The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-23

ming Ford without gasoline when she was
gone. But now Martha got a spell OF
conscience under her bonnet. She TOOK
up her coupon" and walked.
Pete missed her like front tooth. He
also missed the coupon" which flatter-
ing courtiers said was exactly like him
So he went to find her. She wasn't hard
to locate. She hadn't run far When
Pete found her, she was sitting with her
hoaby I'm her arms, an airy veil thrown
over her head, trying to look Madonna
like.
For why You gotter leave me- Martha
oh so Pure?" asked Peter, committing
Lese Majestic IN his hurried diction.
But l can't dwell in yon castle now,
yodled Martha in heart broken terms.
''As much as 1 love you, Pete. dear, l
must lie pure fer the sake of the cheild.
You shall come back" cried Peter
Not unless you marry me. I am going
to devote my life to things religious and
my chelldl"
Wheroupon Peter did some heavy think
ing. Of course he could have had Martha
tied and brought back to his castle, but
rhat would have spoiled her sweet as
position and sweet disposition in Rus
STA is a rare thing to find. So he tried
another PLAN.
you shall marry met he exclaimed
and Martha became his morganatic VIE
child.
Just about this time, some wild Turk
wrote Pete black hand letter and made
him mad. So he went down to wipe Tur-
| key off the map And nothing would do,
but Martha must cut her hair, don Sam
Brown belt and overseas helmet check
her offspring in day nursery and go
with Peter. She won herself wide well
come on the way. The Turks, with a
whale of an army. surrounded Peter and
were about to make an exhibition of him
az abe state fair, when Martha vamped
| the Grand Vizer and won Pete back to
Russia. When Pete got home, he was
| SO tickled over Martha's usefulness that
he lied the a3n to Queen Eudoxia, who
| looked just iika her name sounded, and
made Martha the queen of Russia. He
made her take the nom dc-plume of Cath
crime to hide her plebian origin.
AS Catherine the first, Martha made
quite a hit with the people of Russia.
She went to war with Peter, more from
a political standpoint than desire to
| found Legion ci Death, she knew that
Peter was getting on in years, and she
| wanted to make a hit with the Russian
| people so that when Peter uttered his last
oath, she would have some chance if she
wanted to run for office.
| During Peters lifetime, Catherine had
| but one affair She fell in love with
i William Mons, Gentleman of the Bed
chamber" This title had nothing to DO
with Williams own personal habits. but
| he hal something honorary TO do with
| Peters bedroom. Possibly he hung up
Peters nightie.
| Catherine was pretty far gone over VIII
liam. She had planned to give up all
hopes OF ever amounting to anything in
| poutics, and slope with the gentleman
! by way of fast slighs through Speria
i Everything was going pretty for Gather
! ines plans. a'he lovers We're to meet at
| Peters hunting lodge, which was mics
( from the palace. Thither through the
| snow and ice Embellishments She was
| afraid to tell Peter she wanted sleigh,
| because he might have decided to go rid
| ing with her. So she jumped a wood
carriers cart and rode to the lodge. There
| she waited, with the fast horses, hItched
| 10 the sleigh outside, stamping irnpa-
| tiently But William never came to the
| lodge.
| When Catherine reached home that
night, having no other place to go, she
went to her room, and there on her van
! ity dresser, in immense handwrought
glass bowl, rested the head of her sweet
/ William, preserved in alcohol
! Deprived of her loved one, Catherine
kept ner mind on her business from that
time on. She made up her mind shat
she would be queen or nothing. She was
not an eduea,ed woman, or she might
have tried writing suffrage documents.
Catherine had never even been to gram
mar school, but she was right there on the