The citizen-Republican., August 26, 1920, Image 6

About The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??

Image provided by: South Dakota State Historical Society – State Archives

                
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"You'll find that out, soon enough.
One usually does, you know," was
Kent's response. "I believe His
Majesty gives you permission to sit."
"I do," said the king, carelessly, and
Provarak smiled and seated himself
aft or an ostentatious and exasperat
ing grin at the chancellor, who
promptly turned purple with rage.
"You will pardon me," said Kent,
drily, as he pulled a chair into a posi
tion where he could directly face
Provarsk, "if in our conversation I
seem to be assuming but His Majes
ty has graciously granted me ccrtain
privileges of spcch and action which
ho will sanction. Is that not true,
Sire?"
The king, reverting to that strange,
curious look of expectancy, said it
was, and Provarsk shielded his mouth
with his finger tips as if to conceal
a smile.
"Provarsk," said Kent, decisively,
"you're whipped all the way down
the line."
'For the momnt, yes, I suppojo,"
the usurper admitted gracefully. Ho
smiled at the American in rather
an amused, friendly way.
"The king has decided," continued
Kent, placidly, "that you are a man
of some talent, and has therefore con
cluded to make none other than you
chancellor of his kingdom."
For once Provarsk was so com
pletely surprised that his looks be
trayed him. He leaned forward In his
chair and stared at the American,
doubtfully. Baron Von Glutz cleared
his throat explosively, and was nearly
speechless with wrath.
"This is going too far!" he ex
claimed but was silenced by Kent,
who turned toward him and said.
•r "Steady!
worry,
Provarsk Interrupted with a sneer
ing laugh and exclaimed, "Pshaw! I
jpight have known It It Is you who
ask me to be chancellor, Eh? All
right! I accept. Under you But Hot
under His Majesty. But pray tell
me why-1 am thus honored?"
Honored? Well, for several rea
sons. One that it's not so messy as
to have you taken out and hanged.
Another that you still represent to
me a sporting proposition and I like
fearless men who go out after a thing
when they want it It's been a long
time since I have met such an inter
esting sort of a personage as you seem
to be. and. inasmuch as His Majesty
wants me to remain with him for a
time as an advisor, I'd like to see
what you can do—whether you can
get the best of us."
"I promise to do the very best I
can to get the best of you," Provarsk
asserted.
"I like that, too," Kent said, heart
ily. "You're welcome to get away
with all you can with* this under
standing, that you must agree to ac
cept and honestly carry out all or
ders given you. Otherwise
"Otherwise what?" queried the bar
on, when the American hestitated.
"Otherwise we'll have you prompt
ly shot Also, you are 'honored,' as
you put it, because I believe you are
a good enough gamester, once hav
ing given your word, to obey or
ders."
Provarsk studied Kent, wondering
ly, while the latter, without a change
of expression, stared back at him.
"You don't want to be bothered
hanging or shooting me, now you
think I'm too dangerous to exile
and you therefore prefer to keep me
directly under your eye. So you ap
point me chancellor! Jlather clever
it strikes me'*
Kent nodded and smiled.
i\ "You have it," he said.
r-
"All right, Kr. Richard Kent, I ac
cept this chancellorship, and agree to
ail of your orders—ror sijijuld I
•ay his ma.jestey's2-^-with "jtisti one
provision, which Is that after one
1*HE UNKNOWN
MR. KENT
GEORGE
B.
DO&AN
Steady, Baron. You need
You will be cared for later
In this—this reconstruction."
"But—but—" hestitated the king,
vastly distressed, "Baron Von Glutz
has been my mentor since my boy
hood, and was the chancellor of Mar
ken under my father!"
•vf.
.''Doubtless his administrative ex
cellence accounts for Markn's present
peaceful condition and also for our
unexpected-meeting across the border,
then!" Kent said, suavely. "But as I
understood you, sir
CO, Ul«
'aWsfr,'? scot
.•|^lr^? irh4ncvfer, I choose" to do st." £ji.
r|pfofgptt*• ». nice apreezneat! A very
*wr*unent, in«e«$:'', /Kent
.• '-mmunitt. Will now have' iin in-
JftM'HifM1 wUfc Gaptin Paulo,''
Ins the order.- speaking
l# ".finpree3 „TOTi the
i.
COPTBIOT.
of Marken, and, because of your fi
delity, you are now appointed min
ister of the treasury,"
Paulo stood with a look of aston
ishment on his face. It was an ad
vancement that ho had never thought
of. Truly there must have been some
foundation for the Arabian Nights.
For once the king was not disturbed
by the American's plans, and began
to wonder if, after all, there was not
some method in this new form of
madness.
"Those are my wishes, Captain
Paulo," said he.
Ko nt bowed his head gravely to
the new minister of the treasury.
"Permit mo to introduce the new
chancellor of the realm, Baron Pro
varsk."
Paulo found it difficult to bow, but
by desperate effort did so. Provarsk
acknowledged this deference to his
position by an airy, "Thai's ail ight,
Paulo. Never can tell what your
luck may be. Perhaps I'll make you
a field marshal yet," a piece of pleas
antry that Kent appreciated with a
slight smile, and which the king
plainly resented.
"And the Baron Provarsk is there
fore now at liberty?" queried Paulo,
evidently unable to grasp the ex
traordinary changes that had taken
place.
"My goodness, man! Your excel
lency, the minister of the treasury,
does not suggest that so exalted and
important official as the chancellor
of the realm should be pinched, do
you?" Kent asked, with unsmiling
lips.
"Why, I should say not!" ex
claimed Provarsk, with a great as
sumption of dignity. "I couldn't think
of such a thing! I've a mind to ask
my cousin to instantly remove you
from office!"
'If I am to act as cabinet minis
ter began Paulo.
"I would suggest that you and the
chancellor retire to the anteroom, and
come to an amicable agreement to
leave each other alone," Kent in
terrupted. "His majesty expects .you
to do so. It must be understood that
all previous differences have, from
the moment of his majesty's appoint
ments, been obliterated."
Provarsk arose with an air of re
lief, bowed deeply to the king, eyed
Kent quizzically, and led the way.
Paulo, still bewildered, made his sa
lutes and followed after, leaving the
American with his eyes fixed on Von
Glutz, who had steadily drooped and
wilted into an effigy of injured in
nocence, not unlike a wilted turnip.
"Baron," Kent began, "all this may
appear a trifle strange to you but I
have reasons."
"Does it not seem to you, Mr. Kent,
that you are in a measure taking ad
vantage of our somewhat singular
position?" the king a^ked. "I am still
striving to keep sy share of
"sheer
fctw
nur
agreement but I can not quite grasp
"You aren't supposed to grasp any
thing, owing to that agreement," waa
the concise retort. "You were, and
still are, in a passive position. It's
my Job to pull you oat. I'm probably
upsetting a lot of precedents but I
take the responsibility for running
this board of directors—pardon! I
meant this kingdom—in_ my own
way."
Rebuffed, the king met Kent's look,
and then, reassured by the intelli
gence he saw there, said, "I am sorry
to have interfered. I am doing the
best I can to learn. It requires some
patience, under the circumstances, to
He stopped, the confession itself
being difficult but the American
lilted him for his outburst. Indeed,
he decided there might be some hope
for the king, properly handled.
"Our ways are different," he said,
less aggressively! "Your way has
been tried and failed. Therefore, mine
can be no worse."
He faced Von Glutz agaiiff ahd was
about to speak, when, as If it were
her particular mission in life to in
terfere, the Princess Eloise came
hurriedly Into the room, again with
full danger signals flying.
"Karl," she asked, "is it true, as
Provarsk just now informed me, in
the ante-room, that you have ap
pointed him chancellor of Marken?"
•it is true," the king replied.
"Then," she declared stormily, "I
suppose this outrage is also due to
the sage advice of your new friend,
Mr. Kent? Are you still theKingolT
Marken, may I ask? Or are you a
marionette pulled by a iring? Have
you gone mad? Have^ you no' spirit
left?"
W Exasperated fey her„Tseturn, as well
as by the contempt, |H»t had so deft
ly conveyed itaett In theseteettotfof
her words, the kin* forgot his p*rm
.... ... .vf.
ise ot secrecy to*the Ajtagirfcah.
dw«r«teilY,
UMK faSt&ltemUl:
elrcumstaiKta
£,tor the time beinar drmra knto a
pact with Mf. 2£*nt, by whic^j he is
have the conVreUlng voice in the
affair* of the kingdom. Ton forget
that without his efforts we should
scarcely be here now. So far he has
proven
"Why doesn't he have himself
crowned?"
The king did not answer. Kent
w&s amused. She stared at him as
he sat noiselessly drumming his fin
gers on the arm of his chair, entirely
self possessed and apparently indif
ferent to anything she might say.
"I suppose it was you then, who
appointed our enemy Provarsk to the
position of chancellor?" she said.
"The king appoints. I merely ad
vise," he replied, with a smile in the
corners of his eyes that stretched
slowly downward until it created cir
cumflex wrinkles around his firm Hps.
"What is to become of Baron Von
Glutz?" she demanded, directly to the
point.
The American slowly moved his
head in the baron's direction and as
sumed a deep study of that person
that caused the latter to squirm, puff
his cheeks, and adopt the habitual
recourse of tugging at his moustache.
"Do you know," replied Kent slow
ly, "that is the question which Ijas
bothered me a whole lot I've given
considerable thought to him and—er
—I hardly know what to do with him.
At first I thought of appointing him
the king's dog catcher. Then, ob
serving something faintly suggesting
a military character, a regular fight
ing general behind the lines—a long
way behind—I concluded that he
might make a good minister of war.
That is one of the most important
places in every kingdom of this kind.
The smaller the army, the more im
portant the position. There is such
a billet as that in Marken, isn't
there?" he concluded in a bland tone
of inquiry.
Von Glutz was the first to recover
from this attack.^.
"When one has been a chancellor,
it Is rather difficult to step back to
a portfolio," he protested.
"Then why not step out Into pri
vate life?" retorted Kent, and added
with great enthusiasm: "It will be
such a change for you! By Jove!
That's the very thing! Become a
plain citizen! All sorts of things to
do. Opportunities to criticize the
government. Tell admiring friends
what you would have done if you had
been chancellor. Point out the in
cumbent's mistakes. Get a lot of fig
ures together to show wasteful ex
travagance in expenditures. Tariff
reform. Income tax. Workingman's
friend. Poor girls' benefactor. Be a
Cromwell, and get the power of a
king by having his majesty's head
cut off. Or a Bismarck, freely lieing,
breaking all covenants, and have
yourself made a prince. Sort of fel
low citizen, friend of the people, Na
poleon, and nlap the crown on your*
bald head. You might even Cookize,
and discover a new North pole. Say!
If you've been a good chancellor,
why did the hen cross the road? Why
was Provarsk?"
He paused with mock earnestness,
waiting deferentially for a reply.
"you don't answer," he continued,
and again that subtle change that
distinguished him was apparent
"Baron Von Glutz, I respect you for
being an honest man and a faithful
one. But -there has been a task that
you could not grasp. There are many
different kinds of brains In this
world. Yours was not the kind for
the place. This one requires a cal
losity that you don't possess. You
can't cheat, or dissimulate. You can't
bluff. You were not a good chan
cellor. So I've made you minister of
war. Do you want the place?"
The baron gave a heavy sigh, and
looked doubtful. Apprehensive lest
he decline the proffered portfolio, the
princess hastened to urge his ac
ceptance.
"Stfice there seems no way of dis
regarding our new advisor's wishes.
Baron Von Glutz, I ask you in my.
own behalf to accept If you should
retire to private life you would leave
me with one less friend in whom"!
can confide. There is none left, now,
save Paulo."
The Alnerican did not dispute her,
but the king looked at her strangely
and said: "That is unfair, Eloise."
She paid no attention to him, but
walked across until she stood by the
baron's side.
"For my sake, old friend," she ap
pealed, and Von Glutz, for whom
Kent was secretly rather sorry, lifted
his head and said: "Very well. I
accept"
"Good!" said Kent, bluntly.
He waited, as if expecting the prin
cess to leave the room, but she, di
vining his wish, stubbornly made her
way to. a chair and seated herself
with the evident intention of re
maining: indefinitely. Observing tl^is,
Kent smiled slightly, atid announced
himself.
f. ifjHaTin? thua come so eatflly
through our. reorganisation, and now
being of luch riic^ t«mis of
amity, and hlty,"' ||e
Xskts
!:'iwid,
Sre may
as wfellget down to business andun
propose to
do. I
4
havp studied the situation prettj
thoroughly. First, we have armj
enough now to do police duty. Tha|
& It shall do. Next, we shaF
hava conscription."
His hearers grave a gasp Of dismay.
"The trouble with a large majority
of Markenltes," he went on, "Is that
they are lazy. They don't produce
enough. Therefore wo will have con
scription of labor, and compel them
to work whether they want to or
not. If they don't obey, we confiscate
their property and throw them out
of the kingdom. I'm going to compel
every man ia Marken to earn more
money than he ever has hitherto!"
His voice was now hard and em
phatic, and he punctuated his dec
laration by rapping the table with
his knuckles.
"I'm going to make them rich, and
the kingdom rich, whether they like
it or not. When a country is in such
distress as this kingdom is, it needs
an autocrat and, by heavens! it has
ono now! Those mines shall work
full tilt and this government is go
ing to forco the building of factories
and encourage industries. The king
dom of Marken shall not only pay its
debts, but while doing it, shall learn
how to kep out of debt."
The king could not entirely repress
a look of enthusiasm, but the prin
coss was sliii rebt uioUb.
"And may I ask what role the mod
est M. Kent proposes to play in all
this miraculous work?" she inquired.
"I've thought of that, too," cheer
fully replied Mr. Kent, ignoring the
Inference that he had been boasting.
"Some kings have officials known as
'the king's remembrancer,' whose job
it is to stand at the king's elbow and
remind him of what he has to do.
I shall be the king's remembrancer
in Marken, your royal highness."
CHAPTER VIII.
Just prior to the hour of the matu­
tinal sausage in Marken, on the fol
lowing morning, those who strolled
sleepily out into the narrow streets
and observed that the sun had been
up several hours, found a topic for
conversation. Notices had been
posted in the night time on the door
ways of churches, lamp posts and
pillar boxes and sometimes over the
billboards where gay posters advised
people to use Schmltt's soap to feed
their dogs on torox, or to drink that
most soothing of all liquors, Ron Ba
cardi. Languidly these were read
and a mild flutter ensued that caused
many to forget—almost to forget—
that the sausage hour was due.
The notices were printed in plain,
white, with plain type, and plainly
stated that his gracious and benign
majesty, Karl H, king of Marken, by
divine right, had, in the interests of
the great kingdom, seen fit to exer
cise his august prerogative of form
ing a new ministry, in the confident
belief that his subjects and the wel
fare of the state would thereby be
benefitted, Baron Matilda, etc., etc.,
Provarsk was now the chancellor of
the realm, succeeding Baron, etc.,
etc., Von Glutz.
"Ha!" said those who read, glee
fully. "The old pouter pigeon has got
his wings clipped!" Or, Baron Pro
varsk? What does this mean? Con
tinually he has tried to make us be
lieve that King Karl is a blunderer.
Now he sides with the king and be
co"' chancellor. Ayya! Ahem! We
shall see what kind of a chancellor
this high and mighty baron makes!"
Baron Von Glutz new minister of
war!
At that thev laughed a little and
expressed p! ty for tt° few score men
who fenred tho kind's standing
army. They hoped the new minister
would not alter the uniforms, because
those new scarlet tunics and white
trousers, pricked out with profuse
gold braidings, were very effective.
Capt. Philander Paulo to be min
ister of the treasury.
"Well! Well! Well! That's some
thing. The common people are at
last beginning to be recognized!"
They were flattered- They remem
bered, some of them, what a merry
lad he was when his widowed mother
conducted the charcuterie in the al
lejr the Capuchins. Pity she had
not lived to see her son a cabinet
minister What a lot of money he
would have to count. He always was
good at counting, stoutly asserted
some of the old dames who had
watched his growth.
TJiey discussed it vigorously while
eating. They had placid disputes
about it after the shops opened, but
they forgot it by bed time. Affairs
couldn't be worse than they had been,
they decided, with that remarkable
phlegm Which lias even been Mark
ham's most distinguishing trait and
let it go at that.
^Continued next week.)
"According to a report from the
Brussels office of-the Guaranty Trust
Company, 12 Belgian blast fur
naces are now in operation, &nd four
more are to be started soon. The
production of glass In Belgium is
now 70..per cent of normal..
Kniplow, a 13 years bid itt
was the beneficiary named In the
$10,000 wai1 Insurance policy carried
by Harry 1C Thunnoa. of Memphis,
Tennessee and his. aunt is complying
wiih the terms of the pollj^jr. Thur
aw died in action overi|Ui^^^
pt nntents 15F luid 1
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simUatin^tbeRodtyp^^L
tin6ihp Stnnuictaara Bowels
TheictyPnwaolin^D^J®
Cheerfulness and BestConWB
neither Opium,Morphinei nq
Mineral. NoxKAucoTtc|
Ok
Slitting
r»7^ile Signaftir*.0*
tteW YORK
Exact Copy of Wrapper.
FAMOUS OLD BOSTON ABODE
Province House, Once One of the Moat
Famous Colonial Mansions, Has
Been Partially Preserved.
There stands today on Bossworth
court in Boston but a portion of the
old Province house, a most Interesting
relic of Colonial days and the rest
of the court is lined with modern of
fice buildings. But in 1820 it was con
sidered a very genteel part of town.
Oliver Wendell Holmes lived In the
old Province house for 18 years.
At the farther end of the court
stands an iron-wrought archway, dec
orative of design, which was used in
the early part of the nineteenth cen
tury as an entrance to the governor's
garden, a "part of the Province house
grounds. This has been carefully pre
served, as have the stone steps which
lead to tlie lower level. The Province
house was immortalized by Hawthorne
in his "Twice-Told Tales."
The historic staircase now is gone,
and only a portion of the exterior of
the house if left. It wa.s built in 1697
by I'eter Sargent, a wealthy London
merchant, and was considered one of
the handsomest residences in town.
During the days of its popularity the
governor gave many balls there.
Is Knowledge Power Here?
A high school girl wrote to her
uncle a description of one of her new
teachers. Among other things she
said: "Her age lurks in the vicinity
of fifty."
Back came his answer: "In thirty
years fro mnow my dear you will dis
'At* ^lin nrm #1*
v-» umi. ui/vou
cinity of fifty. It dbesn't lurk it trav
els in high-powered autos and air
planes. Being -forty-seven myself, I
know. This is an example of knowl
edge being power—even in phrasing
correctly."
Easily Remedied.
"So the race was called off because
there was not breeze enough to fill the
yachts' sails."
"That was queer. With Sir Thomas
Lipton spending $1,000,000 on the ef
fort to lift the cup, be ought to be
ible to raise the wind."
Naturally.
"When you go to Europe now, you
'lave to have your birth certificate."
"Of course you do. If you haven't,
pomebody else on the steamer might
§et your berth."
Those Wags.
"You say the revolver you bought
hnd six chambers?"
"Six chambers and a seller."
None preaches better than the ant,
and she says nothing.
For Infants and Children.
Mothers Know That
Genuine Castoria
Always
Bears the
rice
In
Use
For Over
Thirty Years
CASTORIA
THE CENTAUR COMPANY, NEW YORK CITY.
Filial Lover
The family had company for din
ner, and the father of the house was
telling his guests stories of his boy
hood. Among them were feats of his
marvelous eating ability. "No wonder,
when mother was such a wonderful
cook," he smacked his lips in remem
brance of her dishes. "She could make
pies that were dreams, and strawberry
shortcake! After eating one of moth
er's shortcakes a fellow thought all
others very ordinary, indeed."
Little John looked across at the glass
dish of" strawberries. Then he piped
out in his clear little treble: "Oh, dad,
don't you just hope th'at I can talk
just that nice about mother when I
grow up?"
Cutlcura Soothes Baby Rashes
That itch and burn with hot baths
of Cutlcura Soap followed by gentle
anointings of Cuticura Ointment.
Nothing better, purer, sweeter, espe
cially if a little of the fragrant Cuti
cura Talcum is dusted on at the fin
ish. 25c each everywhere.—Adv.
Not at Home.
Swine fever had broken out in the
village and the local policeman had
been appointed to call upon all own
ers of pigs and take particulars of
each case.
Rapping at the door of an old cot
tage he was confronted* by a shrewdish
looking woman, who curtly asked him
what he wanted.
"A've called to see the swine," safd
the constable.
"He's oot," snappily replied the
woman, and banged the door.—London
Answers.
Benefits in Disguise.
"This house is rather old, Isn't it?*
said the prospective tenant.
"Oh, no," assured the real estate
agent. "This house is Comparatively
modern."
"Birt these stairs creak terribly,"
complained the prospective tenant.
"Oh," explained the agent, "this ia
the latest modern Improvement in
homes. That Is a patent burglar
alarm staircase. No burglar can get
up to the bedroom floor without wak»
ing you up."
"Ragtime" War.
"So j'ou've"bought a phonograph?"
"Yes," said Mr. Dubwaite.
"I thought you didn't care for 'can
ned' music."
"I don't but there are about 20 oth
er phonographs in my neighborhood.
I'm just going to start a little opposi
tion, that's all."—Birmingham Age
Herald.
Enthusiastic Approbation.
"Did you think my speech was fine,
Mrs. Comeup?" "Fine? It was more
than that. It was grandiloquent."
makes one welcome foods which
are rich in natural sweetness.
—the ready-cooked cereal
^requires no added sweetening, for it cor.tai^
^its own pure^rain sugar, developed from wheat
and barley by twenty hours' baking:
SprinHfe Grape-Nuts ovpr ppe fruit or berries
and youTl save sugar.
ar