HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1931-06-04, Page 6PAGE SIX
THE'SEAFORTH NEWS.
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1931.
(Continued from last ;week,):
,But though his spear struck true in
the middle of his .immediate antagon-
ist's shield and his opponent went
down, it availed the brave white
knight nothing. For at the same mo-
ment half a score of lances struck
him on the shield, on the breastplate,•
on the vizor bars of his helmet, and
he fell heavily to the earth. Never-
theless, scarcely had he touched the
ground when he was again on his
feet. Sword in hand, he stood for a
moment unscathed and undaunted,
while his foes, momentarily disorder-
ed by the energy of the charge, rein-
ed in their steeds ere they could
return to the attack.
"Oh, well ridden!" "Greatly done!"
"A most noble knight!" These were
the exclamations which carne from all
Parts of the crowd which surged
about the barriers ,on this great day.
"I would that I were down beside
him with a sword in my hand 'also!"
siaid the young ayrchitect,, Master
(Johann Pyrmon't, secretary of the em-
baeeage of Plassenburg.
"',Tis well you are where you are,
madcap, sitting by an old man's side,
instead of fighting by that of a young
one," growled Dessauer. "Else then,
indeed, the bent would be on fire,"
But at this moment the Princess
Margaret, sister of the reigning Prince
rose in her place and threw down the
truncheon, which in such cases stops
the combat.
"The black knights have ewon," so
she gave her verdict, "but there is no
need to humiliate or injure a knight
who has fought against so many. Let
the white knight come hither—though
he be of the losing side. His is the
reward of highest honour. 'Give him
a steed, that he may come and receive
the meed of bravest in the tourney!"
'The knights of the black were mani-
festly a little disappointed that after
their victory one of their opponents
should be selected for honour. But
there was no appeal from the decision
of the Queen of Love and Beauty,
For that day she reigned alone, with-
out council or die imperial.
The black riders had therefore to be
contented with their general victory,
which, indeed, was indisputable e-
nough.
The white knight came near and
said something in a low voice, un-
heard by the general crowd, to the
,Princess.
"I insist," she said aloud; "you trust
unhelm, that all may see the face of
"him who has won the prize."
Whereat the knight bowed and un-
did his helmet, A closely -cropped
fair-haired head was revealed, the
features clearly ohiselled and yet of a
grave and massive beauty, the head of
a marble emperor.
'My brother—you!" cried !Margaret
of Courtland in astonishment.
The voice of the Princess had also
something of disappointment in it.
'Clearly she had wined for some other
to receive the honour, and the event
did not please her, But it was other-
wise with the populace.
"The young Prince! The .young
Prince!" cried the people, surging
ho
petuau iYp about the barriers. "Glory
to the noble house of Courtland and
to the brave Prince,"
iThe Ambassador looked curiously
at his secretary. That youth was
standing with eyes brilliant as those
of a man in fever. His face had paled
even ander its dusky tan. ,IIis lips
[quivered. He straightened himself up
as brave and generous men do when
they see a deed of bravery done by
another, or like a woman who sees
the man she loves publicly honoured.
"The Prince!" said Johann Pyrmont
in a voice hoarse and broken; "it'is
the Prince himself."
And on his high seat the State's
Councillor, ' Leopold von Dsssauer,
smiled well pleased.
"This turns out better than I had
expected," he muttered. "God Him-
self favours the drunkard and the
madcap. !Only wise men suffer for
their sins—aye, and often for those of
other people' as .well."
• CHAIPTER VI.
An Ambassador's Ambassador
After the tourney of the Black
Eagle, Leopold von Dessauer had
gone to bed early, feeling younger and
lighter than he had done for years.
Part of his scheme for these northern
provinces of this fatherland consisted
in gradual substitution of a few
strong states for many weak ones.
For .this reason he smiled when he
saw the eyes of his secretary shining
like stars.
It .would yet more have rejoiced
him had he known how uneasy lay
that handsome head on its pillow.
Aye, even in pain it would have pleas-
ured him. For Von Dessauer was ly-
ing awake and thinking of the strange
chances which help or mar the lives
of men and women, when a sudden
sense of shock, a numbness spreading
upwards through his limbs, the rising
of rheum to his eyes, and a humtnin'g
in his ears, announced the approach of
one of those attacks to which he had
been subject ever since •he had been
wounded in a duel some years before
—a duel in which his present Prince
and late master, Karl the Miller's Son,
had lboth been engaged,
The Ambassador called for Dorian
in 'a feeble voice. That light -sleeping
soldier immediately answered him.
He had stretched himself out, wrap-
ped in a blanket for all covering, on
the floor of the antechamber in Des -
setter's lodging. In a moment, there-
fore, he presented himself at the door
completely dressed. .A shake and a
half -checked yawn completed his in
expensive toilet, for Jorian prided
himeslf on not being what he called
"a pretty-pretty captainet."
"Your Excellency needs me?" he
said, standing at the salute as if it had
been the morning guard changing at
the palace gate.
"Give me my case of medicine," said
the old man; "that in the bag of
rough Silesian leather, So! I feel my
old attack coming upon me. ,It will
be three days before I can stir. Yet
ntist these
papers be put in the
hands
of the Prince early this morning. Adt
,
tf'ere is my little Johann; I was think-
ing about her—him, I mean. !Well,
he shall have his Chance. This foul
easterly wind may yet blow us all
good!'"
He trade wry face as a twinge of
pain caught him. It passed and he
resumed.
"Go Jorian," he said, "tap light
upon his chamberdoor. II'f he chance
to be in deep sleep of youth and health
—not yet distempered by thought and
love, by old age and the eating of
many suppers -rap louder, for I must
see him forthwith. There is much to.
set in order ere at nitre o'clock he
must adjourn to the summer palace to
meet the Prince."
So in a trice Jorian was gone and at
the door of the architect -secretary, ,he
of the brown skin and Greekish pro-
file.
Johann Pyrutont was, it appeared,
neither in bed nor yet asleep. Instead
he had been standing at the window
watching the brighter stars swim up
one byone nc ou t of the east. The
thoughts of the young man were
happy thoughts. At last he was in
the capital city of the Princes of
Courtland. His many days' journey
had not been itt vain- Almost in the
first moment he had seen the noble
youthful Prince anti his sister, and he
was prepared to like them both. Life
held more than the preparation of
plans and the ordering of bricklayers.
at their tasks, There was in it,
strangely enough, a young man with
closely cropped head whom Johann
had seen storms through the ranks of
the' fighting -men that day; and after-
wards receive the guerdon of the
bravest. •
Though what difference these
things. made to an architect of Ham-
burg town it was difficult (on the.
face of things) to perceive. Never-
theless, he stood and watched the east.
It was five of a clear autumnal morn-
ing, and a light chill breath blew;
trona the point at which the sun would
A pale moon in her last quarter was
tossed high among the stars, as if
tp,borne Upon the ebip:ing tide of night.
Trantlusceht`greyness filled the wide
plain. of Courtland, and is the scatter
ed farms all about the lights, which
signified early horse -tending and the
milking of kine, were already begin -
ling to out'iva] the waning stars. Ot'-
`on, with his guardian four set wide
about 'hint, tingledagainst the face oaf,
the east, and the electric lamp of Sir-
rus burnt bine above the horizon. The
lightness and the hope o'fbreathing
morn, the scent of fields half reaped,
the cool salt wind from off, the see,
filled the channels of the youth's life.
It was good to.be alive, thought Jo-
haiut Pyrinont, architect of" Hamburg,
or otherwise.
Dorian rapped law, with more rev-
erence than is •common from captains
to secretaries of legations. The young
man was leaning out of the window
and. did not hear. The ex -man -.at -
arms rapped louder. At the sourtd
Johann Pyrsnont clapped his hand to.
the hip where his sword 'should have
been, '•
"Who is there?" he asked, turning
about with keen alertness, and in a
voice which seemedat once sweeter
and more commanding than even the
most imperious nrastertbeiiider would
naturally use to his underlings.
"I—J'orian! His Excellency is tak-
en suddenly ill and bade 1m9 come for
you."
!immediately the secretary opened.
the door and in a few seconds stood
at the old man's bedside.
Here they talked low to each other;'
the young man with his hand laid .ten-
derly on the forehead of his elder.
Only their last words concern us at!
present.
"This will, serve, to !begin my busi-
Bess and ,to finish yours. Thereafter
the sooner you return to Kernsberg
the. better. Remember the moon cats
riot long be lost out of the sky jvith-
otit causing remark,"
The young man received the Am-
bassador's papers and went out. Des-
sauer took a composing draught and
lay back with a sigh.
"It is 'hu'mbling," he said to Dorian,
"that to compose young wits you
must do it through the heart, but in
the case of the old through the stom-
ach."
'Tis a strange draught HE hath
gotten," said the soldier, indicating the
door by which the secretary had gone
forth. "If I be not mistaken, much
water shall flow under the bridge ere
his sickness be cured."
As soon as he had reached his own
chamber Johann laid the papers upon
the table without glancing at them.
He went again to the window and
looked across the city. During his
brief absence the stars had thinned
out. Even the moon was now no
brighter than so much grey ash. But
the east had grown red and burned a
glorious arch of cool brightness, with
all its cloud edges teased loosely into
fretted wisps and• flakes of cliangeftrl
'ire. The wind began to blow more
largely and statedly before the com-
ing of the sun. Johann drew a long
breath and opened wide both halves
of tlt casement.
"Today I shall see the Prince!" he
said.
It was exactly tine of the clock
when he set out for the palace. He
was attired itt the plain black dress of
a secretary, with only the narrowest
corded edge and collar of rough -scrol-
led gold. The slimness of his waist
was filled in so well that he looked no.
more than a well -grown, clean -limbed
stripling of twenty, A plain sword in
a scabbard of black leather was belted
oto his side, and he carried his papers
in his hand sealed with : cals and
wrapped carefully about with silken
ties: Yet, for all this simplicity, the
eyes of Johann Pyrmont were so full
of light, and his beauty of face so
surprising, that all turned to look af-
ter him as he went by with a free
carriage and a swing to his gait,
Sven the market ,girls ran together
to gaze after the young stranger,
Maids of higher degree called sharply'
to each other and crowded the balcon-
ies to look clown upon him. But
through the busy morning tumult of
the streets Johann Pyrinont walked
serene and unconscious. 'Was he not
going to the summer palace to see the
Prince?
At the great door of the outer pav-
ilion he intimated his desire to the of-
ficer in charge of the guard.
"Which Prince?" said the officer
curtly,
"Why," answered the secretary with
a `glad heart, "there is 'brut otte—he
who won the prize yesterday at the.
tiltln'g!"
hat you could 'be• right easily broken
on the wtlseel. So 'have a care of those
slepder limbs of yours, Keep theta for
he maids of your Plassenburg)
!Anel with.the freedom of 'a soldier
he put his hand about the neck of J'o-
sann. Pyrnmont, laying it upon his far
hotilder with the easy familiarity ,of
an elder; who has it in his power to
do a kindness to a youngster. Instin'c-'
ively Johann slipped aside his should
er, and t'heofficer's hand after hanging
a moment suspended in"tlie air, fell
o hisside. The Courtlander' laugh-
ed aloud,
"Wihatl" he pried, "is my young
cock of Plassenburg so mightily 'par -
tics -Oar that he cannot have an honest
soldier's hand upon his shoulder?"
"I am not accustomed," said Jo-
hann Pyrntont: with dignity, ' to have
men's hands, upon my shoulder. Lt,
is not our Plassentburg Custom!"
The soldier laughed a 'huge earth-
shaking laugh of merriment.
"Faith!" he cried, "you are early
begun, my lad, that men's hands are
so debarred, 'Not our ctistoml'says
he. Why, I warrant, by the faihiott
of your countenance, that the hands
of ladies are not so unwelcome. Hal
you blast! Here, Paul S•trelitz, come
hither and see a young gallant that
blushes at a word and owns that he
is more at home with' ladies than with
rough soldiers."
A great bearded Bor-Russian came
ottt of She guard -room, stretching
himself and yawning like one whose•
night has been irregular..
"What's ado?—what is't, that thou
fret a man in his lheauty-sleep'?" fie
said. "Olt, this •ycung gentleman!
Yes, I saw him yesterday, and the
Princess Margaret saw hiin yester-
day, too. Does he go to visit her so
early this morning? He loses no time
i' faith! But he had better keep out
of the way .of the Wasp, if the Prin-
cess gives him many of those glances
of hers, half over her shoulder -you
know her way, Otto."
At this the .first officer reiterated his
jest about his hand on Johann's shoul-
der, being of that mighty faction
which cannot originate the smallest
joke without immediately wearing it
to the hone.
The seneretary began to be angry.
His temper was not long at the long-
est. He had not thought'of 'having
to submit to this when he became a
secretary.
"I am quite willing, sir captain," he
said, with haughty reserve, "that your
hand should be—where it ought to be
—on your sword handle. For in that
case my hand will also be on mine,
and very much at your service. But
in my country such liberties are not
taken 'between strangers!"
"''What?" cried Otto the guardsman,
"do amen not embrace one another
when they meet, and kiss each other
on either cheek at -parting? How then,
so mighty particular about hands on
shoulders? Answer nee that, my
young secretary."
"For me," said Johann, instantly
losing his head in the hotness of his
indignation, "I would have yoe know
that I only kiss ladies, or permit them
to kiss mel"
The Courtlander and the Bor-IReis-
sian roared unanimously.
oa ed
"Is he not precious beyond words,
this youngling, eh, Paul lStrelitz ?"
cried the first. "I would that we had
him at our table of mess. What
would our commander say to that?
How he would gobble and glower?
'As for me, I only kiss ladies!' ,Can
you imagine it, haul?"
But just then there came a clatter
of horse's hoofs across the wide
spaces of the palace front, into, which
the bright forenoon sun was now
beating, and a lady of tall figure and
a head all a -ripple with sunny golden
curls dashed up at a canter, the stones
spraying forward and outward as she
reined her horse sharply Will her
hands low,
"The Princess Margaretl" said the,
first' officer; "Stand to it, Paul. Be
a -man, secretary, and hold your ton-
gue."
The two officers saluted stiffly, and
the lady looked about for sonic one to
help her descend. She observed Jo-
hann standing, still haughgtily indig-
nant, by, the gate. .
Conte hither!" she said, beckoning
with her finger. •
"Give nee your handl" she com-
manded'
The secretary gave it awkwardly,
and the Princess plumped, rather.
sharply to the ground.
"What! Do they not teach you how
to help ladies to alight in Plassee
burg?" queried the Princess, "You
accompany the new ambassador, do
you`not?"
"You are the first I ever helped in
my life," said Johann: simply. "Mostly
"Whatl I ane the first? You jest.
Tt is not possible. • There are many
ladies in Plassenburg, and I doubt not
they have noted and distinguished a
handsome youth like you,"
The secretary shock his head.
"Not so," be said, smiling; "I have
never been so remarked by any lady
in 'Plassenburg in nay life."
The 'Courtlander, Standing stiff at
the salute, titrated his head the least
'God's truth!—And you say true]"
ejaculated the guardsman, starting.
"But who are you who dares blurt but
on the steps of the palace of Court-
land that which ordinary men—aye,
even good soldiers—durst scarcely
think in their own hearts?"
"I am secretary of the noble Am-
h'assador of Plassenburg, and 1 come
to see the Prince!"
"You are a limber slip to be so out-
spol en," said the man; "brit remember,
fraction of an inch towards Paul
Stre1itz the Bot -Russian.
".He sticks to -it. Lord! I wish that
I could lis like that! I would notice
my 'fortune in a trice," he twittered.
""As for in; I only hiss ladiesl'.,Did
you hear him, Paul?"
"I hear him. He lies like an arch -
n
Mishap—a divine liar," stuttered the.
Bor{Russian under his breath:
"Well, at any rate," said the Prin-
cess, never taking her eyes off the
young man's face, "you will be 'good.
enough to escort me to the Prince's
room.."
"I ant goitsg there myself," said the
secretary eurtly,
"Certainly, they do not teach you to
say pretty ,things to ladies," answered
the Princess. "I know many that
could have bettered that speech with-
out stressing themselves.' Yet; after
all, II )know tnot, but d like your blu'nt
way best!" she added, after' a pause,
again smiling upon him.
(To "Be Continued.)
ALONZO.IS OPINION .
Alonzo Peters was not a hasty
man. It took him twenty years to get
a wife, because his successive' sweet-
hearts all gave him up 'in despair and
married somebody. else before he.
could decide to, propose. His first.
sweetheart, having in the course of
the .twenty years become a widow,
finally drew from him a remark that
'might, with a little imagination, be
taken as indicating a desire for mat-
rimony, and she so took it. She had
learned to ]snow her span, and after
becoming Mrs. Peters she fell, natur-
ally enough, into the habit of infer-
ring Alonzo's opiniotts 'from very
slight indications. In the gossip
around the stove at the grocery store'
you "rarely heard any man, say, Al'ot
zo Peters says," but often, "iisIy wife
says Lyddy Peters told her Alonzo
thinks—"
'During Lydia's absence qn a visit:
the town schoolh'ou'se burned. The
question whether ,the town should
build a new, modern schoolhouse or
for economy, use the shabby old town
hall, slightly ' altered, was hotly 'de-
bated, Feeling ran High; the division
promised to be exceedingly close, and
as a result, the town was so eagerly
canvassed that every main's, opinion
and `prospective vote was pretty well
known,, -except Alonzo's. There was
a possibility that his vote might de-
cide the matter.
JAlonzo, ho'we'ver, would only say
dubiously that were "mighty good
arguments both ways"; that •he "did-
n't think he'd quite made up his mind
yet"; and that he believed in "consid-
ering things full and ample."
;Two days before the decisive meet
ing, the young minister, an ardent ad-
vocate of the new building, ventured
to send a telegram to iblt•s. Peters:
"Is Alonzo for new school? If not,
beg use influence." •
It was so late that he hardly dared
expect any result from his telegram;
but pnontptly he gat Lydia's reply,
which, although resenting with spirit
the suggestion that she interfere with
1 ' her husband's masculine prerogatlives,
was yet satisfactory... it read as fol-
lows:
"No influence. :plan's mind his
own. 'Of course Alonzo for school-
house. Tell him so from me.
"L. Peters."
' Alonzo, informed of his own opin-
ion, dally maintained it by his vote,
and the schoolhouse was rebulilt.
Mother Finds Out.
"There are so many places one
can go!" sighed Joan, as the family
held its annual vacation argument.
"If one only knew snore about
them!" 'I wonder," suggested -!Mo-
ther, "if it wouldn't be a good plan,
to telephone some of them? Mrs.
Smith always 'does!" The upshot of
it was"' Mother chid telephone, and the
family decided on a place In no time.
!Here anc1 There
Admiral Earl Jellicoe, hero of the
battle of Jutland, will open the
Toronto Exhibition next August.
Ile will be a passenger on the
"Duchess :of York."
More newsprint paper is made in
Canada than in any other country.
In '1930 Canada manufactured .
;2,504,000 tons or 36 per cent of` the
world productionof newsprint paper. ,
Thirty-eight lakes in the district
of The Pas are being commercially'
fished today as against 18 two years
ago.' The catch was 2,175,000
pounds of fish in 1930 as compared
with 1,400,000 lbs. in 1928.
Sixteen countries have so,far ac-
cepted the invitation of the Cana-
dian Governulent to send official
'representatives to the World's
Grain Exhibition and Conference to
be held at. Regina, July 25 to Au-
gust 6, 1932.
Foxes on the ranches in Prince
Edward Island are getting Vita -
mine D in their diet, through the.
medium of fish, Twice., a week
sun-dried herring are fed to the
foxes on the ranches. The animals
are thriving on this new diet.
Banff, Yoho and Kootenay na-
tional parks in the Rockies are
available to motorists in a continu-
ous loop route at the cost of a $2
licence fee. This opens up 400 miles
of fine travelling in unrivalled
scenery wjth a total park area 0f
8,679 square miles.
A Calgary ratan has won the
cheque for $600 offered for the best
slogan In the contest just closed by
the management: of the World's
Grain Exhibition and Conference to
be held at Regina, July 25—
August 6, 1932. The slogan, was:
"Show what you grow and share
what you know.".
The English Association Football
team, representing many of the best
Soccer teams in the Old Country,
which will tour Canada, playing
games tri the major cities of the
Dominion during the next two
months, arrived at Montreal on
board the Duchess of Atholl,
May itt.
Radio continues to grow in pop-
ularity in Canada. Licensed re-
ceiving sets at the end of last
March totalled 514,701, an increase
of 90,555 over the number register-
ed the Previous year. Figures for
the year to March 31, 1931 repre-
sent a set for every 19 of the pop-
ulation.
Included in the brilliant passenger
list that will feature the maiden
voyage` of the Empress, of Britain,
42,500 -ton flagship of the Canadian
Pacific Atlantic fleet, at the end of
May, will be Lord 'Rothermere.
great English publicist and owner of
a string of British newspapers,
including the London Daily Mail.
Representative French railway
experts touring this country and the
United States recently 'made a
thorough 'inspection of Canadian
Pacific transportation facilities,
steamships, hotels and terminals,
gathering a considerable body of
tnformatton with a view to renewal
of material and equipment on the
Chemin de Fer du Nord, in France.
Empire Day, held this year on a
Monday, made a 'long weekend
holiday. in everypart of the
Dominion, holiday-makers took ad
vantage of the new low wee.e-rn,l
fares: recently inaugurated by the
Canadian Pacific Railway, ehargin;
fare and a quarter for return trips
to any point in the country. This
reduction is in force everywhere in
Canada every week -end, (739)
It costs little,: to have the ears
pierced. Any jazz band will do it for
nothing.
A moneylender has written a play.
He is said to have maintained the
interest to the end.
Di HI chines
Chiropractor
Of Wingham, will be at the
Commercial Hotel, Seaforth
Monday, Wednesday and
Friday Afternoons
Diseases of all kinds success-
fully treated.
Electricity used.
igh CIas,s Prinling
We can give you prompt and satisfactory service at a moderate
price in the following lines of printing:—
Letterheads
Envelopes
Statements.
Bill -heads.
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Factory Forms
Society Stationery
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Visiting Cards
Wedding Station-
ery
Invitations
The News has an up-to-date commercial printing plant and we
are equipped to turn out all classes of job work. Give us a call.
We have a new automatic ,press with great speed, recently
installed to 'produce printing, well done, with speed, and at mod-
erate cost. ,
THE $EAFORTH DEWS