The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-10-17

ioge.
Prince Ferdinand william Otto
passed behind him with outward calm
ness. At the top Of the public stair
case, however, he hesitated. Here.
everywhere, were brnss-buttoned on.
Gals of the opera house. A garderobe
woman stared Mt him curiously. The
little prince looked at the woman with
appeal In his eyes. Then, with his
heart humping, he ran past her. down
the white marble staircase, to where
the great doors promised liberty.
Olga. the wardrobe woman. came
out from behind her counter and stood
looking down the marble staircase
after the small flying figure.
The old soldier who rented opera
glasses ut the second landing, and who
had left a leg In Bosnia, leaned over
the railing. Look at that" he ex-
claimed. "He will break n leg, the
young rascal Once l could have
but there, he Is safei The good God
watches over fools and children"
ut looked like the little prince" said
the wardrobe woman. II have seen
him often-he has the same bright
hair"
But the opera-glass man was not
listening. He had drawn a long saus-
age from n pocket and a roll from
the other, and now, retiring to q far
window, he stood placidly eating-a
bite OF sausage. a 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 a second at the cloak.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. IAN old
gentleman came q moment ago and
got q sandwich, which he had left In
his overcoat. Perhaps this Is whom
you are seekingT
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 a smile. THE little one :" she
thought. And such courage! He will
make n reat king! Let him have his
prank like the other children, and
God bless him and keep him"
The crown prince was Just O tkfe
dazzled by the brilllance Of his sue.
cess. He paused for one GREATNESS
moment under the ~porte-cochere Of the
opera house; then he took n long
breath, turned to the left and was at
once swallowed up In the street crowd.
II seemed very strange TO him. Not
that he was unaccusto.ned to crowds.
Had Inc not, that very Christmas, gone
shopping In the city. accompanied only
by one Of his tutor and Miss Brnlth-
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 Ferdin-
and William Otto had never seen the
back Of a crowd! The public was al
ways lined W, facing him, smiling and
bowling and God.blesslng him. Prince
Ferdinand William otto had never
known the backs could be so rigid. II
was most interesting.
The next tour was full Of remark
able things. For one, he lodged be.
hind a street car and was almost run
over by a taXicab. The policeman on
the corner came out, and taking Fer.
dinand William otto by the shoulder,
gave him a talking 10 and u shaking.
Ferdinand William Otto was furious.
but policy kept him silent; which
proves cOncluslvely that the crown
prince had not only InItiatlve-wltness
his ilight-but self-cOntrol and 81.
plomacy. Lucky country, to have In
prospect such a king,
Prince Ferdinand William Otto had
the fulfllment Of n great desire In his
small, active mind. This was nothing
less than q ride on the American
scenic railroad. which had secured n
concession In n far corner OF the park.
Hcdwlg's lieutenant had described Il
to him-how one was taken In a small
car TO q dizzy height, and then turned
loose on n track which dropped giddlly
and rose again, which hurled one
through sheet-iron tunnels of incredible
~blackness, thrust n out over Il gorge,
whirled n In mad curves around cor
ners Of PERCEPTIONS heights, and finally
landed one, painting, breathless, shock
ed, and Keeling. but safe, at the very
platform where n had purchased
ones ticket three eternities. which
were only minutes, before.
AS the early spring twilight fell, the
gas lamps along the alice, always burn
Ing, made a 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 orags and
peaks Of the sheet iron mountain
which was his destination. The land
Of desire was very neari
There came to his ears. too. the &C.