The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1872-09-29
THE BULLETIN.
SELECTED STORY.
PRINCE AND PEASANT.
FROM TIE GERM AN.

anu du amidDic ShaiacSi' NIsitcu tuc
baths Of Libenstein in Thuringia. He
led quiet and secluded life, avoided
fashionable society, and passed much
Of his time in solitary rambles about
the hills and woods. One day, lost in
thought, he was slowly sauntering near
the ruins of an old castle, which stood
among the trees apart from the high
way, when his attention was arrested
by pleasant voice calling him from
behind. He turned, and saw beaut-
full peasant girl stepping briskly along
the path by which he had come, in one
hand holding a bunch Of flowers Git
was May, and in the other u handker-
chief.
as this yours, sir 2" she asked sim
ply, and with a pleasant smile holding
out the handkerchief.
He took it mechanically, surprised
out Of courtesy, for the moment, by the
lovely apparition. The girl was tall,
graceful in shape, and fresh and beau.
tiful as the flowers she had plucked.
Had the prince been acquainted with
English poetry he would have been re-
minded Of Wordsworth's description Of
Lucy
''She shall lean her ear
In many secret place,
Whore riyulets dance their Maynard round,
And beauty born OF nurmuring .ound
shall pass into her face
But being Russian Prince, he only
said to. himself, "What beauty she is?'
Thuringian fashion, she wore u gay
colored kerchief wrapped turban-like
about her head, cOncealing her luxur-
liant hair, but leaving her forehead ex-
posed while her tasteful peasant dress
set off her figure to the best advantage.
Size was already turning away when
the Prince, coming suddenly TO his
senses, cour,eously thanked her for her
trouble.
There is nothing to thank Inc for,
she answered with pleasant smile lit
was no trouble to pick up handker-
chief"
MAY ! ask for whom you haye
gathered these howers?' s.
"Only for home. Tomorrow is Sun
day you know and | always like TO
have flowers in the window on that
day."
While talking, they had approached
the edge of the wood, and the Prince,
from delicacy towards his companion,
parted with her there but not without
having begged permission to visit her
home on the morrow. 1t was granted
with charming frankness and simple
ity that completed the conquest of his
heart.
The remainder Of the day passed
heavily with the young prince. TWEEN
ty times before night came he wan
dered up and down the path where he
had met the peasant girl; and when,
after hours of restless waking, he fell
asleep, it was still to dream Of her.
The next morning he went to church
but not to listen to the good village
pastor, whose excellent sermon past un-
needed by his ears, while his eyes
rested on beautiful face and his
thoughts followed them. Leaving the
church, Immediately after service, he
was proceeding to join the young girl
aud her parents, when he heard fam
liar voice calling him by name. The
next moment his uncle Dimitry had
grasped his hand, and, in Russian man
ner, kissed him on the forehead, mouth
and cheeks.
THANK God, have found you at
last, my dear Alexander he exclaimed
in hearty voice IL have been hunt
ing for you more than an hour in this
miserable village. But you don't seem
to be very much elated by my coming.
Am in the way of anything, young
man?'
"No, dear uncle, am only on my
way to pay visit.
"Oh, there's time enough for that.
We will order dinner at the hotel, and
meanwhile | can tell you about home"
Alexander followed his uncle to the
hotel but while they sat talking on
the piazza it did not escape the exper-
fenced man of the world that his
nephew was sitting on pins and nee
dies all the time. More amused than
yexed, he suddenly changed the con-
versation, and, by adroit questioning,
soon discovered that Alexander had
made no acquaintance with the guests,
or with the resident families of rank
and fashion. "Then where the devil
have you thrown your hearth" he de.
manded at last, somewhat peremptor-
lily: 'for it is evident you are over
head and ears in love. Pooling your
time away with some pretty peasant
girl, ~
Snow my dear uncle
"rut, tut, where's the harm? One
must do something to kill time in such
q hole as this"
l don't see why you call it hole"
said Alexander, feeling little foolish,
and anxions to change the conversation
81 never saw more beautiful scenery,
more romantic
"Quit your enthusiasm about beauti-
full scenery and romantic what-nots. l
have been bored to death in the most
beautiful place in the world, where ]
could not find people to my liking.
.boll 1oo,,o Co. RAD, Rodon thia ava