Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-25

j Prince Ferdinand William Otto was
supremely happy. Three quite delight
full things had happened. First, Mix
ky had returned. He said he felt per
fectly well, but the crown prince
thought he looked as though he had
been i'll, and glanced frequently at
Nikky's cigarette during the riding
hnnr. Second. Hedwig did not come
to the riding lesson, and he had Nix
ky to himself. Third, he, Prince
Ferdinand William Otto, was on the
eve Of birthday.
This last, however, was not unmixed
happiness. For the one day the
sentence of exile was to be removed
so that he might lunch with the king,
and he was to have strawberry jam
with his tea, some that Miss Braitht
waite's sister had sent from England.
But to offset all this, he was to re-
ceive a delegation Of citizens. =
Hedwig was not at the riding
school that morning. This relieved
Prince Ferdinand William Otto. whose
views as to Milky were entirely sell
fish, but Milky himself had unaceount-
ably lost his high spirit Of the morn
ing. He played, of course, as he al
ways did. And even taught the crown
prince how to hang over the edge Of
his saddle, while his horse was canter-
ing, so that bullets would not strike
him.
They rode and frolicked, yelled q
bit, got two ponies and whacked polo
ball over the tan bark, until the
crown prince was sweating royalty and
was gloriously flushed.
/ II don't know when have been SO
happy" he said, dragging out his hand
kerchlef and hopping his face. Its
q great deal pleasanter without He'd,
wig, isn't 1T"
!, While they played, overhead the
great hearse was ready at last. It's
woodwork shone. Its gold crosses
cleaned. No deck Of dust disturbed
its austere 1hagnifcence.
The man and the boy who. had been
working on 1t stood back and sur
veyed 1t.
| "All ready" said the man, leaning
on the handle Of his long brush. "Now
1t may happen any time"
1T is very handsome. But I am
glad am not the old king" The boy
picked up pals and brushes. "Noth1
ing to look forward to but-that."
"But much to look back on" the
man observed griuly, "and little that
is good.'
The boy glanced through q window,
below which the riding ring stretched
its brown surface, SCARED by nervous
hoofs. II would change places with
the crown prince" he said enviously.
'"Listen to him! Always laughing.
Never to labor, nor worry, nor think
Of the next days food"
young fool" The man came to-
his shoulder and glanced down ALSO,
would like to be princeling, then
No worry. No trouble. Always play;
playl" He clipped the boys shoulder,
NLook, lad. at the windows about.
That is what 1t is To be a prince.
Wherever you look, what do you sect
Stablemen? Grooms1 Bah, secret
agents, watching that no assassin,
such perhaps as You and L lurk
about"
{ He stopped and stared, wiping the
glass clear that he might see better1
Milky without his cap, disheveled and
flushed with exertion, was making q
frantic shot at the white ball, rolling
past him. Where had he seen such q
head, such flying mop Of hair7 All Y
He remembered. It was the flying
young devil who had attacked him and
the others that night in the by-street,
when Peter Niburg lay stunned!
= si
Miss Braithwaite had bad head
ache that afternoon, and the crown
prince drove out with his aunt. The.
Archduchess Annunciata went shop
ping. The crown prince sat in the;
carriage and watched the people. The
man beside the coachman sat with
alert eyes, and there were others who
scanned the. crowd intently. But 1t
was quiet, almost an adoring crowd,
and there was even dog, to Prince
Ferdinand William Otto's huge de-
light.
The man who owned the dog, seeing
the child's ,eyes on him. put him
through his tricks. Truly wonderful
dog, that would catch things on ifs
nose and lie dead, rousing only to
whistle which its owner called Ga
briefs trumpet.
Prince ferdinand William Otto.
growing excited, leaned quite out g..
The window. What Is your dogs