The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1918-02-01
Friday, February 1, 1913

W. "'' '"'' NV N""' v 'iWet, 4
sire" &
"They are waiting, Of course, for M,
DEATH" said the king quietly. W
only you were twenty years younger
than l am, il would be better" II.
fixed the general with shrewd eyey
what do those asses of doctors s,fv
about me?"
EVEN at the best, sire H.
looked very ferocious, and cleared his
throat. He was terribly ashamed that
his voice WAS breaking. Even at TN,
best, hrt IS course they car only give
an opinion--' 's
"Six months?"
"a wear. sire"
"And at the worst" said the king
with a grim smile. Then, following
his own line Of thought: But the
people love the boy, I think"
'.They do. It il for that reason.
sire, that I advise particular caution,
He hesitnted. Then, "Sire," be saLA
earnestly. there is something az
which l must speak. The COMMITTEE.
of Ten has organized again."
lnvoluntarily the king glanced at
the photograph on the tnble.
Forgive me, sire, if I waken bitter
memories. But ! fear"
"You fear" said the king. "Slnce.
when have you taken to fearing?"
Nevertheless" maintained General
Mettlich doggedly, II fear. This quiet
of the last few months alarms me,
Dangerous dogs do not bark. ] trust
no one. The very air is full Of Sc
dition."
The king twisted his b~lue-veihed old
hands together, hut his voice wAs
quiet. "But whyT" he demanded, al
most fretfully. "If the people aY<.
fond of the boy, and I think they are.
toto carry him of, Or injure him.
would hurt the cause. Even the ter
~rorlsts. in the name Of a republic, ear!
do nothing without the people," !
1.-THE mob IS a curious thing, SIRE
You have ruled with a strong hand
Our people know nothing but to obey
the dominant voice. The boy out OF
the way, the prospect of the
Princess Hedwig on the throne. a few.
demagogues in the public squares-it
. would be the end"
The king leaned back and closed his
eyes. His thin, arched nose looked
pinched. His face was gray.
"All this" he said, means whats
To make the boy a prisoner, to cut
off his few pleasures, and ever then.
at any time"
; "Yes, sire" said Mettlich doggedly.
AT any time"
All through the palace people WERE
sleeping. Prince Ferdinand William
Otto was asleep, and riding again ths-
little car in tho land Of delight. Sp
that, turning a c0rne sharply. he al
most fell out Of bed.
On the other side Of the city thu
little American boy was asleep ake.
At that exact time he was being
tucked up by an entirely efficient ana
placid-eyed American mother, who felt
under his head to see that his ear wns
not turned forward. She liked close
fitting ears.
Nobody. naturally, was tucking NJ
Prince Ferdinand William Otto. Or
attending to his ears. But. Of course
there were sentries outside his door,
and q valet de chambre to be runS
for. and a number Of embroidered
eng4es scattered about on the curtains
and things, and a country surrounding
him which would one day. be his, uR-
less.
AT any time" said General Nett
Itch, and was griinly silent.
"Wellf" inquired the king, after n
time. "YOu have something to sug-
gest. ! take IT."
The old soldier cleared his throat
"Sire.' he began, at is said that a
chancellor should have but me pas
sion. his king. l have two, my king
and my country"
The king nodded gravely. He knew
both passions, relied on both. AMI
found them both a bit troublesome at
times! t4
"Once, some years ago, sire. l am
to you with a plan, The Princess
Hedwig was n child then. and his late
royal highness was-stil with u.
For that. and for other reasons, your
majesty refused to listen. But things
have changed. Between us and revO-
luton there stand only the frail life
Of a boy and IN nrmy none too large,
and already. perhaps, affected. There
is much discomfort, and the offspring
of discomfort Is anarchy"
The king snarled. But Mettlich hntt
taken his courage in his hands, amt
went on. Their neighbor and hered-
itary foe was Karnia. Could they
any longer afford the enmity of Kar-
mia? One cause Of discomfort was the
expense Of the army. and of the fOrti-
tications along the Karnian border. IL
Karnia were allied with them, there
would be no need of so great an army
They had the mineral wealth. and