Evening star., 1922-11-23

range, he's Bill.
His initials are ]. NJ, but everybody
, calls him Bill. He Is formerly of the
secret service and probably is the
to a reigning queen and got away
with 1t.
The queen was Elizabeth of Bel
gium, and Bill was her bodyguard
The place was a big hotel in San
Francisco. There was to be a re-
ception. and the queen was tired. Bill
didn't want her to tire herself still
more, SO he arranged a row of arm
chairs behind which she was to
stand. The crowd, he figured, wouldn't
be able to come close enough to shake
| hands.
And now, little lady" he told her
| majesty-told her with all due re-
spect, of course. but firmly and with
! one hand on her arm-"I want you
| to do as you are told.
You are not to lean over the chair
| and shake hands. Understand"
The queen looked up into his face
and smiled.
Yes. Beel." she said. II will shake
no hands"
| And she kept her word
| Did you ever guard a lively and
vivacious queen? Take it from Bill
| Nye. it's no snap. For instance:
One night in New York the queen
was missing from her hotel. The
| LIT r,t
proclivities for mischief But Bill
was worried. Almost anything can
happen to a strange queen in New
York.
| Missing. also, were the queens lady
| in waiting, Princess de Chimay, and
the queens physician. DR.. Nolf. Bill
fused around the hotel nervously for
q couple Of hours before they showed
up.
They had spent the evening in the
! subway, jostled by crowds, squeezed
into packed cars, swinging to straps.
and having about the best time ever.
ed Bill.
please, Beel, be not displeased."
begged the queen. Il wanted to ride
( IT Tor myself.
Out in California one day Bill and
the king went horseback riding.
They rode a long way and the king
| got thirsty. At a farmhouse with
well in the yard they stopped and the
farmers wife, a middle-aged womans
served them a drink in tin dipper.
You don't have visitor like this
often" Bill told her. This is his
majesty. the King of the Belgians"
The lady looked long and apprais-
ingly at the king.
Pleased to meet you, king" she
said presently. I'm Mary. Queen Of
Scots"
Bill was assigned to guard another
notable about that time, the Prince
of Udine. He did the job well and
there was no unusual incident until
the night of the Breckinridge Long
dinner in Washington. And that in
cident wasn't BilTs fault.
All the DANES and dowagers of
Washington society and most Of its
notables gathered at the Long man
sion. An excellent dinner was served
and a thoroughly pleasant evening
followed. ~
The next morning the prince broke
out with well developed rash. Word
spread quickly through fashionable
Washington that the prince had come
down with the smallpox.
Here was a pretty howdy-do. If the
prince had the smallpox. all Wash
| ington society and the country's lead
! ing statesmen were in for it, too.
| The city had never had such scare.
| The newspapers heard that the prince
\ was i'll, but the smallpox version
didn't reach them.
To allay the disquiet the State De-
partment announced that the prince
| had indigestion.
! "Indigestion" snorted Mr.. Long.
who was then third assistant secre-
tary Of state. "Indigestion-why. he
had dinner at my house"'
Mr.. Long had to stand for the story,
however. Later 1t developed that the
| smallpox" was really a mild case of
measles.
But Washington society still shud-
ders in remembrance.