Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1920-07-10
N URITANIA was not England, or
= the quarrel between Duke MI
~. aho al and Rudnlf RnSSpnQYll

M URITANIA was not England, OF
the quarrel between Duke Mi
- - chael and Rudolf Rassendyll
could not have gone on, with the re-
markable incidents which marked it,
without more public notice being oil
rected to it. 1t is perhaps as strange a
thing as has ever been in the history
of a country that the kings brother
and the kings personator, in time OF
profound peace, near placid, und1s-
turbed country town, under semblance
of amity, should wage desperate war
for the person and life of the king.
Yet such was the struggle between
Black Michael and Rudolf Rassendyll,
both of the royal house of Elphberg,
but of very differing antecedents. The
one was well known to the royal pal
ace at Strelsau; the other was at
home at 305 Park lane, London, West.
The kinship between the two was quite
an accident, dating from the year 1913,
when a dashing young prince. later
known to fame as Rudolf the Third of
Ruritania, paid visit to London.
There he was courteously entertained
and was a great favorite with the
ladies, especially Amelia, countess of
BurlsdOn, and Baroness Rassendyll. In
the end the prince left England rather
hastily under cloud, but not before
duel with Countess Amelia's husband.
In the years since there have appeared
at intervals in the family Of the Ras-
sendylls certain sons who have been
marked by the long, sharp, straight
nose and the dark red hair of the royal
house of Ruritania.
The years pass, many of them, and
another Rudolf of Elphberg is about
to be crowned king of Ruritania. The
same nose, the same red hair distin-
guish him. The loyal half of the popu-
Iation of Ruritania could not sleep at
night till the coronation was safely
over. For the late king had left an
other son, by second and morganatic
marriage, Black Michael, duke of
Strelsau and lord of Zenda. Though
Elphbergs, he had been his fathers
favorite, and he cast a longing eye on
the throne; all the cut-thrOats and
blackguards of Ruritania seconded his
wish, for Michael was a man after
their own hearts.
Curious that young Rudolf Rassen-
dyll should be moved by an idle curl
OSity to witness the coronation of Ru-
dolf of Ruritania; still more curious
that he, too should bear the familiar
nose, the same red hair. So thought
Colonel Sapt, aide to the king, and
Fritz Won Tarlenheim, his close friend,
as they came upon the young English
man In the forest of Zenda, making
his way afoot to Strelsau. So, too,
thought the king when he appeared a
moment later. But scandals of the
past can no more be concealed in Ruri-
tania than in England. AS young Ras-
sendyll later told the tale, first the
king frowned, "then gradually the cor
ners of his mouth began to twitch, his
nose came down Gas mine does when l
Iaugh), his eyes twinkled, and, behold,
he burst into the merriest fit of IRE
pressible laughter, which rang through
the woods and proclaimed him a jovial
soul.
"'Well met, cousinp he cried, step
ping up to me, clapping me on the
back, and laughing still. You must
forgive me if I was taken aback. A
man doesn't expect to see double at
this time of day, eh, FritzT
~ must pray pardon, sire, for my