The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-09-09

called to two of his men and be-
gan conducting them forward. The
crowd swayed. commented, and drew
back leaving a free lane down which
the coIors of the rainbow. strange
snotley of gorgeous hues now that the
holiday costume was donned. Under
their feet the rounded cobbles, pol
ished by many feet for many ages,
were Uttered with broken flowers,
sinsel from sweet-meatS and confetti.
Any great gathering in Mar!len be-
tokened holiday, sacred or secular,
and habit could not be overcome in
q day. At the foot Of grey old
tower whose clock, daintily yelled
with ivy, stared down at the assem-
bIage, a stand had been erected; for
here. from time immemorial had been
read the kings commands. 1t was
always the same scene, First the
waiting crowd. then the kings her
aids brilliantly clad, the sfriiiing OF
silver trumpets, the silence, some
times murmuring, sometimes breath
less and expectant, as befltted the
gravity of the situation, while some
person of state shouted in long drawn
deliberate tones the kings decree.
Always it closed with the same
statement, that confirmation would
be found on the printed announce
ments hereafter to issue and God
Save the King" Sometimes they had
approved Sometimes they had
looked at one another sullenly, or
humorously, and asked what God
should save him for. being a little
in doubt on that point, and finding
no sufficient reason of their own.
Legend said that away back in dis
tant times, some of their kings, very
few, being those who could read,
had in person bawled their own de-
crees. But that had been q long time
ago, and-well-the ways of Gods
Drehensible to those OF meeker mould.
An unexpurgated history. now sup
pressed, declared that Ferdinand First
while addressing his loyal subjects
had fallen over the platform rail be-
cause at the time he happened to be
drunk; but none dared criticize u king
Hest, being Gods chosen. one commit
sacrilege. 1t was too much like
scratching ones head when reading
the Poet Laureate's poem dedicated
ITO Princess Ann Ellie on her 10th
Birthday" which called her fairer and
more divine than all the angels ever
before loaned direct from Heaven,
when one who had seen her knew that
she had face like an oyster shell,
with pendent lower lip, and drolled
when. straining her intelligence to
dts limit, she talked about the
weather.
Kent reached the platform and
saw one Of his own men there, clad
as Kings crier. The man looked
like a cross between haughtiness and
an attack Of fever and ague. Kent
thanked the officer. climbed to
back seat on the tiny platform and
stared over the crowd below. He
observed with satisfaction. that here
and there in this crowd there were
Tiny swiris and lanes like those of
cross currents in sluggish stream.
and that every now and then an
automobile at the extreme edge of
the pool appeared to have been
granted a burden, and dexterously
iWhirled away.
Us A gun doomed from an old fortress
that stood sentry above the market
place. The old clock in the tower
began a ringing of cracked and
ancient chimes. A wooden crusader
clums.iy carved. and riding clum-
silly carved figure presumed to rep
resent a horse, went rocking around
"a circle with creaking jerks, met
& +
similar wooden monstrosity, passed
from sight, and a toy rooster opened
e door and crowed as if to impress
those below with the fact that lie
had a serious bronchial affection. or
had lost part Of his crow. Another
effigy supposed to carry the colors
of Marken creaked around the circIa
and the official announcer got to his
feet and made his way to the front
OF the platform.
I In the name q his gracious maj
s'esty, Karl y King Of Marker, Duke
"a The Trentheim, Baron Of tile ober-
I'D etc. etc, he announced and
reading the degree, which.
ssrspped q the whssrases ard where
gssss ana const ant references toss
NET&se right. ~ bisnYtIY tn!d tba ~: