Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-03-06

ssMy grandfather n he said. And fen
to crying into his dirty pocket-hand'
kerchief.
The chancellor eyed grimly from un.
der his shaggy brows the disreputable
figure of his sovereign. Then he went
toward him, and put his hand on his
head.
"He was very eager for this rest,
Otto" he said.
Then he knelt and very solemnly
and with infinite tenderness, he kissed
the small, not overclean. hand.
Cne by one the council did the same
thing.
King Otto Strengthened his shoulders
and put away the handkerchief. 1t
had occurred to him that he was n
man now and must act mans part
In the world.
MAY ! see him?" he asked. II
didn't see him before"
"Your people are waiting, sire" the
chancellor said gravely. "To a ruler,
his people must come first"
And so, in the clear light from the
room behind him, Otto the Ninth first
stood before his people. They looked
up, and hard eyes grew soft, tense
muscles relaxed. They saw the erect
ness Of the small figure. the steadi-
ness of the blue eyes that had fought
back their tears, the honesty and fire
and courage of this small boy who
was the king.
Let such of the revolutionists as re-
NAMED scream before the parliamens
house. Let the flames burn and the
drums beat. The solid citizens, the
great mass Of the people, looked up
at the king and cheered nightly. Rev
olution had that night received its
death blow at the hands Of child.
The mob prepared to go home to bed.
While King Otto stood on the bal
cony, down below in the crowd an
American woman looked up, and sud
denly caught her husband by the arm.
Robert" she said, Robert, 1t is
BoDbys little friend!"
ssNonsense |" he retorted. "It's
rather dramatic. isn't it? Nothing
like this at home See, they've
crowned him already"
But Bobby's mother looked with the
clear eyes Of most women, and all
mothers.
"They have not crowned him." she
said, smiling, with tears in her eyes.
1.-THE absurd little kingl They have
forgotten to take off his paper crown !"
The dead king lay in state in the
royal chapel. Tall candles burned at
his head and feet, set in long black
standards. His uniform lay at his
feet, his cap, his sword. The flag of
his country was draped across him. He
looked very rested.
In a small private chapel nearby
lay old Adelbert. They could not do
him too much honor. He, too, looked
rested, and he, too, was covered by
the flag, and no one would have
guessed that part of him had died
long before, and lay buried on bat
tlefield. 1t was, unfortunately, his old
uniform that he wore. They had add
cd his regmental flag to the national
one, and on 1t they had set his shabby
cap. He, too, might have been king.
There were candles at his head and
feet, also; but alas, he had now no
sword.
Thus 1t happened that old Adelbert
the traitor lay In state in the palace,
and that monks, in long brown robes,
knelt and prayed by him. Perhaps he
needed their prayers. But perhaps, in
the great accounting, things are bal
anced up, the good against the bad. In
that case, who knows7
The palace mourned and the palace
rejoiced. Haeckel had told what he
knew and the leaders of the terrorists
were in prison. Some, In high places,
would be hanged with silken cord,
MS was their due. And others would
be esthetically disposed Of. The way
was not yet clear ahead, but theorists
was passed and safely.
EARLY in the evening, soon after he
had appeared on the balcony, the court
had sworn fealty to Otto the Ninth.
He had stood on the dais in the throne
room, very much washed and brushed
by that time, and the ceremony had
taken place. Such a shout from re-
lieved throats as went up, such a clat-
ter as swords were drawn from scab-
bards and held upright in the air.
"OttoI" they cried. And again,
"Otto."
The little king had turned quite pale
with excitement. s
Late in the evening Milky Larisch
went to the council room. The coun-
ell had dispersed. and Mettlich sal
alone. When Milky was announced he
frowned. Then, very family, he
smiled. But he was stern enough when
the young soldier entered. Milky
came to the point at once.
II have come" he said, Ito know
what am to do, SIR"
"Do?" asked the chancellor, coldly
"Whether the communicates the
king is safe or not" said Milky, look