New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-10-25

Olga, the wardrobe woman, cam,
out from behind her counter and stOO'
looking down the marble staircas'
after the small flying figure.
The old soldier who rented oper,
glasses at the second landing. and VIII
had left "A leg in Bosnia. leaned owe
the railing. Look ut that !" he ex
young rascal. Once | could have
but there. he is safe! The good Goo
watches over fools and children"
at looked like the little prince" sale
the wardrobe woman. II have seer
him often-he has the same brigh'
hair
But the opera-glass man was no
listening. He had drawn "A long saus
age from n pocket and n roll from
the other, and now, retiring to Il fal
window. he stood placidly eating-a
bite Of sausage, u bite of bread. His
mind WAS in Bosnia, with his leg. And
because old Adelbert's mind was in
Bosnia, and because one hears with
the mind, and not with the ear, he did
not hear the sharp question of the
sentry who ran down the stairs and
paused for II second at the clonk-room.
Well for Olga, too, that old Adelbert
did not hear her reply.
"He has not passed here" she said.
with wide and honest eyes. but with
an ear toward old Adelbert. AN old
gentleman came II moment & and
got a sandwich, which he had left in
his overcout. Perhaps this is whom
you are secking?"
The sentry cursed, and ran down the
staircase. the nails in his shoes strik-
ing sharply on the marble.
Olga of the cloak room leaned over
her checks, with her lips curved up
in Il smile. "The little II :" she
thought. And such courage. He will
make II great king. Let him have his
prank like the other children, and
God bless him and keep him -
The crown prince was just Il trifie
dazzled by the brilliance of his sue
cess. He paused for one breuthless
moment under the pOrte-cOchere of the
opera house; then he took q long
breath, turned to the left and vas ut
once swallowed up in the street crowd.
1t seemed very strange to him. Not
that he was unaccustomed to crowds.
Had he not, that very Christmas, gone
shopping in the city, accompanied only
by one of his tutors and Miss Braith-
waite, and bought for his grandfather,
the king, a burnt wood box, which
might hold either neckties or gloves,
and for his cousins silver photograph
frames?
But this was different. and for a
rather peculiar reason. Prince Feriin-
and William otto had never seen the
back of Il crowd. The public was al
ways lined up, facing him, smiling and
bowing and God-blessing him. Prince
Ferdinand William otto had never
known the backs could be so rigid. 1t
was most interesting.
The mex tour was full of remark
able things. For one, he lodged be-
hind a street car and was almost run
over by II taxicab. The policeman on
the corner came out. and taking Fer
dinand William Otto by the shoulder,
gave him n talking to and n shaking.
Ferdinand William Otto was furious,
but policy kept him silent; which
proves conclusively that the crown
prince had not only initiative-witness
his flight-but s%elf-control and d.
plOmacy. Lucky country, to have in
prospect such Il king.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto had
the fulfillment Of Il great desire in his
small, active mind. This was nothing
less than a ride on the American
scenic railroad. which had secured a
concession In a far corner of the park.
Hedwig's lieutenant had described it
to him-hOw me was taken in a small
car to a dizzy height, and then turned
loose on II track which dropped giddily
and rose again, which hurled one
through sheet-iron tunnels of incredible
thrust one out over a gorge,
whirled one in mad curves around cor
ners of PERCEPTIONS heights, and finally
landed one, painting, GREATNESS, shock
and reeling, but safe, at the very
platform where one had purchased
ticket three eternities, which
were only minutes, before.
AS the early spring twilight fell. the
gas lamps along the alice, always burn
ing, made u twin row of pale stars
ahead. At the end, even as the wan
derer gazed. he saw myriads of tiny
red, white, and blue lights, rising high
In the air. outlining the crags and
peaks of the sheet iron mountain
which was his destination. The land
Of desire was very near!
There came to his ears, too, the Oc-
rasional rumble that told of some pal
soul being at that moment
hurled and twisted and joyOusly
as per the ~lieutenant's descrip-
lion.
Now it is a strange thing, but true.
hat one does not reach the land of
desire alone; because the half of
is the sharing Of it with some
Dne else, and the land Of desire. alone
IS not the land Of desire at all. Quite
suddenly. Prince Ferdinand William
Otto discovered that he was lonely. At
hat moment there was a soft whirring
,f to one side Of him, and q yellow
bird, rising and falling e%rratically on
he breeze. careened suddenly and fell
1t his feet.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto bent
and picked 1t up. 1t was q small
10Y aeroplane, with yellow silk planes,
yuy ropes of waxed thread, and q