Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 8, 1903)
November 8, 1903. TUE ILLUSTRATED HEE. 11 where, aside from vncrownod king of oar .house, only they fro who have parted from the world; I hurled myself In a Carthusian cell. There, where I heard no other earthly sound than tolling bells, murmured prayers and churchly songs, I listened to the voice within myself and drew up a proclamation. I do not know what the words were; I know only that I found words that reached the heart of my people, that entered Into their souls and set them aflame. If my government had not listened to my voice, If the two houses had refused to obey, the people, the whole people, burn ing with my words, would have arisen and demanded the execution of my will. So did my nation itself help me to lead it to greatness and to happiness; and the ' Inheritance of my fathers and of myself was taken by that State to which belonged the future before all other B tales of Eu rope, Taking the royal crown from my head, I attained my royal achievement. CHAPTER XXXIII. What remained to be done after thatT To expiate past sins and to prepare my self In a holy place for the end. But this holy place was not to be a monastery. And not the grave. Not yet. I had not seen Oebhardt' again. He had thrown my royal "thanks" back Into my face and had quit his military position be cause he would not wear the King's coat not the coat of such a King! Once I heard briefly about him. He had turned passion ately to the "propaganda for the people." So this man had become a socialist, this man whose elegance and culture once had brought on him the scorn of the young man who possessed, the giant strength to be a regicide and parlclde and still to become a happy husband, the futher of beautiful sons. When I came to my decision about my future fate, which was to be lonely and hidden, and chose the spot where I would prepare for my end, I wrote to Uebhardt. I did not axk . him for forgiveness. I wrote to him that, voluntarily renouncing the throne, I thought of the words that he once had spoken to me of the King who had a friend; that I thought of his glance that accompanied the words. I asked him to accompnny me Into my self exile to share my lifelong imprisonment with me, to be my faithful guardian again until That was more than to ask his forgive ness. I knew that he would understand me, that he would come. And see he came! My first act was marked out for me. Not even Oebhardt must be with me then. He accompanied me only to the shore of the Alpine Sea. Then he crossed It to the house in the high Alps that was to be my home thenceforth until I unlocked the door of another refuge. Followed only by npy chasseur, I climbed upward. It was spring, the same spring that (Copyright, 1903, by E. 1). Warner.) iK YOU ore hunting for active service ou can get it any day of your life and you won't have to leave America either. I can guar antee to get you the experience of being under tire before the end of a fort night." The listeners turned from the militiaman In uniform, who had been comp'alning that a soldier hud no chance thee duys, to the sun-tanned military looking man in civilian clothes. "A week ago last night," he continued, "I was in a fight in which more men were killed than in many of the battles of the Spanish-American war. You see, I'm from the country oi constant trouble I'm a cap tain of the Texas Rangers and In the last two years I've taken purt In at least a hundred fights In - which men were slain, and often many men at that. "Yes," continued the Captain, "If you want to see active campaigning join the Ranger Service and work with the boys along the Mexican border for a year. You may not get your name In the papers, as you would in a regular war, but you will get the experience. If the press were to record al! the fighting going on down there, there wouldn't be much r-how for any other news. " "It's a three-cornered sort of fight that goes on along the Rio Grande, in which the Mexican rurales, or regular troops, the cattle thieves, smugglers and frontier des peradoes and we Rangers fcrm the three corners. Sometimes we cross the border and help the Mexicans, sometimes the Mex icans come over Into American territory and take a hand in coralling some particu larly desperate band of cattle raiders. But usually we do our own fighting and the Mexicans theirs, each of us on our own side of the Rio Grande. "The rattle raiders and smugglers are Just as regularly organized as we are and they also fight according to mi liary tactics. Most of their leaders have held commis sions) In regular armies and they teach their men to put up a pretty stiff scrap. They come across the Rio Grande, some mil follows every winter. Everywhere were the same budding and blossoming, the name shining sky, the same sun and the same balmy soft air even the same birds' songs and the same weaving and growing of nature that has been for centuries. And In this world fate and soul of man are subject to changes that make today yes terday. Climbing over the flowery meadows through the spring day, higher and higher, until the snowy peaks gleamed over the light green beeches and the black cedars, I had to strive with all my might In order to remember that recent Yesterday. Soon I should see the Alpine farm lying before me. Sunlight and peace surreund the brown house. The windows gleam out afar. Inside everything is bright, cheer ful and serene. The pinks twine around the picture of the Christ, the geraniums begin to blossom and the rooms smell of lavender and rosemary. The first young grass Is being mowed; Miss Frits helps the workers; the house dog sleeps in the sun. Hearing the wander er's feet, he will raise-his shaggy head, but with no barks of joy will be leap towurd him. Maids and men will not cheer In welcome and their mistress will not give him her hand and say: "Be welcome In this house." I left the chasseur behind and went for ward alone, expecting every moment to see a slender, shining form approaching me, with a smile on her sweet face. But Judlca did not come. Perhaps site sat In the arbor, already cov ered with the green of the wild vines, and was peering through the foliage for me, knowing that I wan returning today. Now ahs would come soon, flitting toward me In he. white garments like a fairy; now she would throw herself on my breast, and press her lips on mine, those lips that kissed like a child's mouth. But she did not come. Surely she was In the garden. True, It was not yet raspberry, time. But the apple tree blossomed. The apple tree! Of course, she was sitting under the ap ple tree by the hawthorn hedge awaiting me. I crept around the house, crept into the garden, crept to the hawthorn hedge. The apple tree stood In full glory, but the little green bench under It was empty. 1 broke a branch from the tree and went where I would surely And my little Judlca. . I went that same way of which I did not know then that it had been her way of death. I noticed how full it was of flowers and how the hummings of the insects sounded around me like low song. But the celestial sun should not have shone on me on my way. I arrived at the mountain meadow and saw a solemn white edifice. Suddenly I The Country of times a hundred strong, round in a herd of cattle from the ranges and before dawn they are buck again In Mexican territory. Often we run into them, but their horses, or Indian ponies, are usually fresher than ours and they get away unless we can . corner them. Then they fight as men of Ihelr calibre always fight desperately, like wild beasts. "Formerly, when we did capture some of them, their organisation would hire law yers to defend them In the civil courts and they usually got off for lack of evident e. This became ro much the regular thing that wc got discouraged. But one day the word was passed d&wn that Instead of hold ing future captives we should turn them over at the nearest Mexican po3t. Mex ican law Is best for cattle thieves. "Not long after this I got Information of a band that would cross the river that night at a certain ford and I got my men ready. After dark we rode down to the ford and laid low. At ubout 11 o'clock we saw the raiders, fifty strung, crossing the shallows. We gave them time to cross, then dashed down along the bunk, cutt ng off their retreat to Mexicnn territory and the mountains. It was a stiff scrap, but we outnumbered the raiders and they scat tered, leaving twenty dead. Next day we captured ten more, but the rest got awjy. "Remembering orders, I didn't turn thoie ten men over to our authorities. Instead I camped my men out until night and then we crossed over into Mexico and mide for the neareit Mexican post, a small pNcj culled Argentina not far from Ciudad Junrex, but far enough to prevent Inter ference from the civil autftorilies. At 2 In the morning we reached tlTe post and the commandaute came out In his imjumas to receive us. " ue quieren, senoits?' (What can I do for you, gentlemen?) he aild. " 'Horse thieves,' I answered. "I saw the cominandante grin. He had my men shown to the sleeping quarters - and he shared his Led with me. "Before daybreak he called me. " 'If you want to show your men an ex ecution,' he said, 'line them up In the Plata. heard loud laughter and shouting of ch'l dren'a voices. Then I saw the little ones, a whole horde. All had golden blonde hair and all raced and romped around the grave of my wife, to whom the children came even In death. A far I stood and looked over toward the mausoleum, over whose entrance was graven in gold letters: "Blessed are the dead that laid down their lives for love." I read the words, listened to the laughter and the joy, and dared not approach nearer to her who had laid down her life for me. I was afraid of the golden-haired little ones that played by the grave of my child. No she did not give me her good, strong hand. She addressed me as "Your Maj esty" and inquired as to my commands. I begged her to let me enter her house once more; It would lie the last time. Silently she led me in and followed me Into the room wherein the crucified Re deemer looked down on us with dying eyes. Pointing to the face, I said: "Dying he forgave his enemies. When I arrive at pain equal to his in my ding. I shall call on him to be equally merciful to me. But he will not be able to show me grace unless I can tell him that you, too, have forgiven me." I stood before her, looked at . her whose dear one I had murdered, and waited with anguish for the word that should assure me a peaceful death. She let me wait long. But then she said: "It was In this room where now, morn ing, noon and night, the place under the picture Is empty, that I told you that for the loving woman there Is no unhapplness In living or In dying. Even In dying Judlca was happy, as her most faithful friend said In her last night. . Therefore, since you have not made my dear child unhappy; I have nothing to forgive." "Then you would give me your hand again?" "For a farewell." She gave me her hand, which I held silently In mine. And silently we parted. THE LAST. Since then I dwell on the Sea-Alp where my kingly delusion piled up the Grail Burg for me. An hour's march higher than the house In which I became seised by my hallucina tion, at a place almost unapproachable, rises .the vast edifice walls, towers and domes erected as by an Immortal one for all eternity. In it is a room, built entirely of white marble, with much gold on walls and cell ing. One side of this room Is open, and whoever treads there starts backward In fright, for a fearful depth yawns at his feet. Seised with dixxinesa, the frightened one holds fast to a rocky peak, on which the words are set in fiery red jewels: "I have withstood the test." Constant Trouble " 'Arn't you going to try them? I asked.' " 'Afterwards,' he said laconically. "I lined my men up with the Mexican garrison, In the plasa. The ten prisoners, most of them half-breed Indians and Mexi cans, were lined up against an adobe wall, and I must say they died like men. Some were only wounded, but the rurales shoved their bayonets Into them and ended their troubles quickly. That band of cattle thieves never bothered the ranchers on our side again. "A few weeks later we ran into another band, but they got away, all except five of them, whom we cut off from the river. Those five -retreated to a small village, cleared out all the Inhabitants, took pos session of the adobe council hall and pre pared to stand us off. We knew they had heard of the previous scrap, we knew that they real I xed they would be given no quar ter, so we expected them to fight until the last.' Excited by the skirmish, my men, numbering .fifty, galloped up to within range of the raiders' guns and before I could get them off to a safe distance five dropped 'out of their saddles. Finally we scattered about among the houses and kept up a steady fire. Afterwards, when we examined the adobe walls of the council hall we found that hardly a brick In it did not contain a bullet. "At last we circled about the house on our horses and in that way dropped three of the desperadoes. Just lie fore dawn the other two made a break to get away, but we saw them. We tried to get them to surrender, but they fought on untl! my men killed them both. "Once we had news from our friend, the Mexican commandante, that he hud cor nered over 100 raiders In a ravine and he asked us to come over to help him smoke them out. "It didn't take us long to get over and we found two companies of rurales stretched In firing line across the mouth of the canon, while the raiders, intrenched tx hind rocks, were dropping the Mexicans by twos and threes.. We came just in time to prevent a stampede of the comma n dants's troops. Then we charged the raid Only a few rooms are furnished. ai4 of there few I Inhabit only two. for In my Grail Burg 1 have no treasure to guard, nothing except the trembling, pulsating light of my reason. Today It burns still; today I still feel It flaming and flickering. I feel It hum Ing strongly this instant, feel It flickering feebly In the next, and .know that even tomorrow It may be extinguished totally. In the hours of my sanity I write the last words on the last pages of this book. Sometimes weeks pass before I can write; sometimes they are months. I know the sign exactly when It Is time to cease writing surely I will still be able to recognise the sign when It wilt be time to write "finis." Meantime I live on without a calendar of seasons, without a chronology of days. The great wise physician dwells with me ns faithful family friend. And with 'me, too. Uvea (he man who has so splendidly belled the word "Kings have no friends." Both are my keepers and guardians. Sometimes my mother visits me. When ever she comes, she puts her arms around me, presses my head lo her breast and weeps over me. Her mother-tears trickle over my forehead, trickle Into my brain and keep the light of my senses burning. Her mother-tears are the holy oil with which Heaven feeds the light of wly brain. That, too, Is a million times more than X deserve. Yesterday the young widowcl Queen vis ited me. For her, too, the waters were) far too deep, although she was the child of Kings. In my Grail Burg thousands and tens of thousands would visit me; the whole na tion, that once was my nation, would throng to me If lake and path were not guarded too se&luusly. The whole nation would make pilgrimages to me as It one made pilg'rlmages to the bier of my brother. . It would come to me to thank me for let ting It become great and happy under an other race of rulers. Ever more and more confused becomes the flickering of the little flame. Today I saw myself for the flrst time In a long while In a mirror. Then I read It on my forehead; a deep and sharp wrinkle between my brows. More confused; ever more confused. I feel a fierce lust to have a herd of men driven to the mountain peak and chased toward that wall of rock whence they forced the chamois to leap for my Insane father. No further now! Now It Is time! The light flames up once-more; before It dies Abyss! Open thou for me! On the peak of rock there shall be writ ten: "He hus withstood the test." (The End.) ers and killed seventy of them. The com mandante took no prisoners. But forty Mexicans and ten of my men went down. Considering numbers engaged that was as bloody a battle as you will find in modern history." "Are cattle thieves the only peop!a you fight? broke in one of the Captain's audi ence. "Officially, yes, not counting an occa sional brush with smugglers," he replied, "but nearly all of us have fought for Presi dent Dlas of Mexico. We did It for practice put it that way. "Almost every year the Yaquis let out their overplus of exuberant spirits by rising against the Mexican government. The Yaquis are not wild Indians, merely at least, they don't fight that way. Among them are white adventurers, who drill them according to modern tactics, and one Yaqul has more fighting spirit than ten average Mexican soldiers. "Whenever these risings take place there Is a marked Increase In our furlough list. Several years ago, at that time when the Yaquis punlphed the Mexicans most se verely, my turn came. I went on a three months' furlough and three days later I was wearing the shoulder straps of a Mexican captain and commanding a squad ron of cavalry. It wasn't necessary, but I did take ray men up to tho border near my own post and the boys were kind enough to loan me two small Meld pieces and a Maxim. Then we lit out for the Yaqut country. "We joined a brigade under General Rosales and pushed light up Into the moun tains. Next day our lines of communica tion with the nearest post were cut. The scouts sent out to reconnolter never re turned. We were entirely surrounded by 2,000 Yaquis. Next morning they closed lo, but we were well intrenched behind rocks on a high rise of ground. "The firing was getting pretty hot. W had with us a big bull-like Mexican, who stood up, fully exposed, and fired Into the Yaqul lines. Buddenly I law him start and hold his hand to his head fur an instant (Continued on Page Fifteen.)