The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-05-19
A TURTLE.DOyE wIDowHOUD.

Tho grief Of tho princess Of sora at the loss
Of hor husband In still remembered throughout {
Paris. Within her doors, drapod In black, In
the Partisan mourning emblazoncd with
ciphers. thore roigned tho terrible despair Of n
spanish woman. The princess cut of her hair,
and secluded herself from every one.
In her mourning robes with her youthful
head ahorn Of It's locks, sho had tho appearance
Of nun; II mado hor hotel resemble convent.
Sho passed her days bOforD tho portrait 0f her
husband, aud dincd alone IN tho largo dining
room, whore every evening tho table was spread
for two. Ths cano aud tho hat Of tho prince
remained In tho nnte-room In their accustomed
places. ~ II tho master though he had left homo
forever, had Just come Ia. His prcsonco being
thus recalled rendered tho despair of the poor
wife more intonso, and tho void Of his absence
oven greater.
But Of al that round Of calls. balls recop-
tions and concerts whore they had mot aud
levod. aud which sot. ~ II were, thqir hAppi-
moss In u fashionable society frame she ro-
tanned only ono friend. the Baroness Ancalin, n
drawing room prima donna, who was indebted
10 her beautiful yolco for having remained tho
intimate friend Of tho princess. whose great
inconsolAblo and noisy grief made all conycr.
Aation lar upon bor mood. but who loved ~
hear ngng around her, As IL holped 10 giyo
Won't 10 teAra.
Two years passed thus. and tho widow was
atill sorrowful. still austoro. Her hair. hou-
ever, was allowed % grow. Ippllng over hor
head with robellioua life Ia luxuTlAnt cuEls
aud waves. Her mourning Was thus lighlsned
and aado moro cheerful. and seemed now 10
DO worn only . caprice u fashion. II was
at this period that the nephew of M mo. Ancol!n
meeting the princess ~ hiA auuts house, fell
desperately In love and began 10 dream of
marrying her. At tho first word Of love he
vontured % Addros. hor tho widow became In
dignAnt.
TO her tho prince still lived. and this offer
ful. For some time aho did not 500 har friend.
tho baroness. The young man went away antr
tried TO forget. bat soon returned, aud showed
30 much love and despair that Nine. Ancolin
took pity on him and resolved 10 overcome tho
scruples of tho princess. Bn' how could she
persuade woman with 30 peculiar q nature.
who never reasoned, and who Was led only by
impulse and enthusiasm
Bho believed that passion so exclusive must
necessarily bo jealous. and tried to obtain some
old letters Of tho prince. This was not very
difficult NJ. dc SorA having written very many
before his marriage. aud scattered his scFnwla
throughout multitude Of little boxes and
locked drawers, which. however. wero so we'll
hidden one from tho other. that each might
boast Of being the sole posscasor Of tho psr-
fumOd eoAt-of-Arms Of ihe great lord.
In order TO bring few sheeta Of some CON-
mon-plAee romance Ia letters without date 10
show % tho widow, Nine. Ancsiin bad tho
courage to present herself again at that hotel
which Was like = tomb of the dead. . silent
howor-deckod tomb. who're all day long wopi
living statue.
II wAs not grief. but the falling Of her lido.
that nov became her pain. Poor little Prin-
eessi Her years of happiness. and period Of
sidowhood. alike rolled down and vanished
into tho same Abyas ot scoTn aud anger. Moth
Ing remained but an IN tense desire io Avengs
herself. The portrait was bAnished from her
room. The second plato At table by which
sho had tried 10 deinsle her fancy that she vas
not alone. wRN nov removed from before tho
empty. aacredly guarded scat: aud ia tho
crowded Antoroom which hencsiorth 10 be
open % callers aud pazaers To aud fro. the Aat
and cane that had boon there so long were no
longer % be seen.
balls and suppers. A n chAngofuI sky shakes
on tho night that fingered long. the princess
emerged Ia gray. lilac pink aud blue recover
Ing all bur former briliiAncy. Then one eve
ming. while walking In hor small conservatory.
she said 10 Nine. Aneolin's nephew. who had
been following hcr about like gloomy shadow
aince her reiurn 70 the snnlight: Now I will
be- your wife whenever you wish" She would
have liked 10 have the ceremony performed
that vory moment in the conservatory.
They were married very soon after aud were
happy. she, through kind OF rage. and he
perploxed and astonishod At her sudden pas
sion, but enjoying his happiness without seek
ing 90 AnAlyza IL too closely. In society the
marriage vas much talked about. The Baron
cas- Anceiiti, remembering similar phrases In
her romAneoa. had ready . charming little
speech upon Tho subject; DO you see the
.ho was lameniing. whereas her lamentations
we're cooling. Hers WAS .
turtle dove widoWhood."
Six months elapsed. Tho newly married
couple were living In tho country. in chateau
In the suburbs Of Paris. where the friend made
Ia a.
their happiness they walked among tho
smooth lawns and silent paths, the charming
baroness, who was never far-sighted. having
her eyes open only TO the present moment, sud-
denly said 20 them: 'It was who made you
so happy. Well. do not regret my falsohood." !"
The princess gave sudden start. what do
you Hay7 What fAlschoodT"
Yes, dear, can tell You everything now.
Tho poor prince was not so black as painted
him. Those famous letters were dated 1--WE
years back. You werc not married then"
lis this what you have done?" said the prin-
cess, looking at her husband and her friend with
an expression Of madness In her eyes. The
dead, forgotten prince, whose name she no
longer bore, wholly resumed his former place
In her affections, as her husband plainly saw
by u shrinking motion as she drew back from
him.
All was over between them without word Of
explanation. Tho princess shut herself mp at
home, and In an agony that lasted long she
gave way 10 all the remorso that tortured her.
The unhappy woman had married again, not
for love, but out OF revenge, and finding that
the prince was not unfaithful she felt guilty to-
ward him aud ashamed OF herself With what
| pity and sorrow she recalled his memory that
had been so rudely bAnishod, and now returned
| with the Same power.
The poor lover held himself aloof, knowing
we'll that he was nothing 10 her; her former
passion returning with such strength, had
| killed what she felt for him as by one blow.
At tho last moment m Nine. Ancelin was
| weeping near her, being overcome with re-
morse, although, hardly understanding her
fault, the princess leaned over toward the
thoughtleSs creature who had Auttered like a
butterfly across her straight aud serious path,
and said In voice too feeble for the complaint
TO resemble reproach, "You 500 am not COO
| ing; l am dying