HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S LOVE AFFAIR. (From Harper's Magazine)

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2110, 16 January 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S LOVE AFFAIR. (From Harper's Magazine)

♦ — (Concluded.)

The truth is that Colonel Chowery, thanks to his pretty daughter, had become an important person. Tho courts of England and Gothia and the Foreign Officers of those two states were exertinuf their influence upon him. Tho littlo man had frequent intervals with Lord Baxtayro, nn astute and well-bred nobleman connected with the Government, whose business it was in this affair to convey remonstrances, arguments, threats, compliments, and promises unofficially to the colonel, and remind him that it was hi 9 duty as an officer and a gentleman not to encourage a suit which could le.id ta no creditable results, but only to complications, politioal and Bocia.l, of n very troublesome character. Unfortunately Colonel Chowery Btood in such a position that lie had no longer anything to fear from soul alive. A week previously had he been threatened with expulsion from Gothia, the dread of such a fate would have rendered him cautious, but now that he had been expelled, what more could be done to him ? He had been subjected to great annoyance and pecuniary loss, and feeling how very strong his position had become on this account, the little man was not disposed to eat humble pie before Lord Baxtayre. * You must not presume to lecture me, my lord,' said he, with some dignity. ' The Gothian Government owes me apology and compensation for the wrong that wan done to me. It is not my fault if the Crown Prince chooses to love my daughter.' 'He would degrade your daughter, sir,' responded his lordship. 4 1 don't see how that can be, since he offers to marry her.' ' Pooh ! a morganatic marriage ! However, I have warned you for your own good. You must do as ytfu please.' This was the substances of what passed between tho Colonel and Lord Baxtayre at their first two interviews ; but the Crown Prince positively refused to budge from England, and then the business assumed a much more serious complexion, j His Royal Highness was virtually kept a prisoner at Claridge's. The Royal Prince, the Gothian Minister, the Secretary of Forreign Office, saw him daily, and exhausted their ingenuity in trying to make him hear reason. Tho Gothian court Chamberlain, Count Yon Schmeikelmund, and two Gothian Generals had come over to reason with him, and the Prince found it impossible to leave his hotel without being followed. But such a a 'ate of things as this could not last for* ever. The Gothian court, who had but hazy notions of English institutions, were telegraphing frantically to know whether Colonel Chowery and his daughter could not be clapped into the Tower, and the British Government were fain to answer that this could not be done. Why had uot the Gothian Government rather put the whole Chowery family into some Gothian fortress? From the first the astute Lord Baxtayre declared that thin was the course that ought to have been taken,

1 1 hat expulsion was a most hopeless blunder,' said his lordship. 'It just set theae wretched Chowerys free to bark and howl all over the place. The Colonel is a most intractable subject. What on earth is to be done ?' What, indeed ? A week nftor the Crown Prince's arrival in England the serious news came that popular demonstrations were being organised in AltenBtadt. The Swabiau Miuister having asked for his passports, a belief had arisen that Baron yon Stolz's government were going to declare war against Swabia, and Baron yon Zweifelwitz, the leader of the Opposition, was stirring up the populace to shout for a summoning of Parliament and the downfall of the Stolz ministry. The situation was moat perilous. The alarmed King of Gothia apprehended a revolution, and wrote saying that the overthrow of Yon Stolz was just the step most likely to precipitate the war with Swabia which the Opposition affected to dread, and there was no saying but that a war with Swabia might lead to a general conflagration. Now at this prospect the whole English Ministry quaked in their seats. They had no wish for a European war. Foreign policy was not their strong point. What was to be done ? It was evident that Colonel Chowery held the fate of Europe in hiß hands. 'We must get this man and his brood out of the way,' said Lord Baxtayre, plainly, to one of the ministers. • Couldn't you give him a Governorship ? The Backward Isles are vacant.' ' Do you think that would satisfy him?' asked tho Minister. • You might piomiso to knight him when he had been out there two years. Then he must have a pecuniary compensation, and an apology from the King of Gothia.' ' How much compensation !' 1 The King of Gothi.i must pay that. I suppose ho would give ten thousand pounds to fiee this matter Rcttled." ' Ten thousand pounds is a large sum.' • I phnll begin by offering five only, and I shall make everything contingent on Miss Ghowory tellhitf the Prince flatly that she rejects his addresses. On those terms I think hia Royal Hijrljnpss would toddle.' 1 For Heaven's sake do that, then !' cried the Minister, auxiously. "Go at once, Baxtnyre, and if you Bucoeed we'll never forgot it.' • Not when you givo away tho next Garter ?' asked his lordship, with a smile. ' The next Garter shall be yours," was the eager response. ' But ploase go : don't loso a minute.' So Lord Baxtayre went. This time he was a pleasant as possible with Colonel Chowery, He used no threats. He spoke in whispers. He was insinuating, and finally he triumphed ; for when he left the Clarendon he had got the Colonel tojaccept the Governorship of the Backward Isles, an indemuity of £10,000, and an apology from the Gothian Government, iv return for which he (the Colonel) was to arrange that his daughter should dismiss the Crown. Prince of Gothia from her for ever, The little Colonel rubbed his hands when Lord Baxtayre was gone, ajid he sent for Mabel. " Come here, my dear," he said, " and attend to my instructions. Tho Crown Prince is coming to sec you this evening. You must be cold to him, and tell him that you refuse to become his wife." "But, papa, you told me to say just the contrary a week ago." " Never mind what I said then. You assurred me yourself that you had no love for the Prince. I hope you were not so deceitful as to tell me au untruth." " No, papa ; but—" "But if you don't love him you can't wish to mairy him. — That's clear." "I was going to say, papa— that— l had not had time to think on the matter." " Reason the more why I should think : for you. Now are you going to be a good gitl, and do as you are told ?" " Oh yes, papa ; but I do hope you won't come to me next we»»k and scold me for having obeyed you." "I am snre you are a very foolish child,* replied the little Colonel. You may guess the epilogue of this story. The Crown Prince returned crestfallen to Altenstadt, and Colonel Chowery went off to the Backward Isles with his family. He is now Sir Victor Chowery, and his daughter Mabel is married to a Captain Bellair, who was for a time in the garrison of the islands. The Crown Prince of Gothia married the Princess Caroline of Swabia after all ; but his Royal Highness's love affair was no such passing fancy as his parents had thought for when he heard of Mabel's marriage he sent her a very beautiful bracelet, with one single word incrusted on it in diamonds : Vergissminnicht."