The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-01-25
hing witbcuf q country &c.: :s:''...s


turned into the main street Of the
little coaling port. As he did so
old memories came streaming back
IN q food.
oailport was on the edge Of the
great Lazsre coalfieIds. To this
place, b little more than a year
!, ago, Paul hau come ON a tour of
inspection. He had come 70 a re-
gion ravaged by long years of de-
preston - q region in which two
out Of three adult males had been
without work for SO long that hope
had all but died In them; a re-
gion whose gaunt coal tipples were
silent and lifeless, Whose ports
were empty and whose cupboards
were bare.
Could he ever forget that tourP
1t had been the same In town
after town; empty streets, with
shattered houses and deserted
stores to bear witness to the de-
cline Of trade; gaunt, hollow-eyed
men and women, who had existed
on the kingdoms meager unem-
ployment allowance for so long
that they seemed to have forgot
ten that there was any other kind
Of existence; worried tradesmen
who lived in perpetual air Of
penny-pinching, with bankruptcy
constantly peering over their
shoulders; idle young folk who
knew that they were growing up
into world that had no work for
them to Go.
And mis- coming had been like
a breath of hope to this dreary
land. The people had clustered
about him, shy and respectful,
and when they saw that he was
made heartsick by their plight,
saw that he was determined to
have something done for them,
saw that their king felt with and
for them, a strange, tremulous
light had come into their eyes
and they had looked at him with
a dumb, almost worshiping APP
peal in their faces.
He had won their hearts. at last
and they had hailed him the best
loved Of all Northumbra's kings
Home -made banners had been
erected over dingy streets to pro-
claim their love; as he went from
cottage 20 cottage, from pit-head
to pit-head, he had heard stolid
miners remark admiringly, "A real
king, he is-and real man, too."
So this, If any place, was where
he was loved. Here he had had
loyalty and solid, answering re-
gard that went infinitely deeper
than the easy flag-waying and hur.
raining of the capital. The Lazare
coal field. more than any other
place IN the Kingdom, was where
his memory would be kept alive.
/ He went, at last, to a little inn
on corner. and made his way to
the bar. I--if'a dozen men were
lounging about there, nursing
mugs of beer. They looked up in
curiously as he came In, and then
went on with their casual con-
versation. He ordered a mug Of
beer drank from 1t, and stood
meditatively by the bar.
Times still bad here?" he said,
at last. The man who stood next
to him turned, looked at him
coolly, and then nodded.
AYE, he said. "Still bad"
But going to get better" said
the barman.
"Yes?" said Paul.
The barman nodded vigorously
and polished a glass with loving
fervor. The man who had spoken
first growied dissent.
You're hopeful" he said to the
barman. "I'll believe 1t when
see it, He turned to Paul again.
Just because the kings coming
here, some of these people think
the suns going to come out again."
THE king? Is he coming?
When?
Tomorrow" The man set his
empty mug down with thud.
Paul suggested that the next round
was on him; the little crowd
frightened up, and shuffled
promptly to the bar. When the
mugs we're filled, and dutifully
lifted in Pauls direction a wiz
ened little fellow in overalls spoke
up.
ITS not just the kings COM
ing" he said. TITS the new docks"
Paul gave him a questioning
look and said, Tell me-I've been
away"
WELL said the little man,
they're starting new coal docks
here, and the king is going to turn
the first EARTH"
Some of these minesll be run
ming full time. before the years
out" said another
"I'll believe 1t when I see it,"
repeated the first man doggedly.
you'll see it," said the little
one. Bound to be. Didn't Baron
Lanzia say So himself"
There's the man-LanZia," said
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