The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1918-03-07

to his governess, that he would have
something else to do. He's the
chancellor, isn't he?''
The king had passed n bad night.
and Haecllel was still missing. The
ehancellor's heart was heavy.
The chancellor watched the crown
prince. as he sat ut the high desk.
laboriously writing 1t WAS the hour
Of English composition, and Prince
Ferdinand William Otto was writing
n theme.
about dogs" he explained. I've
seen great many, you know. | could
do 1t better with II 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 year. the painful ami
versary of the death of the late crown
prince and his young wife. Fer nine
years had the city mourned. with flags
at half mast and the bronze statue Of
the old queen draped in hiack. And
for nine years had the day of grief
passed unnotiCed by the lad on whom
hung the destinies of the kingdom.
Now they confronted new sit
uation. The next day but one was the
anniversary again. The boy was older,
and observant. 1t would not be pos
sihle To conceal from him the
significance of the procession march
Ing through the streets with munled
drums.
They could not continue 10 lie TO
the boy Truthfulness had been one
of the rules OF his rigorous upbring-
ing. And he was now of an ag,So re-
member So the chancellor sat and
waited, and fingered his heavy watch
chain.
Prince Ferdinand William Otto put
his attention to the theme, and finished
It. Then. flushed with authorship, he
looked up MAY l read You the last
line of it," he demanded of the
chancellor.
Il shall be honored. hIghness." Not
often did the chancellor say high
ness" Generally he said otto" or
my child"
Prince Ferdinand William otto read
aloud. with dancing eyes, his last line:
u should like to own dog
thought" he said wistfully that I
might ask my grandfather fer one"
Il see no reason Why you should not
have dog" the chancellor observed.
Not one 10 be kept ut the stables"
otto explained. "Oue 10 stay with me
all the time. one 10 sleep on the foot
of the bed"
BHt here the chancellor threw up
his hands Instantly he yisualized all
The ehjeetleHs - dogs from tleaS -
rabies. And he put the difficulties
/ into words No mean speaker was The
/ chancellor when 50 minded. He WIS
/ master of style. of arrangement of
+ logic and reasoning. lie spoke at
+ length. even, mt the end. rising and
pacing few steps up and down the
room. But when he had concluded.
when the dog. So To speak had fled
yelping To the country Of dead hopes
4 Prince Ferdinand William Otto merely
Culped. and said:
well I wish | could have a dog
The chancellor changed his tactics
by changing the subject. II was Won
dering this morning ms ! crossed the
park, If YOU would enjoy an excursion
soon. Could II be managed. Miss
Braithwaite?'
II dare say" said Miss Bralthwaite
dryly. although l must shy If there
Is no Improvement in punctuation and
capital letters"
"What sort Of excursion?" asked his
royal hichness guardedly. He did not
care for picture galleries,
"out-of-doorS, To see something In
tercstine. \ real excursion, up the
river"
''To the fort7 I do want to see the
new fort"
As a matter OF truth. the chancellor
had not thought Of the fort. But like
many another before him. he accepted
the suggestion and made 1t his own.
To the fort OF course" said he.
And take luncheon along and eat
II there, and have Hedwtg and Milky?
And see the guns?'
But this was going too fast. Milky,
OF course, would 20 and If the princess
cared 10, she toe. But luncheon It
was necessary to remind the crown
prince that the officers at the fort
would expect to have him join their
mess. There was a short parlcy over
this. and it was finally settled that the
officers should serve luncheon, but that
there should be he speeches.
"Theu that's settled" he said at last
I'm very happy This morning | shall
apologize to NJ. PuauX."
During the remainder of the morn
ming the crown prince made various
excursions to the window to see if the
weather was holding good. Also he
asked. during his half hours intermis-
sion, for the great box of lead soldiers
that was locked away in the cabinet.
Il shall pretend that the desk Is
fort. Miss Braithwaite," he said. DO
you mind being the enemy, and pre-