Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-21
CHAPTER TX. :,
Old AdeIbert.

Old Adelbert Of the opera had lost
his position No longer, sausage in
his pocket for refreshment, did he
leave his little room daily for tia
opera. A young man, who made ogling
eyes at Olga, of the garde-robe, and
-:: lhc wes NOT careful to keep the lenses
clean, had taken his place.
He was hurt in his soldiers soul
There was no longer place in the
kingdom for those who had fought for
it. The cry was for the young. And
even in the first t&enty-four hours q
subtle change went on in him. Ills
loyalty, on which he had built his,
creed of life, turned to bitterness.
The first day of his idleness he wan
tdered into the back room Of the cob
bler's shop near by, where the butter
seller from the corner, the maker OF
artificial flowers for graves, and the
.cobbler himself were gathered, and lis
tened without protest to such talk as
would have reused him once to whites
nnger. |
Tut the iron had not yet gone very
=, and one thing he would not per-
It was when, in the conversation,
''rs, OF them attacked the king. Then
indeed. he was reused to fury. ;.
Once uson a time student named
:Haeckel had occasionally backed him
iup in his defense of the royal family.
But for some reason or other Haeckel
came no more, and old Adelbert missed
him. He had inquired for him frel
quently.
"Where is the boy Haeckel?' he had
asked one day. II have not seen him
lately"
No one had replied. But sort Of
grim silence settled over the little
room. Old >Adelbert, however, was not
discerning.
| But, that first day Of idleness, when
he had left the cobbler's, he resolved
not to return. They had not been
unfriendly, but he had seen at once
There was a difference. He was no,
longer old Adelbert Of the opera. He
was an old man only, and out Of work.
He spent hours that first free after
noon repairing his frayed linen and
his shabby uniform, with his wooden
!leg stretched out before him and his
pipe clutched firmly in his teeth.
Then, freshly shaved and brushed, he
started on painful search after work.
with no result. And, indeed, he was
hopeless before he began. he was old
and innrm. There was little that he
had even the courage to apply for.
True, he had his small pension, but
it came only twice a year, and was
sent, intact, to take care Of an invalid
daughter in the country. That was
mot his. He never used penny Of
ht. And he had saved trifle, by ltv1
ling on air, as the concierge declared.
but misfortunes come In threes, Ike
lfires and other calamities. The after
noon of that very day brought let
tier, saying that the daughter was
worse and must have an operation.
odd Adelbert went to church and
burned a candle for her recovery, and
from there to the bank to send By
registered mail the surgeons fee.
He was bankrupt In twenty-four
hours.
That evening In his extremity he did
reckless thing. He wrote a letter to-
the king. He spent hours over 1t, first
composing It in pencil and then copy
ing 1t with ink borrowed from the
concierge. It began "Sire," as he had
learned was the form. and went on to|
remind his majesty, first. Of the hos
'pital incident, which, having been for
ty years ago. might have slipped the
royal memory. Then came the facts
his lost position, his daughter, the,
handicap OF his wooden leg. 1t ended
with pleo for reinstatement or, fuii-
ing that, for any sort Of work.
He sent it, unfolded, in large fiat
envelope, which also he had learned
was the correct thing with kings, who
for some reason or other do not like
folded communications. Then he
waited. He considered that few
hours should bring a return.
No answer came. No answer ever
came For the king was i'll, and secre-
Haries carefully sifted the royal mail.
I That night, IN the concierge's bu-
reau. he was treated to many Incl.
dents, all alfke. The government took,
but gave nothing. As well expect
blood out OF stone. Instances were
given, heartlessness piled on heart
'leesnesA one sordid story On an
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