The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1918-03-22

He CrumpIod Up IN 4 REAP.
Spier, was carrying to the attic what
appeared to be al old mattress. rolled
I'D aud covered with rags. In the
morning, outside the door, there was a
darkish stain, however, which might
have been blood.
the chancellor visited the crown prince.
He cane without ceremony. Lately he
had been coming often. He liked to
come in quietly, and sit for an hour
ia the school room. saying nothing.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto found
these occasions rather trying.
Il should think" he protested once
to his governess, that he would have
something else to do. He's the
chancellor, isn't he?"
The king had passed q bad night.
and Haeckel was still missing. The
chancellor's heart was heavy.
The chancellor watched the crown
prince, as he Eat at the high desk.
aaborious!y writing. 1t was the hour
of English composition, and Prince
Ferdinand William Otto was writing
q theme.
about dogs" he explained. "Tve
seen a great many, you know. l could
do at better with a pencil. My pen
sticks in the paper"
He wrote on. and Mettlich sat and
watched. He caught Miss Braith-
waIte's glance, and he knew what was
in her mind. For nine years now had
come, once Il year. the painful ami
versary of the death of the late crown
prince and his young wife. For nine
years had the city mourned, with flags
int half mast and the bronze statue OF
the old queen draped In black. And
for nine years had the day OF grief
| passed unuOticed by the lad on whom
hung the destinies of the kingdom.
Now they confronted q new sit
uation. The next day but n was the
| anniversary again. Fhe boy was older,
and observant. 1t would not be pos
sible to conceal from him the
i Significance of the procession march
| ing through the streets with mufrled
drums.
They could not continue to lie to
the boy. Truthfulness had been one
| Of the rules Of his rigorous upbrfng-
ing. And he was now of an age to re-
| member So the chancellor sat ana
waited. and fingered his heavy watch
chain.
Prince Ferdinand william Otto put
| his attention to the theme. and finished
it. Then, flushed with authorship, ne
! looked up. "May I read you the last
line Of it," he demanded OF the
chancellor.
"I shall be honOred. %highness." Not
often did the chancellor say "high
ness" Generally he said lotto" OF
"my child"
Prince Ferdinand William Otto read
| aloud. with dancing eyes. his last line
ct should like to W a dog.
| thought" he said wistfully, "that !
might ask my grandfather for one"
81 see no reason why you should not
| have a dog" the chancellor observed.
mot n to be kept at the stables"
Otto explained. Zone to stay with me
| all the time. One to sleep on the foot
Of the bed"
But here the chancellor threw up
| his hands. Instantly he visualized all
! the objections to dogs, from f1eas to
rabies. And he put the difficulties
| into words. No mea speaker was the
| chancellor when so minded. He was
a master Of style. Of arrangement, OF
| logic and reasoning. He spoke a.
| length, even, at the end, rising and
pacing a few steps Up and down the
| room. But when he had concluded.
when the dog, so to speak. had mex
| yelping to the country Of dead hopes,
| Prince Ferdinand William Otto merely
gulped, and said: =
swell, I wish I could have q dog"
The chancellor changed his tactics
| BY changing the subject. Il was won
| dering. this morning, as l crossed the
park, IL you would enjoy an excursion
~ Could It be managed, Miss