Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-01-18

The Crown Prince Ferdinand VIII
liam Otto was only small boy, for all
his title and dignity. And suddenly
he felt lonely. Left alone, he returned
to his expectations for the day, and
compared them with the facts He
remembered other carniyals, with his
carriage moving through the streets,
and people shOwering him with fresh
flowers. He rather glowed at the
memory. Then he recalled that the
chancellor had said he needed fresh
air.
Something occurred to him, some.
thing which combined fresh air with
action, yet kept to the letter of his
promise-or was there a promise?-
not to leave the palace.
The ftlea pleased him. 1t set him
to smiling, and his bright hair to
Quivering with excitement. 1t was
nothing less than to go on the roof and
find the ball. And he would have tC
hurry. Milky would be sure to return
soon.
He opened the door on to the great
corridor, and stepped out, saluting the
sentries, as he always did.
"Tu be back in a moment" he In
formed them. He was always on terms
of great friendliness with the guard
and he knew these men by sight. "Are
YOU going to be stationed here now?
he inquired pleasantly.
The two guards were at loss. But
one of them, who had son of his own
and hated the, whole business, saluted
and replied that he knew not.
81 hope you are" said Ferdinand
William Otto, and went on.
The sentries regarded one another
.''Let him go!" said the one who was q
father.
The other one moved uneasily. "OuI
orders cover no such contingency" he
muttercd. "And. besides, he will come
back. I hope to God he does not
come back" he added stonily.
Five minutes to four.
The crown prince hurried. The cor
ridors were almost empty. Here and
there he met servants, who stood stiff
against the wall until he had passed
On the marble staircase, leading up
he met no enc, nor on the upper floor
lie was quite warm with running and
he paused in his fathers suite to nor
his face. Then he opened window
and went out on the roof. From the
baIustrade, it looked extremely far tC
the ground.
Nevertheless, although his heart beat
q trifle fast. he was still determined
A climb which Milky with his Ions
legs had achieved in leap, took him
up to a chimney. BeIow-it seemed
a long way bclow-Was the gutter
There was a very considerable slant
If one sat down, like Milky, and slid
and did not slide over the edge, one
should fetch up in the gutter.
He felt a tride dizzy, But Nikky's
theory was, that If one is afraid tC
do a thing, better to Go it and get over
being afraid.
SO the crown prince sat down on the
sl0ping roof behind the chimney an(
gathered his legs under him for {
slide. Wen for him that the ancient
builders of the palace had been reck
less with lead, that the gutter was b0tf
wide and deep. Well for Milky, too
waiting in the boudoir below and hare
driven between love and anxiety.
The crown prince, unaccustomed tc
tiles, turned over halfway down, anG
rolled. He brought up with jeri
in the gutter, quite safe, but extremely
frightened. He sat there for quite 8
few minutes. There was no ball If
sight, and the roof looked even sleeper
from this point.
Being completely self-engrossed
therefore, he did Aot see that the root
had another visitor. Had two visitors
as a matter Of fact. One Of them wore
a blanket with a white 40" over 9
white *" on it, and the other wore
mask, and considerable kitchen cutlery
fastened to his belt. They had come
out of a small door in the turret an0
were very much at ease. They leaned
over the parapet and admired the view
They climbed on one of the garden
~-~-~-~-~-~~~->~-~~-~-~-~ O~~NO-~-~~-~Oo1o