The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-06-02
4.

Princess, who, by the way, always sd-
dresses the apothecary as "Er, 3" the style
in which a German Princess of those
days spoke TO burgher. The Regent
was too we'll aware of the fiery force
latent in her son to adopt violent meas
ures. She feared that he would, if any
serious attempts were made to part them,
instantly marry Anna-Lise; and she, no
doubt, was right. The " "Eisenkopf," the
iron head, as Leopold was called, WAS a
turbulent and mutinous lad whom no
one could control. The Princess remem-
bered that it WAS only when, as a boy, he
was allowed to play with Anna Lise, she
could at all manage the yonng rebel
With his child love the terrible Leo
poId was docile and gentle a lamb.
Anna-L Lise, best and dearest of girls
supplied the sUftnpss and tenderness and
poetic element needed to balance the
Princes character of fire and iron. The
Regent also IeCOiieCteO now shc hcAH0I''
and her sister, the first wife of the great
Elector, had often, in later years, laugh
ed together over their first idle love
fancies; and she decided upon proceed e
ing by gentle measures. trusting TO time
and-so absence. 1t was resolved to len
the Prince travel for year or two with
his tutor, De Chalisac. In his absence
much might be done. The girl, with
suitbIe dotation, might be happily mar
ried 10 one in her own station. Leopold
would for!et her. He once away, the
girl would be malleable in their hands.
This Princess had confidence IN her own
diplomacy. 1t was much thai Leopcld
shonld start unmarried.
Certainly the Regent did not really
understand her son.
He consented readily to go. He de-
sired ardently to go TO Berlin, in order
to join the Brandenburg army and to
obtain from the Elector his fathers An
halt regiment. To his mothers joy he
was eager TO set out at once. Before he
went, however, Leopold declared, in the
most positive manner his fixed deter
mination to marry Anna-Lise so soon as
he should return. He knew, he said,
that directly he should be gone there
would he intrigues and all the machine
~ Of the Court set in motion to break of
the match; but, added the young Dessau-
er, with the utter calmness of cOnvic-
tion, 81 am SO certain of Anna-Lise that
l abandon the field to you without fear." F"
He then warned them emphatically, un-
der threats of his anger against any
violence; and said naively to his moth
er:
"And now, mamma, | am going to
Anna Lise, to tell her that | am about to
start, and to tell her how she is to behave
in my absence. The instructions that
shall give her will he very simple, and
will run about as follows: always be
resolute, Anna Lise; resolnte, firm,
strong. Don't let yourself he put out
by anything they may do. | shall return
and then, Anna Lise. then we shall mar
rv' And when | tell Anna Lise to do
that she will do it; can rely upon that.
You can't imagine, mamma, how well
we snit each other. What ! will, that
wills also Anna Lise; and what Anna
Lise wishes, I wish also. She has even
the very greatest delight in soldering
and in the life of war"
In this happy frame of mind, full of
confidence in his beloved, delighted with
the prospect of travel and of adventure.
the young soldier Prince leaves Dessau
for the first time.
Leopold could scarcely have fully an
ticipated the extent of the persecution
which began for poor Anna-Lise when
he was fairly away. Her own father
and another snitor, female and other re-
latives. the Regent, and the Court
emissariea, were all engaged in trying to
shake the faith of the lonely girl. Leo
pold, however, knew Anna we'll, and he
Judged rightly in relying upon her
truth. She received from him one let
ter, sent by means of a friend, which
was written from Berlin. and announced
rapturonsly, that the Elector had given
him the Anhalt regiment. He said that
he should not write again. because he
knew that his letters would be intercept
ed by the Regent; and then. in his char
acteristic way, he adjures his "h-rz aller-
liehster Schatz, Anna-Lise" 10 repulse
all attacks, to remain true To him, and to
believe entirely in his unchanging truth
and affection. All which pretty Anna
Lise pnnctually does.
Vor Salberg brings her one day a
forged letter from Leopold. in which his
betrothal to the Princess Adelgunde is
announced. Anna Lise laughs at him,
and drives the Hofmarschall half mad
with mocking banter. She knows the
Princes style, and knows that the
smooth, fluent letter read by Won Sal
herg was never written by her rough
Leopold. In order to compare hand
writing, she shows him. with triumph
ant mischief, real letter from Leopold,
and the "high-snifing Excellency" is at
once furious and astonished. Her faith
er is, however, her greatest worry, for
he is always in the house, is of fearful
ly pious character. and is very aggra-
waiting in his constant lachrymose ap-
peals; but nothing could shake the love
of the resolute, true-hearted German
girl, until one day old Fohse, instigated
by the Regent, and in a state of more
than usual weeping impressiveness, ex-
planned to his daughter that legally che
could not as a bnrgher maiden be the
full wife of Prince; that her children
would be incapable of succession; and
that, as Leopold was an only son, the
royal race would die in Anhalt-Dessau
if she persisted in marrying the heir to
the throne. He enlarged upon the in.
;,rv a. ba. Iovar and 20 1ha oounfrN and