Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-21


delight that the prince could see with a glance
hard.
"During my short stay at Berlin, I" the grand
duke continued in the same tone of voice a.
have taken pains to study your character and
your affection, and this study has satisfied me
that YOU would render me very happy; white on
tie other hand have 5 me qualities which
would secure your own happiness"
The II ncess wa overcome by emotion, and
In her confusion did not know what to answer.
At last she said, "But here, in the presence of
tie whole court, at the public table, Won put
such question to me!''
"Oh," replied the prince, "you need not
make any verbal reply. IL will be sufficient for
see there on your hand small ring whose pos
session would make me very happy. Give it to
what do you think OF? Here In the pres
ence OF hundred SPECTATORS
" All. II can lie easily done without being seen
by anybody. Now we are chatting so quietly
with each other that there is not one among the
guests who suspects in the least what we are
talking about. Press the ring into a morsel of
bread and leave t on the table; viii take the
talisnan and nobody will notice it,"
"TEis ring is really talisman."
81 expected 30. May hope to hear its his
tOry?''
Why not? My first goyerness was a Swiss
went TO Switzerland in order to enter upon an
inheritance which had been beQueathed to her
by distant relative. When she came back to
rQ.S showed
quite collection of pretty and costly jewelry,
which formed part of the Inheritance. !! This is
curious old ring" said / 10 her. as / put the
oid-iaShi3ned little ring on my finger. :" Does
II not look queer and cunning? Perhapsit is an
old relic or talisman, and may have been worn
centuries ago by piOus lady who had received
II from her knight, starting for the Holy Land
i tried to take the ring from my finger again,
but could not get il OFF; for | was a little
heshier then than now" said Charlotte, smil-
ingly. My governess insisted on nv keeping
the ring as a souvenir. L accepted her present,
and the ring has been on my finger ever since
Some time afterward when L was cOntempla-
ting its strange workmanship / succeeded in
pulling ii from my finger, and was much sur
prised at seeing engraved on the inside some
words which, though nearly rubbed out by the
wear of time, were still legible. Now, your i'm
perial hIghness. what do you think were the
words engraved upon il? L think when you
hear them you viii take some interest in the
ring"
''Ahl and pray what were they!"
a. The words engraved upon the inside were
Empress Of Russia Thisring has undoubtedly
been presented by an empress of Russia to the
relative of Mrs. Wildermitt, for was told that
both this lady and her mother had formerly be-
lOnged TO the household of the cZarina, YOUR au-
gust grandmother"
:. This is really remarkable" said the grand
duke thOughtfully. :" am quite supertitious,
and am really inclined to regard this ring, if
should be happy enough to receive it from you
as pledge of your love, as an omen OF very au-
spiciOus significance"
appeal TO her heart, the princess took small
piece of bread, played carelessly with it, and
managed TO press the ring careleSsly into the
soft crumbs. Then she dropped it carelessly on
the table quite close to the plate of her neighbOr
And after this adrOit exhibition OF her skill as
an actress she continued to eat as unconcernedly
as II she had performed the most Insignificant
action OF her life.
With the same apparent GOODNESS and indif-
ference the Grand Duke picked up the bread in
closing the ring. took the latter out of its ingen-
iOUs envelope and concealed il in his breast for
il was this Tiug-bOth the pledge OF Charlotte'S
love and the suspicious omen of his own eleva-
ton 10 the imperial dignity-which Nicholas
wore on golden chain around his neck 10 the
very last day OF his lie, and which 1--WE are not
mistaken, has even descended with him into the
vault of his ancestors.
Three years after, in 1917, Princess Charlotte
then only nineteen years of age, and in the fun
splendOr of beauty and happiness, made her en-
Try into ST. Petersburg by the side of her hus-
d no, whose eyes had never looked prOud.r,
ana whose Olympian brow had never been more
serene than ut this happest moment of his life
AS he looked down upon the vast multitude who
had Hooked together from all parts of the vast
tHPlre 10 greet the young Princess with shouts
al d rejOicings, and then again upon his fair
young bride, perhaps the inscription of the ring
REQUIRED to his mind; for bending his head quite
close TO the ear of Charlotte, he whispered &" Now
Empress OF the hearts, and some dav, PERHAPS
Impress OF the reaIm.''
At this moment the procession reached the
main entrance of the Winter Palace, where
Alexander the First, the Emperor, surrounded
bv brilliant suit Of generals and cOurtierS,
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 wears after
ward the brilliant young Emperor had breathed
ms last, and that Nicholas and Charlotte would
succeed him on the throne of Russia? Traly
the inscription OF the engagement ring has
proven prophetic.