Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1918-05-24

| king, ''that you have alarmed great
many people,"
'I'm sorry, sir. didn't think"
ga princes duty is to think. Where
did you go?"
ITO the park, sir. III thought I'd
like to see the park by myself. It's
very hard to enjoy things with Miss
Braithwaite, sir. She does not really
enjoy the things I like. Milky and
II
by Milky you mean Lieutenant
Larisch?"
eyes, SIR
"GO on"
"We like the same things, sir--the
Pike's-P Bust, and all that"
The king raised himself on his ell
bow. ''What was that?" he demanded.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto
blushed, and explained. 1t was Bob
by's name for the peak at the top OF
the scenic railway. He had been on
the railway. He had been-his en-
thusiasm carried him away. His
cheeks flushed. He sat forward on the
edge Of his chair, and gesticulated.
81 was awfully happy, sir" he ended.
.'It feels like flying, only safer. And
the lights are pretty. It's like fairy
land. There were two or three times
when 1t seemed as If we'd turn over,
or leap the track. But we didn't"
The king lay back and thought. More
than anything in the world he loved
this boy. But the occasion demanded
strong hand. "You were happy" he
said. "You were disobedient, you
were causing grave anxiety and dis
tress-and you were happy The first
duty Of prince is to his country. His
first lesson is to obey laws. He must
always obey certain laws. A king is
but the servant of his people. Some
day you will be the king. You are be-
ing trained for that high Office now.
And yet you would set the example
Of characterization, disobedience, and
reckless disregard of the feelings OF
others"
Eyes, sir" said Prince Ferdinand
William Otto, feeling very small and
ashamed.
'Not only that. You slipped away.
You did not go openly. You sneaked
off, like thief. Are you proud OF
| it?" n
mo, sir"
II SHALL" said the king, require nd
promise from you. Promises are pool
things to hold to. leave this mattet
In your own hands, Otto. You will be-
punished by Miss BraithWaite, and fo4
the next ten days you will not visit
me. You may go now"
Otto got off his chair. He was feel
ing exceedingly crushed. "Good nights
SIR" he said. And waited for his
grandfather to extend his hand. But
the old king lay looking straight ahead,
with his mouth set in grim lines, and
his hands folded over his breast.
At the door the crown prince turned
and bowed. His grandfather's eyes
were fixed on the two gold eagles over
the door, but the photograph on the
table appeared to be smiling at him. /
Until late that night General Nett
Itch and the king talked together. The
king had been lifted from his bed and
sat propped in great chair. Above
his shabby dressing gown his face
showed gaunt and old. In straight
chair facing him sat his old friend and
chancellor. s~4., @esH
what it has shown is not entirely
bad" said the king, after pause
'sThe boy has initiative. And he made
no attempt at evasion. He is essential
" truthful" !
'What it has also shown, sire, Is
that no protection is enough. When
T. who love the lad, and would-when
could sleep, and let him get away,
as did"
1.-THE truth is" said the king, 1--WE
are both of us getting old" He tapped
with his gnarled fingers on the blanket
that lay over his knees. "The truth
is ALSO" he observed moment later.
that the boy has very few pleasures.
He is alone great deal"
General Mettlich raised his shaggy
head. Many years of wearing a sol
dier's cap had not injured his heavy
gray hair. He had bristling eyebrows,
white now, and a short, fighting mus
tache. When he was irritated, or dis
agreed with any one, his eyebrows
cane down and the mustache went up.
Many years Of association with hts
king had given him the right to talk
to him as man to man. They even
quarreled now and then. 1t was a
brave man who would quarrel with old
Ferdinand III.
So now his eyebrows came down
and his mustache went up. How
alone, sire?"
"You do not regard that bigoted
English woman as a companion, do
you?"
"She is a thoughtful and conscien-
tious woman, sire," he said stiffly. It
happened that he had selected her.
"She does her duty. And as to the
boy being lonely, he has no time to be
lonely His tlltorS-"