South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-07-07


addressed to him, and when he was asked
to respond to a toast which one Of the
royal Princes had proposed in his honor, he
seemed to awake from a profound dream
which had entifelt Withdrawn him from
his surroundings.
Suddenly, as if by mighty effort OF MS
will, he turned to his fair neighbor, and
whispered so as only to be understood by
hef=
"SoI shall leave Berlin Tomorrow"
He paused abruptly and looked at the
Princess as if he was visiting for an an
swer which expressed sorrow aud gIisf on
her part. Pot the Primes S. was fully as
proud as the Grand D1ke, sud overcoming
the violent throbbing of her heart; she
said politely to him:
" We srs very sorry to see your Imperial
Highness leave Us 60 soon. Would 1t not
have been possible for you tc defer your
departure? p
You will all be very sorryi' muttered
the vagueness OF so--ow which these
words of the Princess implied "Bat you
in particular, madame?" he added, after
some hesitation. For it will depend on
you alone whether I shall stay here or
depart.
"Ahl" replied Charlotte, with her sweet
est smile, sand what have e do TO keep
your Imperial Highness here"
You must permit me to address my ad-
miration and homage to you"
Is that allS"
"And you must encourage me to please
you"
"That is much more difficult" said the
Princess, with deep blush, but at the
same time Eet eyes hesmed forth so much
affection and delight tnat tie Prince could
see at glance that his fondest hopes mad
been realized beforehand.
During my short stay in Berlin" the
Grand Duke ctntinped in the same tone
of voice, 81 have taken paiti5 20 study
your character and your affections, and
this study has satisfied me that you would
render me very happy. while on the other
hand have sotne qualities which would
secure your own happiness"
The princess was overcome by emotion,
and in her confusion did not know Whist
to answer AT last she said. But here,
IN the presence of the whole court, at
the public table, ycu pnt sneh question
to me?"
"Oh," replied the Prince" you need not
make any verbal reply. 1t will be sufi-
cieDt for you to give me some pledge of
your Affection. see there on your hand
a small ring whose possession Would make
me very happy. Give it to me-"
"What do you think of? Here in the
presence of hundred spectators ?"
"Ah, 1t can be easily done without be-
ing seen by anybody. Now we are chat
ting 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 table; 1 will take the talisman, and
nobody viii notice it."
"This ring is really talisman."
II expected so. May hope to hear its
"Why nots Ny first go7efness was a
Swiss lady by the name of Wildermatt.
Once she went to Switzerland in order to
enter upon an inheritance which had been
tc her by a distant relative.
When she came back to Berlin, few
weeks afterward, she showed me quite
collection of pretty and costly jewelry,
which formed Z Part of the inheritance.
This is a curious old ring said to her,
rs put this old-fashioned little ring on
rey finger. Does it not look queer and
cunning? Perhaps it is an old relic or tai
isman, and may have been worn Centuries
lgo by pious lady who had received 1t
ThS;;. ifoi;;.. Ecr hnight. starting for the Holy
Land tried to take the ring from my
finger again, but 1 could not get it off; for
was a little fleshier then than now," said
Charlotte smilingly.
"My goVerness insisted on my keeping
he ring as a souvenir. l accepted her
Dtess,.t; snd the ring hss been, on my
inger ever since. 6omesi:-.S sftsrward,
when was contemplating its strange
1 succeeded in pulling it
from my finger, and was much surprised
1t seeing engraved on the inside some
words which, though nearly rubbed out
Dy the wear of time, were still legible.
Now, your Imperial Highness, what do
you think were the words engraved upon
It? think when you hear them you
will take some interest in the ring"
"Ahl and pray what were they?"
"The words engraved upon the inside
we're, Empress Of Russia.' This ring has
been presented by an Empress
IF Russia to the relative of Mrs: Wilder
matt, for l was told that both this lady and
ler mother had formerly belonged to the
of the Czarina, your august
"This is really remarkable" said the
Grand Duke, thoughtfully. " l am quite
and I am really inclined to-
regard this Tins, if I should be happy
enough to receive it from you as 4 pledge
IF your love, as an omen of very suspicious
significance.
In answer to this second and even more
lsraat ,vnaa1 20 hn prinRQdo
.ook small piece of bread, played care
-essly with 1t, and managed to press the
ring into the SOFT q StI;S:;-:.tsi Then she
dropped it playfully on the table quito
close to the plate of her neighbor. And
Iftet this adroit exhibition of skill as an
actress she contiused 70 eat as uncon-
cerned as though she had Performed the
most insignificant action Of her life.
With the same apparent coolness and
the Grand Duke picked up
The bread enclosing the ring, took the lat
ter out of its ingenious envelope, and con-
cealed it in his breast. for it was too small
10 fft any of hts 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 on golden chain 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.
Three wears after, in 1917, Princess
Charlotte, then only nineteen years of age,
and in the full splendor of beauty and
made her entry into st. Peters
burg by the side of her husband, whose
eye had never looked prouder, and whose
Olympian brow had never been more Sc
rene than at this happiest moment of his
life Asihe looked down upon the vast
multitude who had f1ocked together from
all parts of the vast Empire to greet the
Young Princess with shouts and rejoicings,
and then again upon his fair young bride,
perhaps the inscription of the ring recur-
red TO his mind; for, bending his head
quite close to Charlotte, he whispered,
@Now Empress of the hearts, and some
day, perhaps, Empress of the realm"
At this moment the procession reached
the main entrance of the Winter Palace,
where Alexander the First, the Emperor,
surrounded by brilliant suit OF generals
and courtiers, came to meet his beautiful
sister-in-law, and conducted her into the
sumptuous drawing-rooms of the magnih-
cent palace of the Cars. Who would believe
that eight short years afterward the bril-
liant Young Emperor had breathed his
last. and that Nicholas and Charlotte
would succeed him on the throne of Rus
sia2 Truly the incription of the engage