Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-21
CHATTER NNNV (ContinuedD
Copyright. 1918. by Mary Rol


kATEITHER of the children had noticed
lV the unwontcd silence of the streets,
which had almost suddenly, succeeded
( The noise of the carnival What few
*passers-by they had seen had been
/ hurrying In the direction of the palace.
! Twice they had passed soldiers. with
lanterns, and once one had stopped and
4 lashed light on them.
well, old sport - said Bobby in
! English anything you can do for me?'
The soldier had passed on. muttering
At the insoleuce of American children.
The two youngsters laughed consumedly
|n the wittitisn. They were very
happy. the lonely little American boy
and the lonely little Prince-happy from
| sheer gregarousness, from the sstisfac-
/ tion Of that strongest OF human inclina-
lions, next TO love--the social instinct.
The concierge was out. His niece ad-
mitted them, and went back to her in
terrupted cooking. The children hurried
|up the winding stone staircase. with It's
| IRON rail and its gas lantern. To the sec
kend floor.
II, In the sitting room the sour-faced
INVERNESS was darning a hole In small
nocklng. She was as close as possible
! % the green-tile stove. and she was
taped darner only slipped through the
pc. which was a large one. With all
tSltable gesture she took off her slipper,
*1hd, putting one coarse stockinged foot
]on the fender, proceeded to darn by
Eputting the slipper into the stocking
|'and working over it.
Things looked unpropitious. The
I Crown Prince duclied behind Bobby.
The fraulein looked at the clock
You are fifteen minutes late" she
snapped. and bit the darning thread
not with rage. but because she had for
gotten her scissors.
I'm sorry. but you see"
Whom have you thereY'
Il The Prince covered. She looked quite
Ike his grandfather when his tutors
n reports had been unfavorable.
"A friend Of mine" said Bobby not
Fs whit daunted
II The governess put down the stocking
end rose. In so doing. she caught her
nrst real glimpse of Ferdinand William
Otto. and she staggered back.
Holy Saints :" she said, and went
white. Then she stared at the boy and
K her color came back For n moment"
she muttered but no. He is not so
fall, nor has he the manner, Yes. he is
much smaller :"
Which proves that. whether 1t wears
y or not. royalty is always measured to
NE top of crown.
In the next room Bobby's mother was
eFranging candles on a birthday cake
h N the center of the table. Pepy had
iced the cake herself. and had forgotten
one Of the IBIS" in Bobby so that the
cake really read "Boby--XII,"
However, 1t looked delicious, and In
n ede had been baked a tiny black china
+. H0Il and peu hyparinan NANNY with
r abraham Lincoln's head on II. The
lenny was for good fortune. but the
soll was a joke of Pepy's, Bobby being
kasgressively masculine.
n Bobby, having passed the outpost car
ned the rest of the situation by assault.
4 tte rushed into the dining room and
tisscd his mother, with one eye on the
cake.
X Mother. here's company to supper !,
L On, look at the cake. BODY! Moth
Or That's awful"
Mrs Thorpe looked Mt the cake. Poor
Pepy,' she said. Suppose she had made
Et Booby?" Then she saw Ferdinand
William Otto, and went over, somewhat
puzzled, with her hand out II am very
giad Bobby brought you" she said. "Ile
has SO few little friends"
Then she stopped, for the Prince had
brought his heels together sharply, and,
PENDING over her hand, had kissed 1t,
exactly as he kissed his Aunt Annun-
n eiata's when he went to have tea with
|fner. Mrs. Thorpe was fairly startled.
NOT at the kiss, but at the grace with
n which the tribute was rendered.
Then she looked down, and 1t restored
her composure to find that Ferdinand
WILLIAM Otto, too, had turned eyes
\ wward the cake. He was. after all. only
: hungry small boy. With quick tender
ness she stopped and kissed him gravely
Z on the forehead.
caresses were strange to Ferdinand
WILLIAM Otto. His warm little heart
ieaped and pounded At that moment he
would have died for her
Mr. Thorpe came home little late
re kissed Bobby twelve times, and one
Efto grow on. He shook hands absently
" WITH the visitor. and gave the Fraulein
|kshe evening paper--an extravaganza on
which he insisted although one could
read the news for nothing bye going tc
ne cafe on the corner. Then he drew
his wife aside
~ Look here q he said. Don't tel
1obby--no use exciting him. and oi
y purse It's not our funeral anyhow--bu'
tnere's report that the Crown Rrincs
& ess been kidnapped. And that's not all
Nc old King Is dying - ~fa
y How terrible I"
Worse than that. The old King gons
Snd no Grown Prince! II may NEAR
H'mcst any sort Of trouble! I've CLOSED
W at the Park for the night" Hi'
Nm around his wife he looked through
s<ne doorway 10 where BOBBY and Ferdi
uano We're counting the candles. "It's
made me think pretty hard" he sad
2hobby mustn't 60 around alone tn,
*ay he's been doing All American,
1efe are considered millionsires. II ths
cFown Prince could so. think how
~ s'p t'shtsnsd' sroupa h. vie