Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-01-26

.AiVtf lew WORDS more he suffered
R'ka To go But the sweet memory of
iei presence Went not with her. Itt
nestled deep within his heart.
After this interview scarcely a week
passed that did not find Erics steps
turned in the direction OF the forester's
cottage.
glass of milk from Rika's own
white bands was the drau@ht most pre-
fcred blythe royal hunter. although out |
OF courtesy he would sometimes accept |
a mug of mead from the sturdy old |
father.
Rika had ,till the same Shy ways. and !
Eric found il hard TO break through the |
reserve which had thus far proved her
safeguard in Ili> presence
II She knew in her secret heart what |
was the attraction which 50 constantly |
brought the Young prince to the cottage, |
she let no one be the wiser Tor her sus-
picion of the truth.
This was tie romance connected with
her lie.
! ii was even rimored that Eric had
serious intentions toward her, and lack
| ed but his royal fathers consent to raise
her To his own lofty position.
But that was mere surmi>e. Like all
similar tales it had gained in volume
| until the grain of truth which was its
| nucleus was almost entirely hidden by
what was false and imaginary.
Matters were III this stage ut The tiine
our story opens.
The nuts were gathered. and tho
merry groups had dispersed to their
| tn
that they should meet again the next
day and 90 to the palace together and
DISPOSE OF their treasures
! Tho next morning found them on their
way, dressed in their best. as became SO
eventful an occasion in their usually
monotouous lives; for royalty has such
glamor to uninitiated eyes that the
mere sight of the walls " hch shut it in
is eagerly coveted: and who could tell
but they might catch II sight of the king
| himself, or of the queen or of the hand
some Prince Eric? Nay. who knew but
what another summons 10 the palace
might come 10 one of them. as it once
did 10 Rika
II was pretty sight to any one who
might have been stationed nj the win
dow. to see that blooming procession of
neatly dressed lads and lasscs AS they
wended their way ;long with many n
merry laugh and jest, until at last they
halted in front of the great square be-
fore the palace.
| But 10 the watching eyes of the prince
who had received a hint Of the COM
irg of the nut-gatherers there was but
one face worth looking at among the
thrOng.
Come he said to the courtiers who
were standing near, ''let us go down to
the square in Il body and make the
hearts of yon merry rustics even mclrier
to-day by exchanging some coins for the
nuts they have with them
A prince 5 suggestion never lacks for
listeners nor for followers. and soon the
rich toilets of the court people were
scattered about amidst the crowd in the
square.
Fries footsteps were turned at once
toward Rika. He soon possessed HIM
self of her nuts. and after paying for
them lavishly in golden coin, he took
from an inner pocket locket and
chain, which he gave to her. saying:
Wear it for my sake. There is no
one who would look fairer in it. You
ought TO be a queen, little Rika, and
will Yet make you one"
Before Rika had time to realize aught
but that his words had filed her heart
with bewldering sense Of happiness.
. he had gone, his gift alone remaining to
prove that she had not been dreaming.
! But she soon came to her sober senses.
! 1t was well known that King Gustavus
had been holding negotiations with the
maiden queen of England, to induce
! her to bestow her jewelled hand upon
, his elder son. and it had reached Rika' S
: ears.
, Such thing had been known as a
maid of low degree being wooed and
: won by royal sutton. The tale OF
I Grisers happiness, and Of her woes as
, well, was favorite one among the folk
3 stories told around the humble hearths
: of the peasantry; and if fate had or
dained it to happen to her also, Rlka
; would have been as glad and proud 9
I maiden as ever the sun had shone on
: but she would listen to no words Of love
{ from one whose hand was rs good as
? given to another
Thus she thought as she walked slow
/ ly homeward
: So the next day little barefooted boy
t the child of q neighboring farmer
was sent to The palace by Rika. witt
: Prince Eric's gift carefully tied up in
e piece of linen cloth cut from the cornel
r of web which she herself had wover
o from flax raised from the seed, and pre-
:. pared by her own deft hands.
: Could the unconscious trinket have
1 told Eric thai Ril;s.'s bright eyes haf
o fingered lovingly and regretfully upor
it, and that she had pressed it to bel
red lips again and again, i, might have
), lessened his chagrin in receiving mi
Y present back again.
As it was, it only kindled anew hi
! determination to win Rika for his own
be the consequences what they might
l. 1t should not be said of him that lowl.
!. peasant girl had given him-the Crow
+ Prince OF Sweden-sueh rebuff.
4 He threw large cloak over his ricl
= court suit, and thus disguised he mount
ed Olaf-his favorite hunter-and hast
+ eued toward Rika's home.