Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1925-07-16

WHyE sdid Tommy. why ul0 you
make such an extraordinary arrange
mentf'
"There were a good many reasons"
said the king. II couldn't 20 back to
Lystria myself The League of Ma
tlons wouldn't let me. I'm not sure
that I want 10 even IL they would
I'm earning much more In the Mas
cote than you'll ever get out of Lys-
tria. But I'd be glad to see Calypso
back on her ancestral throne It'll be
some sort OF provision for her. poor
girl, and she hates dancing in the
Mascotte. You mpy think ought to
provide for her: but can't. Az least,
I'd much rather not. I'm earning
good enough salary. but the cost Of
living Is terrific. We mlddle-class pro-
long TO now-are being squeezed out
Of existence everywhere in Europe.
That's the reason ! want to see Calyp-
10 safely married and on throne"
"But why did you choose meT
II didn't choose you. The fact Is
they couldn't get king at all unless
he was an Englishman. The Entente
powers would have turned down any
one else. And the Lystrlans wanted
a king. all of them. There's the pa
triarch, for instance. He hates play
Ing second fiddle to Megalian man
who's merely an archimandrite, but
has taken to wearing gold chain
round his neck much thicker than our
patriarch's. or course, as soon as Lys-
tria gets back into the position Of an
Independent kingdom, our patriarch
will be top dog OF the two. Then
there are the Casimlrs. There are
eight or ten Casimirs, all counts, and
there's the rest of the aristocracy.
They're nobodles In a large republic
like Megalla, but they're very impor-
tant people In Lystria. Besides, they
like having court to hang about.
You can't imagine how those fellows
love dressing up In uniforms, putting
on swords and attending state balls.
And the way they eat I assure you
that n bullock roasted whole and
couple Of pigs go no distance Mt q sup
per table In Lystria. II used to be
frightful expense to me. needn't tell
you the Megalian President doesn't do
that kind Of thing. He can't. poor
fellow. His salary won't run to II.
That's another example of the strait
ened circumstances Of the middle
classes"
II still don't see why the Lystrians
chose me-" said Tommy, III they did"
"Strictly speaking" said the king,
"they didn't choose you. Lord Ed
mund Troyte did that, he and Proco-
Plus Cable between them. There had
to be revolution, OF course, and our
aristocracy couldn't afford to pay for
II. Nor could the patriarch. Revolu-
tions are appallingly expensive things,
far more expensive than you'd think.
Cable had the money and I'm bound
70 say he spent IL generously. He
flooded Lystria with English money 10
such an extent thst the Megalian rate
OF exchange went up. which OF course
enraged the Megalians. who had been
making very good thing out OF the
valuta by paying on their debts In de-
preciated currency. The Lystrians
are becoming actually rich. But Meth
or Cable nor the patriarch nor any Of
the rest of US could have managed
without Lord Edmund Troyte. With
out his help we couldn't have got any
one to recognize the new king. and
then OF course we couldn't have had
any monarchy"
II suppose not" said Tommy. "But
even yet don't quite see"
THAT gave Lord Edmund Troyte a
sort Of right TO nominate the king,
and But really they ought to have
explained all this 20 you before you
left London"
Nobody explained anything to me-"
said Tommy.
well, I've explained II all now"
said the king. lord Edmund Troyte
nominated you"
I'm perfectly certain he didn't. II
he nominated any one. Il must have
been Lord Norheys, and keep on tell
ing you that TN not Lord Norheys."
"And I keep on forgetting" said the
king. "But that doesn't really matter
when we're alone, does III"
Tommy sat silent for while. The
king had at last made the position
clear 20 him. He saw exactly what
Casimir's original mistake had been.
He realised that for some reason
very likely because Of Miss Temple
the real marquis OF Norheys had not
arrived In Berlin. But even II he had
arrived. he could not have married the
princess. Miss Temples letter had set.
tied that point. Calypso was perfect
ly determined. and behind her was
the terrifying figure OF the puritan pa
triarch.
Why should he not step into Lord
Norheys empty positiont Casimir
was apparently quite ready to accept
any one rs king who would seat the
princess on the throne beside him. The
patriarch had no objection TO q curate,
D. long rs he was q respectable Gu.
rate. And Tommy was perfectly re-
spectacle. The head waiter ex-king
was delighted to accept him a. a son.
in-law. So long as he was perfectly
Straightforward and made his position