Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-24
LONG LIVE THE KING"
Human
By MARY ROBERTS RINEHART


rade" he said with that and pol
ishlng II will do well enough for march
ing"
The usual group was in the shop,
mostly young men. scattering Of gray
heads. The advocates OF strange doc
trines. most Of them. Old Adelbcrt dis
approved OF them. regarded them with
a sort Of contempt
Now he felt that they smiled behind
his back. Il was his clothing. he felt.
fle shrugged his shoulders dsdainfully.
lie no longer felt ashamed before them
Already. although the tailor still pressed
It's seams and marked upon It with
chalk, he was clad in the dignity of the
new uniform.
lie turned and nodded to them ~
fine evening" he said, "lf this weather
holds. VIC will have good day for the
marching" lie squintcd faded eye
at the sky outside.
what marching"
Old Adclbcrt turncd on the speaker
sharply. Probably you have forgot
ten" he said ECurnfully, but in a week
comes an anniversary there are many
who will remember The day Of a great
battle. Perhaps" hc added. "if you do
not know Of what ! speak there are
rNlI4f AlNl' NAAb VIII N'lA 9'As
Unexpectedly the crowd laughed.
Old Adclbcrt flushed a dusl>y rcd and
drew himself up "Sinr, when" nc de.
manded does such speech bring
laughter? Il was no laughing matter
then"
1T Is the way Of tho Old to live in
the past" a studcn. said. Thcn imitat-
Ing old Adolhcrts majestic tone we
--wo live in the future. I5h, comrades? go
lie turned to the old soldier. You have
not seen tho bullctima.'
"Bullctina?'
There will be no marching past my
friend The uniform uow--that rs 4
pity Perhaps the tailor Ills eyes
Knocked.
no marching"
An order Of tho Council 1t seems
that the city is bored by these ancient
reminders. 1t is for peace. and would
forget wars. And the professions are
costly. We grow thrifty. Bands and
fireworks cost money, and money, my
{ hero, is scarCc-very scarce"
Again the group laughed.
After n time he Eraspod the truth.
There was such an order. The cause
. was given as the Kings illness.
Since whom" demanded old AdelbCrt
angrily has the sound of his soldiers
. marching disturbed the kinE?"
The sound OF wooden legs annoys
/ him. observed the mocking student,
4 lighting cigarette. "iir would hear
only pleasant sounds. such as the noise
/ Of taN.money pouring into his vaults.
Mc--I can think OF pleasanter: the
/ tolling Of the cathedral bell. at a cer-
tain time, will be music TO my ears 20
I old Adelbcrt stood, staring blindly
ahead At last IN Apt int
street. muttering. "They shame us before
the people, he said thickly
The order Of the Council had indeed
been issued, a painful business over
which Mcttich and the Council had
ponderCd long. For. in the state of
things, IT. was deemed unwisc TO per-
mt any gathering of the populace en-
masSc. Mohs lead to riots, and riots
. again TO mobs. Five thousand armed
men, veterans, but many Of them in
their prime. were in themselves a
danger. And on these days of annlVor.
sary 1t had been the custom of the
University 70 march also guard OF
honor Scdition was rife among The
students
The order was finally issued.
Old Adelbert was not keen. but he
did not lack understanding. And one
thing he knew, and knew well. The
concierge downstairs was no patriot
Time had been when, over coffee and
bread, he had tried to instill in THE
, old soldier his own discomfort, his new
theories of a land where all were equal
and no man king. lie had hinted Of
many who believed as he did. Only
hints because old Adelbert had raised
n trembling hand and proclaimed trea-
| son.
But now?
Late in the evening he made his
resolve. and visited the bureau Of tho
concierge, lie was away. however, and
his niece spoke through n barred win.
dow
Two days, or perhaps three" she
said. He is inspecting farm in the
country with a view 10 purchase"
Tho old soldier had walked by the
palace that night, and had again shaken
his hst at it's looming shadow. you
will see" he said, there be other
sounds moro painful than the thump
Of wooden leg!
CONTINUED TOMORROW