The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-07-20
do to keep your imperial Highness

here 2"
"You must permit me to address
my admiration and homage to you.1
= Is that all % iaif8 aiiaa cred +
/" And you must encourage me to
please YOU"
That is much more difficult" said
the Princess, with deep blush, but
at the same time her eyes beamed
forth so much affection and delight
that the Prince could see at glance
that his fondest d opes had been real
lied beforehand.
=" During my short stay in Berlin"
the Grand Duke continued in the same
tone of voice, have taken pains to
study your character and affections,
and this study has satisfied me that
you would render me very happy,
while on the other hand I have some
qualities which would secure your
own happiness" 1000 .-.
The Princess was overcome by emo
ton, and in her confusion did not
know what to answer. AT last she
said. But here, in the presence of
the whole court, at the public table,
you put such a question to me Z"
sob" replied the Prince, "yon need
not make any verbal reply. It will be
sufficient for you to give me some
pledge OF; your affection. I see there
Ton your hand q small ring whose pos
Session would make me very happy.
Give it to me" .aia 500
"What do you think of Here in
the presence of a hundred spectators ?"
All, it can be easily done without
being seen By anybody. Now we are
chatting SO quietly together that there
is not one among the guests suspects
in the least what we are speaking
about. Press. the ring into a morsel
of bread and leave it on the tables; I
will take the talisman, and nobody
will notice it" Is ss,..,a.f,f,.f.s
- ".'Thls ring is really a talisman.",
"I expected so. May ! hope to hear
its history 2"
ri e Why not2 My first governess
was q Swiss lady by the name of Will
-dermatt. Once she went to Switzer-
land in order to enter upon and inher-
itance which had been bequeathed to
her by distant relative. When she
came back to Berlin, a few weeks af-
terward, she showed me quite a COL
lection of pretty and costly jewelry,
which formed part ofthe inheritance.
| This is curious old ring said I to
her, as put this old fashioned little
ring on my finger. sDoes it not look
queer and cunning? Perhaps it is an
old relic or talisman, and may have
been worn centuries ago by a pious
| lady who had received it from her
knight, starting for the Holy Land /
| tried to take the ring from my finger
again, but could not get it off; for l
was little f1eshier then than now"
said Charlotte smilingly.
MY goyerness insisted on my keep
1 ing the ring as a souvenoir. I accept
ed her present, and the, ring has been
ON my finger ever since. Sometime
afterward, when was contemplating
its strange workmanship, succeeded
in pulling it from my finger, and was
much. surprised at seeing engraved on
the inside some words which, though
nearly rubbed out by the wear of
time, were still legible. Now, your
Imperial Highness, what do you think
were the words engraved upon it I
think when you hear them you will
take some INTEREST," in the ring"
f "Ahi and pray what were they ?"
~" The words engraved upon the in
side were, - Empress Of Russia. =
This ring. has undoubtedly been pre-
|
the relative of Mrs. Wildermatt, for
[ was told that both this lady and her
mother had formerly belonged to the
| household of the Czarina, your august
/ grandmother" TO-. 5''a' s
ssThis is really remarkable" said
the Grand Duke, thoughtfully. "I
1 am quite superstitious, and I am real
ly inclined to regard this ring, if
should be happy enough to receive it
from you as a pledge of your love, as
an omen of very auspicious signiti-
/ cance." "a i-'i''5 -" I. .,-',
| In answer to this second and even
more direct appeal to her heart, the
Princess took small piece of bread,
played carelessly with it, and man
aged to press the ring into the soft
| crumbs. Then she dropped it play
fully on, the table quite close to the
| plate of her neighbor, And after this
adroit exhibition of skill as an ac-
tress she continued to eat as uncon-
cerned as though she had performed
the most Insignificant action of her
life. is~as5s 'aesDaf 9Hr 6ei5Ggnf
B With the same apparent GOODNESS
and Indifference the Grand Duke
picked up the bread enclosing the
ring, took the latter out of its inge-'
inious envelope, and concealed it in
his breast, for it was too small to fit
any of his fingers. 1t was this ring
both the pledge of Charlotte's love
and the auspicious omen of his own
elevation to the imperial dignity
which Nicholas wore ion q golden
icbain around his neck to the very last
day of his life, and which, if we are
not mistaken has, even descended with
him into the vault. of his ancestors.
b Three years after, in 1917, Princess
Charlotte, then only nineteen years of
age, and in the full splendor of beau
ty and happiness, made her entry in
to st. Petersburg by the side of her
husband, whose eye had never looked
prouder, and whose, Olympian brow
had never been more serene than at
bthis happiest moment of his life.I AS
he looked down upon the vast multi.
tude who had sfocked together from
all parts of the vast Empire to greet
4 the young Princess with shouts. and
rejoicings, and then again upon his
fair young bride, perhaps the inscrip-
ton of the ring recurred to his mind
for, bending his head quite close to
Charlotte, he whispered, /" Now EN-
press fof the hearts, and some day,
\ PSI 42hh Pt Ooo tOA' eAAO OuAAfAs
At this moment the procession
j reached the main entrance of the
Winter Palace, where Alexander the
First, the Emperor surrounded by a
brilliant suit of generals and courti-.
ers, came to meet his beautiful sister
in-law, and conducted her into the
sumptuoUs drawing-rooms of the
magnificent palace of the Cars. Who.
would believe that eight short years
Eafterward the brilliant young Empe-
ror had breathed his last, and that
Nicholas and Charlotte would succeed
him on the throne of Russia Truly
/ the inscription of the engagement
ring had proven propheticl
], 4 ONE of our German clothing deal
ers .outrwest, sold man, a pair of
iboots.,, A. few days afterwards the
man returned with them, and said
that he went out into the lanyard to