now they confronted a new sit
uation. The next day but one was the
anniversary again. The boy was older,
and observant. It would not be pos
sible to conceal from him the
significance of the procession march
ing through the streets with muffled
drums.
They could not continue to lie to
the boy. Truthfulness had been one
of the rules of his rigorous upbring-
ing. And he was now of an age to re-
member. SO the chancellor sat and
waited, and fingered his heavy watch
chain.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto put
his attention to the theme, and finished
it. Then, flushed with authorship, he
looked up. ''May I read you the last
line of. it," he demanded of the
chancellor.
''I shall be honored, highness." Not
often did the chancellor say "high-
ness" Generally he said "Otto'' or
"my child"
Prince Ferdinand William Otto read
aloud, with dancing eyes, his last line:
"T should like to OVID dog I
thought" he said wistfully, "that /
might ask my grandfather for one"
ST see no reason why you should not
have a dog" the chancellor observed.
2'.Not one to be kept at the stables -
Otto explained. "One to stay with me
all the time. One to sleep on the foot
of the bed.''
But here the chancellor threw up
his, hands. Instantly he yisualized all
the objections to dogs, from fieas to
rabies. And he put the difficulties
into words. No mean speaker was the
chancellor when so minded. He was
a master of style, of arrangement, of
logic and reasoning. He spoke at
length, even, at the end, rising and
pacing few steps up and down the
room. But when he had concluded,
when the dog SO to speak, had fed
yelping to the country Of dead hopes,
Prince Ferdinand William Otto merely
gulped, and said:
swell, I wish I could have a dog"
The chancellor changed his tactics.
by changing the subject. 81 was won
dering this morning, as crossed the
park, if you would enjoy an excursion
soon. Could it be managed, Miss
Braithwaite?"
81, dare say said Miss Braithwaite
,dryly. Although must say, if there
is no improvement in punctuation and
capital letters" <.s
"What sort Of excursion?" asked his
royal highness, guhrdedly. He did not
care for picture galleries.
"Out-of-doors, to see something in
teresting. A real excursion, up the
river
''To the fort? do want to see the
new fort"
AS a matter of truth, the chancellor
had not thought of the fort. But like
many another before him, he accepted
the suggestion and made it his own.
'To the fort, of course" said he.
Sand take luncheon along, and eat
it there, and have Hedwig and Milky?
And see the guns?'
But this was going too fast. Milky,
of course, would go, and if the princess
cared to, she too. But luncheon! 1t
was necessary to remind the crown
prince that the officers at the fort
would expect to have him join their
mess. There was a short parley over
this. and it was finally settled that the
officers should serve luncheon, but that
there should be no speeches.
''Then that's settled" he said at last.
I'm very happy. This morning shall
apologize to NJ. Puaux."
During the remainder Of the morn
ming the crown prince made various
excursions to the window to see if the
weather was holding good. Also he
asked, during his half hours intermis-
sion, for the great box of lead soldiers
that was locked away in the cabinet.
ST shall pretend that the desk is a
fort, Miss Braithwaite,' he said. "Do
Won mind being the enemy, and pre-