Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-07
MERCILESS.
The Princess Story.

Inc Princess SCOry.
Everybody in Paris has heard of the
Princess x. Her beauty, her intelligence,
her wit and her wealth form the staple
of conversation at the fashionable clubs,
where endless are the stories told of her
remarkable energy and indomitable will.
| Ch1ldless, separated from her husband,
unhampered by any considerations but
the proper Difference for public opinion
which is hereditary in the noble family
from which she springs, the Princess is
at once the envy Of the ladies, the admir-.
alton of the men, and the enigma of both.
II have heard strange and terrible sto-
ries of you, dear Princess" 1 said one
day, as we were driving together. "And,
truly, nothing you could do would as
tonish me much. Your gaze has fe line
sweetness and depth; and although your
eyes are now as soft as those OF any ga
zelle, they are too often shot through
with strange, lurid fires; they seem to
blaze with kind of ferocity which is
not human, but"
"Why do you hesitate?" she demand
ed. "Say that you think have the eyes
Of
"Of tiger interrupted; sexactly,
my friend. But the eyes OF a tiger are
wonderfully beautiful.'
"You are as cruel as you are fantastic"
she replied. II have suffered much.
am not child perhaps I can be danger
Gus. But I can be merciful. I will tell
you story that may give you different
idea of me than that held by most of the
people by whom L live surrounded, and
who talk SO freely of me.
Il had long adored my husband.
was sixteen; he was ten years my senior,
and of an intelligence and moral corrup
ton equally refined. Few men were more
daring or more successful IN intrigues
than he. 1 need not dilate on this; you
knew him.
Except my daughter, no human be-
ing ever inspired me with a passion more
violent than he planted in nv being.
This astonishes you. no doubt, but moth
ing is more true. was absorbed in him,
intoxicated, so to speak, by the sweet
drunkenness Of love. I was proud to be-
long to him, and was not ashamed that
all the world saw me the blind, idola-
trous slave of his least look and word
And for long time was his preferred
slave. He had conquered me, smothered
the raging fires of my nature, and until
the adventure in which my child and
her governess played grand role, I
thought no more of resisting him than
the flower resists the wind.
"We lived then near Versailles, in a
magnificent chateau, since sold by US to
Lady Fl. The Prince was absent often
from US, but made frequent visits to en-
joy with our exquisite retreat.
"Miss Betsey-all girls of her kind are
called Miss Betsey-was Viennoise, ex-
cessively pretty, slender, graceful as a
willow and arms and shoulders like nv
own"
"Ah, Princess, pardon me for dou bt1ng
that No woman ever had such arms of
youI' 1 1nterpolated.
"MerciP' she calculated. SAT least
she had not such black and ferocious
eyes as those which you so compliment
for their resemblance to the orbs of IL
ger. Hers were blue or forget-me not,
with long, black lashes like s1lken fringe,
aud she possessed an abundance Of gold
en- hair, like sunset cloud. She was
indeed ravishing in beauty. Elegant in
manner, for she belonged to a patrician
family of Vienna. She was besides,
musician; tender, artistic, of a dreamy,
poetic nature. She was well-ftted to
| draw all hearts into her silken net of
love. My little daughter Helene, had
conceived such an affection for her that
during the two years Miss Betsey was
with us the child seemed completely to
have escaped from me.
"Alas the father did not delay long to
follow the example Of our child. This
woman, [ know not how, was one of those
subtitle charmers who work such desoIa-
ton in this world.
"What happened2 do not know. NV
husband was too much of a man, too
thoroughly grand to let aught be discov-
cred that could create scandal or sensa-
ton. But every day felt my child
grow farther and farther away from me.
could bring myself to endure the sepa-
ration from the Prince, since he himself
seemed so contented in it. But that nv
child
"Neyertheless, as time went on. Miss
Betsey grew less prudent. In spite of
herself she grew dazzling with happiness,
till none could look upon her without
wondering why this new, sweet radiance.
She was beamingly happy, blissful,
new light was in her blue eyes, and
new, ever fitting rose blush upon her
beautiful cheeks. She showed her ioy
so plainly, in fact, that sometimes I be-
came troubled; not that I did not already
know that she had won my husband S
heart from me, but trembled now with
the fear that in the overflow of bliss 9th
ers might know her secret. I wished all
convenances respected, everything to go
on as if there was nothing beneath the
surface of our daily intercourse that
might not be proclaimed from the house
top.
1.-THE empire that the governess had
conquered over the Prince, the most I'M
sentimental of men, was astonishing. She
made him-almost imprudent
Gone day, during the absence of my
husband, was alone with Helene and
Miss Betsey at the piano. The child was
having her lesson. A servant brought
me the post. Miss Betsey suddenly lift
ed her eyes. There was for her one let
ter post-marked Paris, and in the Princes