The Taney County republican., 1920-03-11
ssssss SE sasaE . . = dssi

ulll llNN W ahlillA AiA''' ilN''''N' A''''F
nor l doubted the truth of the state
ment once It was uttercd-there was
an atmosphere about monsieur and his
manaCed hands that carried convic-
ton; and while many details were still
unexplained, his statement did explain
the diamonds. Which was the main
thing, for I'd always said they never
belonged to any hut a crowned head
There are some things in this world
much too large for private parties to
carry the responsibility Of. And so
completely was l captured by an ade'
quately explained ownership that | was
almost ready to pull the diamonds
from their hiding place at the bottom
of the Sldeboard drawer and send them
back-per monSieur-to the Emperor
William with my compliments, when
Billy burst out, "Where's your proof
in a way that struck me as irreverent,
not TO say rude.
Monsieur repressed sneer and re-
piled that certain proofs would be
forthcoming at the proper moment;
and that meanwhile, throwing himself
upon our mercy and 10 illuminate the
mistake we'd made, be would tell us
everything-and would start with the
legend Of the 50 precious stones.
Once upon a time, about the four
tecnth century, or so, there lived in
one of the states comprising the now
United Fatherland, a very powerful
grand duke or kinglet, with two grown
sons; and in another neighborlng prov
ince the size of Greater New York
lived another very powerful duke, who
bonsted beautiful daughter.
Those were the days when war was
cheaper than peace. But since n war
between these two kinglets would in
evitably lead to the total cXtermina.
ton of both parties and leave nothing
to show for their prowess but heaps
of fire.scorChpd stones and few half
witted peasOnts-who had no right to
be alive, anyway-these wise klnglets
Bethought them chat by uniting their
forces-and incidentally son and a
daughter--they could together conquer
the surrounding territory for as much
as ten square miles.
Now, Oscar, the prospective bride
groom, was busily engaged in a dra-
matte border war with a powerful
duchy the size of Nantucket, so there
was naught for II but to dispatch the
handsome younger brother, Fritz, to
plight his brothers troth by proxy.
The dates were set and all seemed
moving along its appointed course,
when post.haste comes trusty mes
senger and delivers himself Of the
tale he has ridden all day TO bring
that Oscar has been smitten through
the helmet, thereby losing nose, an
upper lip and a chin; and was now in
the throes of dissolution.
CONSERVATION reigned In the castle,
broken by the Sobs Of the fair Elfreda,
the shy glauccs Of the bereaved broth
er-who would become the heir appar-
cnt-and the wise silence of the old
klnglet.
II was not long before n decision
was reached satisfactory to all per-
sons--except Oscar, lying In his tent
comforting himself with thoughts of
the grief of his beautiful betrOthed,
whom he had never set eyes on; for
the two young people, Fritz and FL
freda, knowing that a marriage be-
tween the families was greatly to be
desired, and warmed with a high sense
of duty TO the fast-departlng Oscar
anu It may be, a natural shrinking on
the part of the lady from the embraces
of husband minus an upper lip,
nose and chin, and plus some sixty
various and sundry other wounds and
gears to boot--hastened the ceremony
and were united by the castle priest In
the bonds of holy matrlmony before
the sun rose.
Imagine the messengers feelings on
arriving at the castle and finding Os-
car, instead Of lying at peace In the
family chapel with solemn candles at
his head and his heels, making fast
recovery by the aid Of his devoted
mother in spite Of his nose and his
chin and his lip!
Still, the news Of the unprecedented
marriage was q tonic all around--es-
pecially TO the messenger. Oscar cut
off his head and hung It out Of the win
dow to air and then promptly got well
ina way that gave him grim satlsfac-
tlon' and his mother considerable I'M
easiness for. Der darling; and no SOON
er was Oscar able to sit his horse than
he directed his attention and his army
against her whom he wis pleased to
call "faithless" and the brother whom
he designated as ian unholy bandit"
Then did the fair lady call unto her
her own private scribe and she indited
beautiful letter In her own hired
handwriting, and In It she told the
noble warrior that the mistake was
hers-as she saw by his glOri0usly
SCARED face-and she took all the
blame and offered herself and her
blood as a sacrifice in the appeasing of
his righteous wrath. Then she called
her most faithful maid-of-all-work and
said: "Lady-in-walting, | deliver this
iuffithy ,keeping. Now fetch me my