The Seaforth News, 1931-07-16, Page 6PAGE SIX
THE SEAFORTH NEWS.
THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1931,
i
JOAN '-
of the
Hand
®rd
By S. R. eroekett
(Continued from Last week.)
CHAPTER K.V.
What Joan Left Behind.
'After the departure of his bride, the
Prince of Courtland stood on the
steps i•1 the minster, dazed and foun-
dered by the shame which had so
suddenly befallen hint Beneath him
the pea?le seethed tumultuously, their
holiday rfbands and maypole dresses
making as gay a swirl of colour as
when one looks at the sun through
the facets of a cut Venetian glass,
Prince Louis's weak and fretful face
worked with emotion. His bird -like
hands clawed uncertainly at his
sword=hilt, wandering off over the
golden pouches that tasselled his bal-
dric till they rested on the sheath of
the poignard he wore.
"Bid the gates be shut, Prince!"
The whisper carte over his shoulder
from a young man who had been
standing all the time twisting his
moustache. "Bid your horsemen bit
and bridle. The plain is fair before
you. It is a long way to Kernsberg.
I have a hundred Muscovites at your
service, all well Mounted—ten thous-
and behind them over the frontier if
these are not enough! Let no wench
in the world put this shame upon a
reigning Prince of Courtland on his
wedding -day!"
Thus Ivan of Muscovy, attired in
silk, handed of black and gold, coun-
selled the disdained Prince Louis,
who stood pushing upward with two
fingers the point of his thin greyish
beard and gnawing the straggling
ends between his teeth.
"I say, To horse and ride, man!'
Will you dare tell this folk of yours
that you are disdained, slighted at
the very church door by your wedded
wife, cast off and trodden in the mire
like a bursten glove? Can you afford
to proclaim yourself the scorn of
Germany? How it will run, •that
news! To Plassenburg first, where
the Executioner's Son will smile tri-
umphantly to his witch woman, and
straightway send off a messenger to
tickle the well -larded ribs of his
friend the Margret' George with the
rare jest."
The Prince Louis appeared to be
moved by the Wasp's words, He
turned about to the nearest knight -
in -waiting.
"Let us to horse—every man of.
us!" he said, "13k1 that the steeds.
be brought instantly."
The banded Wasp had further
counsels to give,
"Give out that you go to meet the
Princess at a rendezvous. For a
p!easantny between yourselves, you
have resolved to spend the honey-
moon at a distant hunting -'lodge.
Quick! Not half a dozen of all the
company caught the true import of
iter words. You will tante her yet.
She trill' founder her horses in a
single day's, ride, while you have re-
lays along the road at every castle,
at every farts -house, and your bor-
ders are fifty good miles away."
Beneath, in the square, the court
jesters leaped and laughed, turning
somersaults and making a flying
skirt, like that of a mornce dancer,
out of the long, flapping points of
their parts -coloured blouses, The
streets in front of the cathedral were
alive with musicians, mostly in little
bands of three, a harper with his harp
of fourteen strings, his companion
playing industriously upon a Flute -
English, and with these two their
'prentice or servitor, who accompan-
led them with shrill iterance of
whistle, while both his hands busied
themselves with the merry tuck of ta-
bour,
(
In this incessant merrymaking the
people soon forgot their astonish-
ment at the sudden disa;ipearance •of
the bride. There was, indeed, no un-
derstanding these great folk. But it
was a fine day for a feast—the pre-
text a good one. And so the lasses
and lads joked as they danced in the
lower vaults of the townhouse, froth
which' the barrels had been cleared
for the occasion,
"If thou and I were thus wedded,
heed no communication by word or
pelt.",
"Von De'ssauer — his secretary 1"
. whispered Ivan, 'dropping the sugges-
Grete, would you ride one Way and
I the other Nay, God w-ot, lass! I
ant but a tanner's 'prentice, but I'd
abide beside thee, as close as bark
by hide that lies three years inthe
same tan -pit -ay, an' that I would,
lass!„
Then Gretchen bridled. "I would
not marry thee, nor yet "lie near or
far, tI-Ians; thou art but a boy, feck-
less and skill -less save to pole about
thy stinking skins—faugh!"
"Nay, try nae, Grete! Is not, this
kiss as sweet es any civet -scented fop.
could give?"
At the command of the Prince the
trumpets rang out again the call of
"Boot -and -saddle!" from the steps of
the cathedral. At the sound the
grooms, who were here and there in
the press, hastened to find and cap-
arison the horses of their lords. Mean-
while, on the wide steps the Prince
Lours fretted, dieting his nails rest-
lessly into his palms and shaking with
anger and disappointment till his deep
sleeves vibrated like scarlet flames in
a veering wind.
Suddenly there passed a wave over
the people who crowded the spacious
Dom Platz o'f Courtland. The tur-
moil stilled itself unconsciously. The
many -headed parti-coloured throng of
women's tall coifs, gay fluttering ri-
bands, men's velvet caps, gallants'
white feathers that shifted like the
permutations of a kaleidoscope, all at
once fixed itself into a sea of white
face.. from which presently arose .a
forest of arms flourishing kerchiefs
and tossing caps. To this succeeded a
deep mouth -roar of burgherish wel-
come such as the reigning Prince had.
never heard raised in his own honour.
"Conrad—Prince Conrad! Gad bless
our Prince -Cardinal!" '
The legitimate ruler of Courtland,
standing where Joan had left hint,
With his slim -waisted 'Muscovite men-
tor behind 'hint, talf-turned to look.
And there on the highest place stood
his brother in the scarlet of his new
dignity, his red birettta held in his
hand, and his fair' and noble head
erect as he looked over the folk to
where on the slope above the city
gates he could still see the sun glint
and sparkle on the cuirasses and
ianceheads of the four hundred riders
of Kernsberg.
!But even as the Prince of Court -
:and looked back at his brother, the
whisper of the tempter smote his ear.
"Had Prince Conrad been in your
place, and you behind the altar rails,
think you that the Duchess Joan
would have fled so cavalierly?"
13y this time the young Cardinal
had descended till 'he stood on the
other side df the Prince from Ivan of
Muscovy,
"You take horse to follow your
bride?" he queried, smiling. "Is it a
fashion of Kernsberg brides thus to
steal away?" •For he could see the
grooms - bringing horses into the
square, and the guards beating the
people hack with, the butts of their
spears to make r'ooin for the mount-
ing of the Prince's cavalcade.
"Hark -he flouts you!" carne the
tt-hinper over the bridegroom's shoul-
der; "I warrant he knew of- this
before."
"You have done your priest's work,
brother," said Louis doldlly, "e'en per-
mit me to go about that of prince and
a husband in my own way."
The Cardinal bowed low, but -with
great self -command held his peace,
whereat Louis of Courtland broke
out in a sudden overboiling fury.
"This is your dmin,gl" he cried; "I'
know it well. From her first cdming
my bride had set herself to scorn
me. My sister knew it. You knew it.
You smile as at a,jes!t. The -people's
favour has turned your head. You
would have all—the lover of my wife,
the rule of my folk, as well as the ac-
claim of 'these city swine.' Listen—
'The good Prince Conrad! God save
the noble Princel' It 'is worth while
living for favour such as this."
'Brother of mine," ,aid the young
pian gently "as you kit vt"w ll, I .never
set eyes upon the noble` Lady Joan
before. Never s'pdke word to 'her,.
tion carefully
over his shoulder
like
distilled into C s till l ec a cup,
"You were'constantly with the old
fox Dessauer, the envoy of Plassen-
burg—who came from Kernsberg,
bringing with him that slim secretary.
By my faith, now, when I think of
it, Prince Ivan told, the last night he
was as like this madcap girl as pea
to pea—some fly -blown base -born
brother,
doubtless!"',
Conrad shook his head His bro
£hell had doubtless, gone momentar-
ily distract with his troubles..:
"Nay, deny it not! .end smile not
either—lest I spoil the sp'atrmetry of
that face
'But to • horse—to horse —we lose
time!" laughed Ivan of Muscovy.
"Brother," said the Cardinal, laying
his hand on Lotus's atvn, "on my
ward as a knight—as a Prince of the.
Church - I knew nothing of the mat-
ter. I cannot even guess what has led
you thus to accuse rte!
The .Princess Margaret came at that
moment out of the cathedral and rain
impetuously to her favorite brother.
He put out his Nand, She took it,
and instead of kissing his bishop's
ring, as in strict etiquette she ought
to have done, she cried, out, "Conrad,
do you know what that glorious
wench has done? Dared her husband's
authority at the church door, leaped
into the saddle, whistled tip her . men,
cried to all these Courtland gallants,
'Catch me who can!' Andlol at this
moment she is riding straight for
I'lernsberg, and now our Louis must
catch her. A glorious wedding! 1
would 1 were by ,her side. Brother
Louis, you need not frown, I am no-
wise affrighted at your glooms! This
is a bride worth fighting for. No pul-
ing cloister -maid this that dares not
raise her eyes higher than her bride-
groom's knee! !Vere I am man, by my
faith, I would never eat or drink,
neither pray nor sain ce, till I had
tamed the darling and brought :her to
my wrist like a falcon to a lure!"
"So, then, madam, you knew of
this?" said her elder brother, glower-
ing upon her from beneath his heavy
brows.
"Nay!" trilled the gay Princess, "I
only wish I had, Then, I, too, would
have been riding with them—s—uc'h a
jest• never was, it would have been.
Good-bye, my poor forsaken brother!
Joy be with you on this your bridal
journey. Take Prince Ivan with you,
and Conrad and I will keep the king-
dom against -your' return, with your
prize gentled on your wrist."
So smiling acid kissing her hand the
Princess Margaret waved her brother
and Prince Ivan off, The Prince of
Courtland neither looked at her nor
answered. .But the Muscovite turned
often in his saddle as if to carry with
him the picture she made of saucy
countenance and dainty figure as she
stood looking up into the face of the
Cardinal Prince Conrad.
"What in Heaven's name is the
meaning of all .this—I do not under-
stand in the least?".he was saying.
"Haste you and unrobe, Brother•
Con," she said; ".this grandeur of.
yours daunts me. 'Then, in the sum-
mer parlour, I will tell you all!"
OHAPTER XVI.
Prince Wasp's Compact,
"I cannot go back to .Courtland dis-
honoured," said Prince Louis to Ivan
of !Muscovy, as they stood on the
green bank looking down on the
rushing river, broad and .brown, which
had so lately been the Fords of Alla.
The river had risen almost as is ,seem-
ed upon the very heels of the four
hundred horsemen of IZernsberg, and
the ironclad 'knights and men-at-
arms who followed the Prince of
Courtland could not face the yeasty
swirl of the flood,
,Prince Ivan, left to himself, would
have dared it.
' "What is a little brown water?" he
cried, "Let the men leave" their .arta-
our on this side and swim their horses
through. We do it fifty times a month
in.. Muscovy in the springtime. And
what are your hill -fed brooks to the
full -blossomed rirvers of the. Great
Plain?.,
"It is just because they are hill -fed
that eve know them and will not risk
our lives. The Alla has come down
out of the mountains of Iiohenstein.
For four -and -twenty -hours nothing.
without wing may pass and repass.,
Yet an hoar earlier and our Duchess
had been trapped on the hither side
even as we. Put now she will sit and
laugh u;p there in • Kerees!berg. And—I
cannot go back to Courtland without
a bride!
Prince Ivan stood a moment silent.
Then his eyes glanced .over his com-
panion with acertain severe and a-
mused curiosity, From foot to head
they scanned him, beginning at the
shoes of red' Cordovan leather, fol-
lowing upwards to the great tassel he
wore at his poignard;-then came the
golden girdle about his 'waist, the
flowered needlework at his wrists and
neck, and the, scrutiny ended with the
flat red cap on 'his left eye.
Theon the gaze of Prince Ivan re-
turned again slowly to the pointed
red shoes` of Cordovan leather.
If there was alythiing so
contemp
t
ious as that eYe link the open
scorn of all the burghers of Courtl and
Prince Louis was to ^be excused for
any hesitation he might show in fac-
ing his subjects.
The .matter of Prince Wasp's meell-
atiou .ran somewhat thus wise: "Thou
mats, fas'hioned from Et scul'lion's nail -
paring, and cocked upon ' a ho'r'se,
What can I make o'f thee? Thou, 'to
have d country, r i crown, a wife!.
a
Gudgepn eats stickleback jack pia e
eats gudgeon and grows fat, till alt
last thesturgeon in has armour eats
hint. I will fatten this jack. 'I will
feed him like the gudgeons of Kerns-
berg and Hobensitein, then take him
with a dainty lure indeed, b'eack-tipped
with sleeves gay as cranes' wings,
lady, Joan.' But wait—I must be
and answering to the name of 'icy
"wary, and have a care lest I shadow
his water."
So saying within his heart, Prince
Wasp became exceedingly thoughtful
and of a demure countenance.
"My lord, ate said, ""this day's work
will ,not go well down in Courtland
I fear me!"
Prince Louis moveduneasily. keep-
ing anis regard ':steadily upon the
brown turmoil of the Alla swirling
beneath, whereas the eyes of 'Ivan
were never_reinoved from his friend's
meagre face.
' "Your true Courtlander is more
than half•a Muscovite," mused Prince
Wasp, as if thinking aloud; "lie wish-
es not to be argued with. He wants
a master, and he will not love one
wh.o'permits himself to be choused of
a wife upon this his wedding day!
Prince Louis started quickly as the
Wasp's sting pricked him.
"And pray, Prince Ivan," he said,
"what could I have done that I left
undone .Speak plainly, since you are
so prodigal of seniles suppressed, so
witty with covert words and shoulder,
tappings!'
"My Louis," said Prince !gasp,
laying his hand upon the arm of his
companion with an affectation of
tenderness. "I flout you not -'I clock
you not. And if I speak harshly, it
is only that I love not to see you in
your turn flouted, mocked, scorned,
made light of before your oevn
;people!„
"I believe it, Ivan; pardon the heat
of my h'ast'y temper!" said the Prince
of. Courtland. The watchful Mus-
covite pursued his advantage, nar-
rowing his eyes that he might the
better note every change on the face
of the moan whom he held in his toils.
He went on, with a certain resigned
sadness in his voice—
"Ever since I carie first to Court-
Bland with the not dishonourable hope
of carrying back to my father a prin-
cess of your house, none have been so
amiable together as you and L We
have been even as David and Jonath-
Ian,"
The Prince Louis put out a hand,
which apparently Ivan -did not see,
for he continued without taking it.
"Yet what have I gained either of.
solid good or even of the lighter but
not less agreeable matter .o'f my lady's
favour? !So far as your sister is con-
cerned, I have wasted my time. II I
Consider the union of our peoples, al-
ready one in heart, your brother.
works gainst us both; the Princess
Margaret dcepises rine, Prince Conrad.
thwarts us,
"I think not so," answered Prince
(Louis "I cannot think so of my
brother, with all anis faults.'Coitrad is
a brave soldier, a good knight—tho'
as is the custom of our .house, it is his
lot to be no more than a prince-
bishopJ"
The Wasp laughed a little hard
laugh, clear and inhuman as the snap
and rattle of Spanis'h castanets.
"Louis, my good friend, your sim-
plicity, your lacic of guile, do you
wrong most grievous! You judge
others as you yourself are: IDo you
not see that Conrad your brother
is behind this? Consider it, good
Louis.
And the Prince of Muscovy twirl-
ed his moustache and smiled conde-
scendingly between his fingers. Then
as if he thought suddenly f
g s e y o . s
onne-
else and made a new calculation, he
laughed a laugh, quick and short as
the harking of a dog.
"Hai" he cried, "truly we order
things better in sty country. I have
brothers, one, tWO, three, They are
grand dukes, highnesses very serene.
One of thein has this province, anoth-
er this sinecure, yet another waits on
lily father. My father dies --,and I—
well, I am in my father's ,place. What
will my brothers do with their serene
highnesses then? They will take each
one the clearest road and the shortest
for .the frontier, or by the Holy Icon
of Moscow, there would very speed-
ily be certain new tablets in the ftin-
'eral vault of my fathers."
The Prince o'f Courtlland started,
"This thing I could never imagine
of Conrad my brother. He loves inc.
At heart he ever cared but for his
books, and now he , hath forsworn
knighthood, and - toureamen'ts,, and
wars,"
"Poor IJouis,"• said Ivan sadly,
"not to see that once a soldier always
3m soldier. But Itis a good fault, this
generous blindoes's of • the eyes. He
hath already the love of your people.
In lett d • little he may be even ;,greater taloa
yourself, an elector of the ':empire,
"5I air sure that 'Conrad would do
•noitdninlg against .his fatherland on to
(the hurt of, his prince and brother!"
said Prince Louis, but he spoke in a
watering voice,: like one more than
!calf convinced.
"Again," continued Ivan without
heeding
tun the
re ib
youe wife.I
ant sure that if he head been the prince
'and you the priest welly she had not
slept this night in the Castle of Kern-
sbergl"
"Ivan, if you love me, be silent,'!
cried the tortured Prince of.' Cour't-
lancl, setting his hand to his brow.
"This is the mere idle dreaming of a
fool. How learned you these things?
I clean haw did the thoughts enter,
your mind?"
"I learned the matter from the
Princess Margaret, who in the brief'
space of a day bec'anne your wife's
confidante!"
"Did Margaret, tell it you?"
The Prince Ivan laughed a short,
self -depreciatory laugh.
' "Nay; truly," he said, smilingsad-
ly, "you and I are it? one despite,
!Louis. Yourwife scorns you—me,
my sweetheart. Did Margaret tell
me? Nay, verily! Yet I learned it ne-
vertheless, even more certainly be-
cause she denied it so vehemently.
The Prince of Courtland tur>hed an
angry countenance upon his friend,
but the keen -witted Muscovite looked
so kindly and yet so sadly upon hint
that after awhile the severity of his
face relaxed as it had been against his
will, and with a quick gesture he add-
ed, "I 'believe you love me, Ivan,
though indeed your words are 00 bet -
tem tban red-hot pincers in my heart."
"Love you, Louis?" cried Prince
Ivan,- "I love you better than any
brother I have, though they will nev-
er live to thwart me as yours thwarts
you—better even than my father, for
you do not keep me out of my inher-
itance!"
Then in a ,gayer tone he went on.
"I love you so much that I will
pledge my father's whole army to
help you, first to win your wife, next
to take Hoheustein, Kernsberg, and
Marienfeld, • And after that, if you
are still ambitious, why—to Plassen-
burg and, the Wol€anark, which now
the Executioner's Son holds. That
would Make a noble king.dont to offer
a fair and wilful queen."
"And for this you ask?"
"Only your love, Louis—only your
love! :And, if it please you, the alli-
ance with that Princess of your hon-
orable house, of whom we spokejust.
now!"
My sister Margaret, you mean? I
will do what I can, Ivan, but she also
is willful. You know she is wilful!
I cannot compel her lovel"
The Prince Ivan laughed.
"I ant not so complaisant as you,
tLouis, nor yet so modest. Give the
my bride on the day Joan of the
Sword Hand sleeps in the -palace of
CCourtland as its princess, and I will.
take my chance of winning our Mar-
garet's love!"
(To 'Be Continued.)
A postage stamp in the Aztec
language i s "ama'tlozulotoca'ttaxia-
huila." When with Aztecs, don't
write --telegraph.
Want and For Sale Ads, 1 time 25c,
D. H. •Mclnnes
chiropractor
Of Wingham, will be at the
Commercial Hotel Seafortl,
Monday, Wednesday and
Friday Afternoons
Diseases of all kinds success-
fully treated
Electricity used.
PROFESSIONAL CARDS
Medical
DIR. H. HUGH ROSS, Physician•
u on Iios--
d
and Surgeon. Late of Lo
pital,,, London, England Special.
attention. to diseases of the eye, ear,
nose' and throat, Office and resi-
'den'ce behind Dominion' Baink. Office'
Phone No. '5; Residence Phone 104,
DR, F, J, ;BURROWS, Seaforth.
Office and residence, Goderic'h street,;
east' of the United' Church. Coroner'.
for the County of Huron. Telephone, .,
No. 46.
DR. C. MIAIOKIAY.—C. l+facica•y,,
honor graduate of Trinity University'
and gold medallist of Trinity Medical
College; member of the College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
DR, F. J. R. F!OIRISITEIR--Eye, Ear
Nose and Throat. Graduate in Medi
cine, University of Toronto -1897.
Late Assistant New York O;plh'thal
ntic and . Aural Institute, Moorefield's,
Eye, and Golden Square throat hospi-
tals, London, Enggland. At 'Comm-
ercial Hotel, Seaforth, 3rd' Monday in'
each month, from 11' a.m. to 3 p.m.
Da. w. C. SPIRO'AIT.-Graduate of
Faculty of Medicine, University of
Western Ontario, London, Member
of College of Physicians and 'Sur-
geons of Ontario, . Office in rear of
Abetihart's drug store, Seaforth.
Phone 90. Hours' 1,30-4 p.in, 7.30
-9 p.m. Other hours by appointment.
Dental
IDR. J. A. MUNN, Successor to
Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of North-
western Unniversity, Chicago, Ili^ Li-
centiate Royal College of Dental Sur-
geons, Toronto. Office over Sills'
hardware, Main St., Seaforth. Phone
151.
D'., F. J, BtECH+ELY, graduate
Royal College of Dental Surgeons,
Toronto, Office over W. R. Smith's
grocery, Main St., Seaforth, Phones,
office 185'W, resideuce 1853.
Auctioneer.
'GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed
Auctioneer for the County of Huron.
Arrangements can be made for Sale
Date at The Seaforth News, Charges
moderate and satisfaction guranteed.
WATSON AND REID'S
REAL ESTATE
AND INSURANCE AGENCY
(Succssors to James 'Watson)
MAIIN ST., SEAFORTH, OBIT,
,All kinds of Insurance risks effect-
ed at lowest rates in First -Class
Companies,
THE McKII.LOP
Mutual Fire Insurance nc Co.
FARM AND ISOLATED. TOWN
PIRIObPiE'RITY, ONLY, PN',S'URIED
Officers—James Connolly, Goder-
ich, Pres,; James Evans, Beechwood,
Vice President; D. F. McGregor,
Seaforth, Sec. -Treasurer.
Directors—Wm. Rinn, No, 2, Sea -
forth;. John Bernnewies, Brodhagen;
James ,Evans, Beechwood; M. Mc-
Ewen, Clinton; James Connolly, God-
erich; Alex, Broadfoot, No, 3, Sea-
forth; J. 1M. Sholdice, No. 4, Walton;
Robert Ferris, Harlock; George Mc-
Cartney, NTo. 3, Seaforth; lfurray
Gibson, Brucafield,
Agens James Watt, Blyth r.r.
No. 1, E. Hinchley, Seaforth; J. A.
Murray, r,n No, 3, Seaforth; J. V.
Yeo,' Holmesviile>• R. G. Jarmouth,
Bornholm. James Iserr and John Go-
venlock, Seaforth, auditors, Parties
desirous to effect insurance or tran-
sact other business, will be promptly
attended to by application to any of
the above named officers addressed
to their respective postoffices,
mem.„..m
High Class PnIing
We can give you prompt and satisfactory service at a moderate
price in the following lines of printing:—
Letterheads
Envelopes
Statements.
Bill -heads.
Private Cheques
Circulars
Tags
Cards
Tickets
Sale Bills
Dodgers
Menus
Factory Forms
Society Stationery
Blotters
Booklets
Business Cards
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 SE7IFO T
R w DEM
sammisimmummumnimmimmem