The Richmond Virginian., February 04, 1910, Image 10

About The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
VIRGINIAN PHONES:
siness—Madison 1758
iff Editorial—Madison 1922
T Society—Madison 1923
FEBRUARY 4.
FULL, FAIR, CLEAN AND ACCURATE NEWS.
FEBRUARY 4.
.
mmm
SUBSCRIPTION PRICfe
City Delivery, 25c. per
month.
By Mail, $4 per annum,
: V
X
A Popular Election on the Liquor Question.
The Times-Dispatch discusses at length the.
position of The Virginian that the people have the
right to vote on the liquor question, and at the end
of a column and a half winds tip with the deliver-1
see that there is "no reason imaginable" for giv
_ to the people the right "except that the Anti
. Saloon League is. or is supposed to be powerful.,
and that some legislators lark the courage to show
plainly by speech and vote that the request is en
tirely unreasonable, and cannot lie considered."
. This .statement is somewhat, if not entirely, con-,
tradictorv. If tin Anti-Saloon League is powerful,
-it is so because it is the clearing house for the views
and is the instrument of thousands of the most sub
stantial people of Virginia. If it shall succeed in
persuading the General Assembly to pass an enab
ling art, it will be because it w ill prove to the mem
bers of the General Assembly that the p»-ople desire
to be given the right to vote on the question of a
State-Wide Prohibitory Law. The statement of
’The Times-Dispatrh that "no reason is imaginable,
except that the Anti-Saloon League is, or is sup
posed to be, powerful" is equivalent to saying that
there is no reason imaginable why the Legislature
should give the people an opportunity to vote on
this question, exrept that the people whom they
represent demand the right to vote on it. To most
persons this would 4seern to be a sufficient reason,
■ taut-the Times-lhspatch takes alwiot the same pr*
rilion taken bv Senator Sale, that if a vote should
be taken on the question to-day, the State would
go dry. but the request of the people "is unreason
able and cannot lie considered." It is enough to.
say in reply to this anti-climax that the members of
the General Assembly of Virginia still recognize
that they are the representatives of the people, and
that the people have a right to inform their repre
sentatives of their wishes by petition or otherwise,
as they may think best, and no representative of
*kn is larkincr in fnlirapc as till' Inlies
:
I Dispatch charges, when he gives full weight to the
petition of his neighbors upon matters of public;
, concern.
The Timcs-Dispatch further declares that if the
Legislature should give to the people the right to .
Vote on the question “it should distinctly explain j
what are the reasons for making a unique and vio
5 lent exception in favor of the* Anti-Saloon League.”
Here, as elsewhere, the Times-Dispatch ignores
the fact that the Anti-Saloon League is simply a
voice speaking for citizens of Virginia and the ex
ception in its favor, if it shall be made, will l>e made
because of the number of voters for whom it speak.
But it will not Ik- difficult for the menders of the
General Assembly to comply with the demand of
the Times-Dispatch and give their reasons for mak
ing an exception in their trearment of the liquor
question, Surely the Timcs-Dispatch fs- not ig
~ norarst of the fact that the liquor business is a
^‘unique," an exceptional business, and that the
Constitution of Virginia and the Legislature of tIn
state, and the. ordinances of the towns and cities
all recognize the fact.
Ti.e Constitution of Virginia in section 62 de
clares:
“The General Assembly shall have full power
to enact local option or dispensary laws, or any
- other laws controlling, regulating or prohibit
ing the manufacture or sale of* intoxicating
liquor."
The Constitutional Conventions recognized the
exceptional character of the liquor traffic and gave
i the most sweeping power to the General Assembly
■in handling it, and there is no question whatever
but that the framers of the Constitution had in
mind the thought that the Legislature would sooner
or later give the people the right to vote upon the
question.
The present laws deal
an exceptional business.
quired to apfx*ar in court and prove his character in
:Order to secure a license to carry on his business?!
What other business is made the subject of so many
such stringent regulations? It is because the ex
t; Ceptional character of the business is recognized
by courts, and law making bodies, and by the
general public.
Moreover the Local Option Law of the State is a!
(dear cut recognition of the exceptional character
of the business, and the jjeople of the various dis
tricts, towns and cities have been given the right
LlSbVOU on this question by a general law, because,
it was recognized that it was such an exceptional
business that the people should Ik- given a right to
prohilrit it, if they so desire. In every State of the
Union the liquor traffic is a question of special legis
lation, and the General Assembly of Virginia has
always dealt with it in the past as an exceptional
business.
The Timcs-Dispatch in this very article declares !
that the Legislature has considered this question to1
•be an exceptional one, for it says, “By special ma
chinery supplied them by the Legislature, the Pro-;
hibitionists have banished the saloon from three
fourths of the State." Why was the "special ma
chinery” gtanted and why does not the Titnes
Dispatrh object to that “special machinery." Be
cause the liquor traffic is an exceptional business.
Again the Time.- Dispatch declares that “they
petition for the right to have the j>eople of the whole
•State say whether or not the saloon shall stay in the
Remaining one-fourth That i- the whole and the
only question involved here.
- Further on the Times-Dispatch say-, “Yet ihut
is the sole conceivable purpose of the euphemisti
cally styled ‘popular election,' asked by tho Anti
Saloon League: to empower three-fourths of the)
people who have no local interest in the matter at
with the liquor traffic as
What other man is re
■
«t?i lu u;u giir-ujurui 01 uu* wnvuicr or noi
they shall license saloons.” And such a request the
^Tirnes-Dispatch declares to be "entirely unreason
able and cannot be considered."
.; If it were true that the liquor traffic were simply
a flatter of "local interest" then there would be no
$|emand lor a right to vote on a State-Wide Pro
fctStor) Law. But the great interest in this sub
ject. not only in Virginia but in other Southern
'plates, shows that it is not a matter of "local in
simply, but a matter of Ixtth local and State
MMfcmlertisi. Although of far greater importance,
Kpcause it affects not only the physical and intel
lectual but al-o the moral condition and progress,
h a somewhat akin to the matter of physical and
■Wectual health. What is the attitude of the
ppKt« to these questions?
j|The Constitution of Virginia declares that "the
Assembly' shall establish ahd maintain an
■fltapnt system of public free schools throughout
Ww^itate. The people arc not given any opinion
W that question. Ko natter what the people of a,
district or town or city may think concerning the
question of public schools, the Constitution has de
clared that the system should l>e established
"throughout the State.”
Furthermore, the Constitution goes so far as to
declare “that the General Assembly may in its dis
cretion provide for the compulsory education of
children Iretweert the ages of eight and twelve.”
And furthermore it has not l>een very long ago, un
less memory is in error, since the Times-Dispatch
advocated the passage of a compulsory education
law. W hat is such a law, but a State-Wide Prohi
bition of the Vice of Ignorance?
The laws of Virginia recognize no county or city
option concerning an epidemic of small-pox. The
State authorities take it in hand and the State laws
control it and suppress it, regardless of whether the
county authorities favor their action. What are
the quarantine laws but a State-Wide Prohibition
of the spread of virulent and deadly diseases.
But if it is right that the people of the State as
a whole should pass State-Wide laws concerning
physical and intellectual disease, then the people
of the State as a whole have a right to pass State
Wide lyws concerning the liquor traffic, which
affects the physical, the intellectual, and the moral
life of the people of ttye State.
Saloons in one-fourth of the State do affect all
of the State, and unless communication is to be
restricted, and the youth of the “dry” territory is
to be forbidden to enter the "wet” territory, and
the liquor dealers in "wet” territory are forbidden
to ship their goods into “dry" territory the three
fourths of the State that is “dry" has a great deal
uf interest in the one-fourth that is "wet," greater
interest than it has in a compulsory education law-,
and greater interest than it has in a quarantine
law, for these two relate to the physical and intel
loetual only, while the liquor traffic touches the
physical, the intellectual and the moral life also.
The Virginian declares again that the people
have the ri?;ht to settle this question as to them
shall seem best.
The- present issue is shall the General Assembly
give the people the opportunity to settle it? That
question snouin ne netermtnea ny inc people
themselves expressing their wishes to their repre
sentatives in person, by letter and by petition.
Learning and Education.
Governor Mann’s preachment on overtaxing the
school children has been heartily approved by
several of the ^tate newspapers.
“1 am not an educator," modestly observed the
Governor," but passing along the roads in the country
and the streets in the cities it seems to me that the
children going to school have too many* books, and
a distinguished professor from our University, in a
lecture delivered in one of our Virginia cities some
month ago, said that it would be better not to tax
the children with so, many studies, which, after all,
cause confusion and result in a smattering of many
things, and a clear understanding of nothing, but to
teach them a few branches thoroughly. This is
not intended as a criticism, but as a suggestion,
which, I am sure,will be acted on if deemed valuable."
The fact is that the opinion is far too prevalent
that education means learning and that the more a
child can be stuffed with learning the better it is
educated.
: Hut education does not mean learning. It means
training and learning is only a process, a means to
an end. *•
True, it is necessary for a pupil to acquire knowl
edge, to learn to read and write and "cipher,” to
learn geography, history, literature and the like,
and it is well to go on and on in an advanced course
of study. Hut the process should be gradual and
the exercises conservative, so that the mental
faculties may be developed, and not dwarfed by
too much exercise.
Much that we learn in school is forgotten after
we grow up and get into the activities of life. But
the mental training which one receives in the
process of learning is abiding and a continuing
advantage.
A Remarkable Law.
Some of our readers may have been puzzled to
know by what provision of law young Mr. Tillman
conveyed his children to his parents. At any rate
we were puzzled, but have since learned that there
is a law in South Carolina which allows a husband
to take bis minor chiWren from his wife and make
them over to any persdn whom he may select.
That would be an extraordinary statute in any
State; it is especially so in a State which has such
a high regard for family integrity that it does not
permit divorce upon any ground and has no divorce
law's.
However, the Tillman incident has drawn public
attention to the matter, and a bill has been intro
duced in the Legislature to repeal the statute. We
hope it will pass. It seems to us to be cruel and ih
liuman that a father who has separated from his
wife is allowed bylaw to take bis children from their
mother who is able and competent to rear them and
bind them over to others.
Isn’t there some mistake about the bill which has
Iteen offered in the House to enforce the collection
of poll taxes? It is provided in section 22 of article
II of the Constitution that "the collection of the
State poll lax against anyone shall not be enforced
by legal process until the same has become three
years past due.
I he Richmond Virginian is being treated like an
alien and an orphan but it is in the house of its
fathers.- Danville Register.
Quite so and it does not feel like an alien, nor is
it one bit lonesome. It has received a warm welcome
in Richmond and is perfectly at home.
When the rain is falling anti the cars are crowded
and the windows of the cars are so obscured by
vapor that passengers cannot see “where they are
at,” is it too much to ask that conductors call out
the cross streets as the cars pass along from block
to block?
“Bryan is spoken of as a nightmare,” says the
Petersburg Index-Appeal, Does that mean that
he is a dark horse?—Richmond V irginian.
No; he is the white horse on which death rides a
winning race with the Democratic party—Peters
burg Index-Appeai. ,
With many he scent to be only a hobby.
Dr. Wiley telis us that hens are now trained to
lay smaller eggs and more of them. Is beast as
well as man to be commercialized?
“What is hell?” is a subject of discussion in the
New York Sun. That reminds ua of Rosewell
Page’s joke on Speaker Byrd.
THE PEOPLE’S FORUM
All letter* sent for publication
in "The People’* Forum” of The
Virginian” should be concise and,
as far as possible, kept within 30#
words.
No attention will be paid to
anonymous letters, but names and
addresses signed as an evidence of
good faith will not be printed if re
quest is made that they be omit ted.
The freest discussion of topics of
public interest Is invited, with the
understanding, of course, that
publication of a letter is not to be
taken necessarily as approved by
the editor of the writer's views.
Why Swanson Succeeded.
Editor of Virginian:
Hon. Claude A. Swanson, the retir
ing governor of the commonwealth of
Virginia, bade adieu officially to the j
executive mansion and the people of
this city and State on Tuesday last, j
In the four years he has exercised the
functions of this great office he has
mastered many problems with a ’
statesman's brain. His every act has
been characterised by the determination j
to do the most good to the most peo- j
pie and he merits every enconium 1
; which has been showered upon him i
by an appreciative people. Few men j
ever attained more prominence in their
career as public servants than the
retiring executive. He 18 a real self- ,
made man. From a poor boj he grew !
up to honored manhood and was idol- .
tzed by his district so much that as a
candidate for Congress he received as
high as 5,000 majority against a ma- [
Jorlty fur the last Democratic oandl- |
date of a few hundred, and Judge 1
Saunders has a chance of losing his 1
seab,in a Republican Congress, a con
test being waged by the defeated Re- '
publican aspirant.
It Is not the man altogether, although
Mr. Swanson Is an amiable "mixer'g— j
the real reason for his success is that
i he is true to his friends, whether In '
or out of office: whether In a positon ;
tii help him or not; whether poor or
rich, his fidelity to the various trusts i
committed to his care have added to
his fame which, like the rocks of Gl- !
braltar, will stand unmoved and un- .
movable for all time, notwithstanding
the hue and cry which emanates as a i
general and natural thing from those j
who want It all and fail to get It.
of course you know, Mr. Editor,
that, there are a few of that kind of j
people In Richmond. The retiring
governor has. and still is. a great |
thinker. He recognized early In life
that a great deal was lost by the fall- j
ure to exercise the brain, and so he,
like the busy bee, improved each shin
ing hour until he reached his highest
ambition, being Inaugurated as gover- j
nor of this great State. His Is an ex
ample for the youth to emulate. To j
arrive at the same destination one
should take the same route that Claude
A. Swanson trod, for he, like'every
other poor hoy, had his ups and downs,
especially in his country school days. I
In Imitating him overlook, if you !
please, his financial and social sue- |
cess, and just consider his living sue- i
cess. See If it Isn't attributable, in a
huge measure, to a habit of thought.-:
See if the proper exercise of that j
power has not been the principal ln
, gredient In what seems a satisfactory
receipt; for hie wonderful - success.
Anyhow. Mr. Swanson recognized the
; proper functions of the brain. First,
it was the—
I "Seat of power In man.”
■ Second, It was —
"The secret of success In man."
Third, lie found out it was—
"The source of happiness" In count- i
less instances.
He hooted the Idea that the brain
of man was merely to serve as an or
namental Interior decoration otf' the 1
: cranium.
Mr. Swanson retires ns captain of
the greatest ship of State in a full
knowledge of an honest stewardship.
N'o stone has been left unturned to
make the old mother of States shins
resplendent in the diadem of common
wealths. He has refb-i-ted credit wher
ever 1h* has been called as Virginia's
representative. He Is handsome In
personnel, a forceful debater, and an
interesting and logical speaker. In
Ills term or office he has been called oiv
perhaps, more than any governor for
many years, and, though at grreat In
convenlence sometimes, he has cheer
fully obeyed the summons. A man like
Mr. Swanson Is not destined to perma
nent retirement, for these are times
when the State and country need men
like him—who think and act. He car
ries with him to his home the best
wishes of the people he has served to
, well, and it Is hoped that the time ‘a
not far distant when he will be called
higher. Inasmuch as you have been
faithful over a few things we will make
you ruler over many. It wat Just such
an occasion a a this which inspired the
poet t> pen these words;
I-ives of great m-vi, they remind us, i
We can make our lives subllr.tef
And. depaying, le->v » behind us
j Footprints In the sands of time.
G. H. II. |
Richmond, Ya.
The Democratic I*ar;y on Trial.
Editor The Virginian, Sir:
A vast petition ot i ltizens of Vir
ginia \x Ill be presented to the pres
| ent legislature, asking them to pass
a bill giving them the right to vote
on State-wide prohibition. The
legislature Is largely democratic.
| There can be no possible harm in
voting on this question. Democracy
means the “voice of the people." It
has been proclaimed bj the wet Jour
nals and a few liouor reoresenta
lives Ulai there will he no legislation ;
along this line at the present ses- ,
e'ion. We shall wait and see. Dare the
servants of the people turn a deal
ear to their voices? Dare any repre
sentative in the House or Senate !
trample the wishes of his constituents. '
and then < nine bat k asking their
suffrage? I
A note of warning goes forth In no I
underlain sound. The majority party ■
has the power. Dare use It against 1
the "volte of the people," and surely
there will he a day of reckoning. !
Democrats have stood with their
leaders, by the "Old Dominion,"
through trials and tribulations,
through sunshine and sha4ow, and
the true democratic spirit Is ip
hearken to the voice of the people,
and not the favored few, or dema
gogues The people all over the
State want an election, then why In'
the name df democracy, not give It to
them? With. the State torn from
■me end to the .other with Internal
•trlfe; with Illiterate negroes being
added to the registration list In every
local option election by wet demo
cratic officials, and with a cry for
"State-wide election, and have done i
'vlth. it." . falling on. ,tho .ear* .of. a
deaf legislature, the democratic j
party Is laying the foundation for an i
upheaval two years hence, that will
almost. If not quite, shake the old
party from Its pedestal. Try It tf you
like, but you’ll rue the day that you
went bark on your constituents, and
leaded not their call.
_A J.IFBXONG DEMOCRAT.
Rocky Mount, Va., Feb. 1.
GrectinRs to The Virginian.
Editor of The Virginian, Sir:
Richmond Virginian, we welcome
you, because there is no ring In your
nose and no hand shall lead you
but truth!
Richmond Virginian, we welcome
you, because there is no collar on
your neck wherein are tied the chains
of clicks and kians.
We welcome you, Richmond Vir
ginian. because there is no saddle on
your bark whereon the bloated dema
gogue rides to the troughs of greed.
We welcome you because you do not
propose to flood our homes with the
sewage of corrupt society. We wel
come you because you do not at
tempt to ram down our throats the
pills of manufactured facts and lino
type lies, thinking we are such Tool*
we will never know the difference.
We welcome you because when tired
from the day we turn to you for a
message from our country, we will
not always look in{0 the face of Mrs.
Frivolity, of Pittsburg, who hag the
famous distinction of being divorced
from three men who have been
divorced from two, thre« and five
wives. respectively, and who on
yesterday married Mr. Beastlaltty. of
N'ew York. whose matrimonial
manipulations are equal to her own.
We welcome, you, Richmond Vir
ginian, because when we scan your
pages we will not read the ads. of
Satan's wares with full particulars
how to flood dry territory’, while In
the next column is the dying wall of
Colonel Gilmore. "Prohibition don't
prohibit." We welcome you because
when our boys try to read you Bob
Fttrsimniorts and Jtm Jeffries will not
I UlUtllUd' '.I -
faces. We welcome you because you
do not propose to vote for the Devil
because he Is the party nominee.
Richmond Virginian, we welcome
you on account of your policies and
your principles and the work you try
to do, and we assure you that at
your heels will come the tramp and
tread of the mighty host of the chil
dren of the folks that made Virginia
great and with our hearts and hands
we propose to make you great.
Richmond Virginian, the door is
open, the Are Is burning cherrily for
you. Come In, you are welcome!
J. M. ROWLAND.
Manchester, Va., Feb. 2.
The Mendelssohn Anniversary.
In celebrating the one hundred and
first anniversary of the birth of Felix
Mendelssohn-liartholdy his admirers
In the music world And themselves
wishing that he might' have been
spared long enough to perfect his arl
and nature Ills greatness.
Born In Hamburg of German
parents, he showed his wonderful
talent for music at six years of ag“
and played In public at nine. From
that time he began his compositions
and wrote music for the violin as
well a# for the piano. His overture
to Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's
Dream was his first masterpiece, and
It was received In Kngland with un
bounded admiration. He painted pic
tures of his own life In his composi
tions and Immortalised the music of
the Scottish Highlands in his sym
phonies. His oratories are wonder
ful examples of his divine arl. and
his songs without words are so ex
pressive as to reveal the inncmuisl
depths of the wonderful personality
of the man. who was one of the most
beloved characters In all musical his
tory.
His affection for his sister H<;urel.
and his devotion to his art became
his life and -ifter her death he lost
hUT inspiration and never rallied,
dying at the early age of thirty-eight
years, before he had reached his
goal.
We are left !o believe that If ho had
lived he would have attained to
dramatic Intensity In his oratories,
and made a great contribution to
the lyrical drama. "While his com
positions are written with a view to
the scope and character of the in
strument, there Is a beauty of senti
ment under all his dramatic climaxes,
in both theme and accompaniment.
NOTHING SERIPUS.
Paved the Way.
The Father—It was a noble deed,
young man. to plunge Into the raging
-<»ers after my daughter. 1 suppose
you realised the awful risk that you
.. «-iv running?
The Hero, modestly.—Yes, sir; I did,
sir.
The Father.—Good. Then you will
readily appreciate the necessity of hav
ing a policy In the Sklnem Life Insur
ance Company, for which I am chief
solicitor.—Puck.
Geographical.
My little daughter Helen recently had
her tirst introduction to geography.
Her father thinks that perhaps she is
destined to become a great Arctic ex
plorer.
“If you stood with your right hand
tVio co at onrl trntir 1 oft RII n H ti\ .
ward the west, you would be facing: the
north," said the teacher. "Now, tell
me what would be back of you?"
"My hair,” answered Helen In a pa
tient tone.—Woman's Home Compan
ion.
A Certainty.
"A mother who wants to appear
young: can keep a son in knickerbock
ers indefinitely."
“Say the rest of It."
"But a daughter’s skirts just l\a\"»
to be lengthened some time."—Kansas
City Journal.
Dumped.
“As I understand it, they have lost
their money, but all of the daughters
are able to earn their own living save
one, who is most idle and incompetent.
What will become of her?"
"She'll have to get married."—House
keeper.
Foxy.
Rita (looking at photo.)—Oh, yes;
he's handsome enough, but he s an aw
ful bounder.
Stella—What did he do?
Rita—Didn’t I tell you? He made an
awful fuss with me one season, and
then asked me if I thought thae dad
would object to him as a son-in-law.
I said no, I thought not. and he went
away' and proposed to my sister.—Il
lustrated Bits.
MORE OR LES8 PERTINENT.
Why Tsxas Trembles.
The Nashville American thinks our
rrensy over the poll tax business might
indicate a fear that the Republicans
may get us. The Republicans don't
pester us a particle, but the State
Wider* are numerous enough to make
i patriot nervlous, aa they say in
South Carolina.—Houston Post.
.>■ ■ Progress..•'■■■•
Curate—Has your ' father stopped
Irinklng yet. Tommy?
Tommy—Yes, air—please, sir—sev
sral times tlilg morning, sir.—B y stand
V.
PI-BUSHED EVERY DAY EXCEPT SUNDAY.
BY
THE RICHMOND VIRGINIAN CO.. Ine.
SAMUEL W! MEEK.Businere Mwutr.
: 8. B. WOODFIN .Managing fcdttor.
Buainoas Offiee: The Virginian Building,
Governor and Dm Street",
RICHMOND,’.VIRGINIA
1 .-•.. ' :.== .. =
Uwty oam yea*, poetmte'paid...$4.00
Daily *ii month*, port*** paid...$2.00
Daily thro* month*, po*ta«e paid.$1.00
Application for entry a* eeoood-claaa matter now
pending.
For «ale by newtboy* and dealea* at 2c the copy
Truxton King
A Story of Graustark. - By George Barr McCitcheoo.
Copyright, 1909, by George Ban McCutcheoa. Copyright, 1909, fcy Mi Mead. 4 Co.
(Continued from yesterday.)
_ CHAPTER VI.
IXGOUEDE 'THE BEACTlrtft.
ALIGHT, chilling drizzle had been
falling all evening, pattering
softly upon tile roof of leaves
“ that covered the sidewalks
along Castle avenue,
i Almost In the center of the Imposing
line of palatial residences stood the
home of the Duke of Perse, minister
of finance, flanked on either side by
structures as grim and as gay as it
self, yet far less significant In their
generation. Here dwelt.the most lm»
portaut man in the principality, not
excepting tne devoted prime minister
himself. Not that I’erso was so well
beloved, but that he held the destinies
of the land in Midas-like fingers. More
than that, he was the father of the far
famed Countess Marlanx, the most
glorious beauty at the Austrian and
Russian courts. She had gone forth
from Graustark as its most notable
bride sditne the wedding day of the
Princess Votive, hite in the nineties.
Ingomede, the lieautiful, had journeyed
far to the hymeneal altar. The hus
band who claimed her was a hated,
dishonored man in his own land. There
were those who went so far'as to say
that her father had delivered her into
the hands of a latter day Bluebeard,
who whisked her off into the high
lands, many leagues from Vienna.
She was seen no more la the gay
courts for a year. Then of a sudden
she appeared before them all. as daz
zlitigly beautiful as ever, hut with a
haunting, wistful look In her dark eyes
that could not be mistaken. The old
, count found an uneasy delight in ex
hibiting her to the world once more,
plainly as a hit of property that all
men were expected to look upon with
envy in their hearts.
Then the Duke of Perse resumed his
residence in Edelweiss, opening (he
i old palace once more to the world. Ills
1 daughter after the death of the prin
i cess began her extended visits to the
home of her girlhood. ,80 long as tho
1 princess was alive she remained away
, from Edelweiss, reluctant to meet the
' friend who had banished her husband
long before the wedding day in Buda
pest. Now she came frequently and
stayed for weeks at a time, apparently
happy during these escapes from life
in the great capitals.
Of late she came more frequently to
Edelweiss than before. Johu Tallis
was always to remember the moment
when he looked upon this exquisite
creature for the first time. That was
months ago. After that lie never ceased
being a secret, silent worshiper at her
transient shrine.
Ten o’clock on this rainy night a
carriage has drawn up before the low
er gates to the I’erse grounds, and a
tall, shadowy figure leaves it to hurry
through the shrub lined walks to the
massive doors.
Tullls had long since ceased to lie a
welcome visitor in she home of the
Poke of Perse. The men were openly
unfriendly to each other. The duke
resented the cool interference of tho
sandy haired American: on the other
hand, Tuilis madv'no effort to conceal
his dislike, If not distrust, of the older
man.
The countess was alone In the long,
worm tinted library.
“It Is gooff of you to come,” she said
as they shook hands warmly. “Do you
know It Is almost a year since you last
came to this house?"
"It would be a century, countoss, if
I were not welcomed In other bouses
where I am sure of a glimpse of you
from• time to time and n word now nnd
j then.”
They both seated themselves before
a Blowing open fire.
“The duke has gone to Ganlook to
play bridge with friends,” she said at
once. “He will not return till late. I
I have Just telephoned—to make sure."
ller smile did more than to reassure
him. _
“Of course you will understand how
Impossible It Is for me to some here,
; countess. Your father, the duke, does
not mince matters, and I’m not quite
; a fool.”
“It Is of the prince that I want to
i speak, Mr. Tullls,” she said. “I do
i want to talk very seriously with you
concerning Ids future—I might say his
| immediate future."
j He looked at her narrowly.
“Are you quite serious?”
i “Quite. I could n°t have asked you
to come to this house for anything
trivial. We have become very good
i friends, you and I. Too good, per
> haps, for I’ve no doubt there are old
j tabbies in Edelweiss who are provoked
I to criticism. You know what I m
“The prince is a sturdy little beg
I gar.” he began, but. she lifted her hand
! In protest.
“And he has sturdy, loyal friends.
! That Is agreed. And yet”— She paus
ed, n perplexed . Hne coming between
-her expressive eyes.
John Tullls opened his own eyes
very wide. “You don’t mean to say
that he ls-^he Is In peril of any sort?"
She leaned nearer to him, dropping
the ash from her ylgarette Into the re
| celves as she spoke sloWIy. Intensely,
i “I think he ts In peril—in deadly peril.”
He stared hard. “What do you
mean?” be demanded, with an involun
tary glance over his shoulder. She in
: teroreted that glance correct!*. (
'Tbe pom U not here, Mr. Tullls. |
know wh-it von are thinking. Mr fa
ther is a loyal subject. The peril X
suggest never comes to Graustark."
“Never conies to Graustark?” he al*
most whispered.
“You don’t — you
can't mean your—
your husband?”
"I mean Count
Marians," she said
steadily.
“He means evil to
Trince Bobin? Good
heavens, countess,
I-tI edh't bellsvs U.
X know he la bitter,
revengeful and all
that, but"—
“He Is all that
and more.” she said.
“First you must let
me Impress you
that I am not a
traitor to his cause.
I could not be that,
reason that I only
I am not In
It. 1 do not
know anything. I only feel. I dare
say you Realize that I do not love
Count Marians- that there is absolute
ly nothing In common between us ex
cept n name. We won’t go into that.
I”— *
“I a in overjoyed to hear you say this,
countess," be said very seriously. “I
have been so bold on occasion as to
assert—for your private ear, of course
—that you could not by any freak of*
nature happen to care for Count Mar
“lIEMEA.VSEVILTO
FIU.NCE nOBIN?*’
for the sufficient
suspect its existence,
any sense a part of
lanx, whom 1 know only by descrip
tion. You have laughed at my so
called American wit, and you have
been most tolerant. Now, I feel that
I am justified. I'm Immeasurably glad
to hear you confess that you do not
love your husband.”
"You have never tried to make tor*
to me," she went on. "That's what I
like about you. I tliluk most dkd are
silly, uot because I am so very young,
but because my husband Is so ridicu
lously old. Don’t you think so? But,
never mind! I see you are quite eager
to answer. That’s enough. Take *fi- .
other cigarette and—listen to what I
am going to say.” He declined th*
cigarette with a shake of his bead.
After a moment she went on reso
lutely: “As 1 said before. I do not
know that,my suspicious are correct.
I have uot even breathed them to my
father. lie would have laughed at me.
My husband is a Graustarklan, even
as I am. but there is this distinction
bet ween us—he despises Graustark,
while I lore her la every drop of my
blood. I know that In his heart he has
never ceased to brew evil for th*
throne that disgraced him. He openly
expresses his hatred for the present
dynasty and has more than once said In
public gatherings that he could cheer
fully assist in its utter destruction.
That, of course. Is commonly known In
Graustark. where he is scorned and
derided. But he Is not a man to serv*
Ills hatred with mere Idle words and
Inaction.
"1 am seeing you here in this big
room openly." sbe went on, “for th*
simple reason that if I am being
watched this manner of meeting may
lie above suspicion. We may speak
freely here, for we cannot be heard
unless we raise our voices. I>ou’t be
tray surprise or consternation. Th*
eyes of the wall may be better than It*
ears." *
"You don’t mean to say you are be
ing watched here In your father's
house?" he demanded.
“1 don’t know. This I do know—the
count has many spies In Edelweiss.
He Is systematically apprised of every
thing that occurs at court, in tbe city
or In the council chamber. Day before
yesterday I saw bis secretary In th*
n mini whn fn hl« pm*
ploy for five years oi1 more and who
now pretends to be a lawyer here. His
jiame Is Brutus. I spoke with him.
He said that he had left the count six
weeks ago In Vienna, determined to
set out for himself In his chosen pro
fession. He knows, of course, that I
am not and never hare been in the
confidences of my husband. I asked
him If It was known In Edelweiss that
he had served the count as secretary.
He promptly banded me one of his
business cards on which tw refers to
himself as the former trusted and cons
fldential secretary of Count Marlmnx.
NoW, I happen to know that he is still
In my husband's service, or was no long
er ago than last week. He Is here for
a purpose, as my husband's represent
ative. I have not been asleep all these
months at Schloss Marianx. I hart
seen and heard enough to convince mo
that some great movement is on foot.
My Intelligence tells me that it has to
do with Graustark. As be wishes tbo
prince no good. It must be for evil.”
“But there ts nothing he can do. Ho
has no following-here. -The prince to-:—
adored by f be people. Count Marian*
would not be such a fool aa to”—
"Ife la no fool,” she Interrupted
quickly. ‘That's why I am afraid, it
he Is plotting against the crown, you
may depend upon it be Is laying hla
plans well. John Tullls, that man to
a devll-a dsvir tncamator She turned ..~
her face away. A spasm of utter re*
pugnance crossed her face.
“I am qfrsld of Peter Brutus. Bo ||
here to w«t<*h—evervhort v "
.(To be continued.)