Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-02-18
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THE JOURNAL

His spirit, still so alive, chafed daily
more and more against its worn body.
He believed in another life. did the old
king. He wanted the hearty handclasp
of his boy again. Even the wife who
had married him against her win had
grown close TO him in later years. He
needed her too. A little rest, then.
and after that new life, with those
who had gone ahead.
"a sadly troubled country" he re-
peated.
"All countries are troubled. We are
no worse than others"
"Perhaps not. But things are
changing. The old order is changing.
The spirit of unrestI shall not 1--we
10 see it. You may, AnnunciatA- But
line day is coming when all thrones
win totter Like this one"
Now at last he had pierced her
armor. Like this one y
'sThat is what said. Rouse your
-self, Annunciata. Leave that little
boudoir of yours, with its accursed
clocks and its heat and its fub-dub-
berry, and see what is about you Dis
content! Revolutionl We are hardly
safe from day to day. Do you think
that what happened nine years ago
was fash that died as it came? Nom
sense. Read this r.
! He held out the paper and she put
on her pince-nez and read its headings,
| d trIfle disdninfully. But the next mo-
iaent she roses and stood In front ~
him, almost as pale as he wns.s -Yor
allow this sort Of thing to be pub
! ilsbed?'
"No. But 1t IL published"
-And they dare to sag, things ike
this? Why, tit is ss 1ss ~ -
Exactly. It is, undoubtedly. He
was very calm. II would not have
| troubled you with it. But the. SIT
uation is bad. We are rather help,
less"
"Not-the army, too?"
"What can we tell? These things
spread like fires. Nothing may hap
pen for years. On the other hand, to-
lmorrow--I" SAS
The archduchess was terrified. She
had known that there was lisaffection
about. She knew that In the last few
years precautions ut the palace had
been increased. Sentrfes We're doubled.
Men in the uniforms of lackeys, but
doing no labor. were everywhere. But:
with time and safety she had felt Sc.
cure.
"Of course" the king resumed,
things are not as bad as that paper
indicates. 1t Is the voice of the few.
rather than the many. Still, II Is "a
voice."
Annunciata looked more than her age
now. She glanced around the room
as though. already, she heard the mob
at the doors.
"To return to the matter Of He'd
wigs marriage" said the king. sI--"
"MarriageI When our very lives are,
| tlreatenedlr
Il would be greatly honored,' said
the king, IF l might be permitted to
finish what was saying"
Il She had the grace to flush.
| Under the circumstances" the
king resumed, 'Hedwig's marriage
takes on great significance great POI
ntical significance"
I For a half-hour then, he talked to
her. More than for years, be I'M
'bosomed himself. He had tried. His
ministers had tried. Taxes had been,
heightened: the representation OF the
people increased, until. as he said. he
was only nominally ruler. But dis
content remained. Some who had gone
to America and returned with savings
enough to set themselves up In bust
ness, had brought back with them the
American idea. M
| Annunciata listened to the end. She
felt no pity for those who would bet
ter themselves BY discomfort and its
product, revolt. She felt only resent
ment, that her peace was being threat
ened, her position assailed. And In
her resentment she included the king
himself. He should have done better.
| And something of this she did not
hesitate to say. ''Karnia Is quiet
enough" she finished, final thrust.
| "Karnia is better of. A lowlaDd.
utoob VI III uuu 4cEtklcs nuJ 0QOS
of color showed In his old cheeks. X
am glad you spoke Of Karnia. What
ever plans we make, Karnia must BE-
considered"
@whys Karnia does not consldsr
u.s."
| He raised his hand. *You are
wrong. Just now. Karnia is doing us
the honor Of asking an alliance with
Jus. A matrimonial alliance
The archduchess was hardly iuf.
prised, as one may believe. But she
was not minded to yield too easily.
The old resentment against her father
famed. Indifferent mother though she
was, she made, capital Of fear for
Hedwig's happiness.
At last she succeeded In Irritating
the king--a more difficult thing now
than in earlier times, but not SO hard
matter at that. He listened quietly
until she had finished, and then sent
hor axpov. yVhar cha had xxr,t mort