Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-03-30

ceeded the one he was to inherit upon
the death of his father. No. In that
moment Elizabeth of England was for
gotten. The peasant maid who stood
before him had become the queen Of
his fancy.
"Thy name, little one ?" he asked.
Rika raised her eyes to the hand
some, earnest face, but dropped them
timidly as she met his glance.
81 am Frederika - the foresters
daughter-your majesty"
"Nay, not yet | crave that title,
maiden. Young blood must have its
vent. and l am glad to know that the
cares of the government are not soon
likely to rest upon my shoulders, broad
though they be"
With smiling glance at the stall.
wart frame which was acknowledged
to be one Of the finest specimens Of
physical comliness in the country, az
was his face called the bandsomest Of
any princes in Europe. Rika curtisied
respectfully, but did not reply. If the
gracious prince chose thus to address
as an equal one of the humblest of his
fathers subjects, she knew well her
position, and WAS to the full as proud
of her unsullied innocence and integ-
rity as the haughtiest girl in the realm
count she her ancestry back for many
generation.
Her shy modesty added to her beauty
in Erie's eyes.
"Wheie l;yest thou, FIoderika" he
ASKED, softly; "for would we'll like to
send thy father commission to fall
some trees which much interfere with
, the comfort of the kings hunting par
ties in the forest"
This he said, knowing intuitively
that it would startle Rika had he gave
her his true reason, and said that
he intended to start out himself in
quest Of fairer and more precious
game-which must be ensnared in ten
derer tolls than those at the command
of the keenest sportsman at his fathers
court.
After few words more he suffered
Rika to go. But the sweet memory Of
her presence went not with her. 1t
nestled deep within his heart.
After this interview scarcely week
passed that did not find Eric's steps
turned in the direction of the forester's
cottage. A glass of milk from Rika's
own white hands was the draught most
preferred by the royal hunter, although
out of courtesy he would sometimes
accept mug of m cad from the sturdy
old father. Matters were in this stage
at the time our story opens.
The nuts were gathered and the
merry group had dispersed to their
various homes, with the understanding
that they should meet again the next
day and 60 together to the palace and
dispose of their treasures.
The next morning found them on
their way, dressed in their best, as be-
came 30 eventful an occasion in their
usually monotonous lives; for royalty
has such glamour to uninitiated eyes
that the mere sight Of the walls which
smut it in is eagerly coveted.
1t was a pretty sight to any one who
might have been stationed at the win
dow, to see that blooming procession Of
neatly dressed lads and lasses, as they
wendell their way along with many a
merry laugh and jest, until at last they
halted in the great square before the
palace.
But to the watching eyes of the
prince-who had received hint of the
coming of the nutgatherers-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 body and make the
hearts of yon merry rustics even mer-
rier to-day by exchanging coins for the
nuts they have with them"
A princes suggestion never lacks for
listeners nor followers; and soon the
rich toilets of the court people were
scattered about amid the crowd in the
square.
Eric's steps were turned ut once
toward Rika. He soon poss essed HIM
self of her nuts, and paying for them
lavishly in golden coin, he took from
an inner rocket locket and chain
which he ave to her, saying;
"Wear it for my sake. There is no
one who would look fairer in il. You
ought to be queen, little Rika, and |
will yet make you one"
Before Rika had time to realize aught
but that his words had filled her heart
with bewildering sense Of happiness,
he had gone, his gift alone remaining
to prove that she had not been dream
ing.
But she soon came to her sober
senses. 1t was we'll known that King
Gustavus had been holding negotiations
with the maiden queen of Eng
land, to induce her to bestow her jew
eled hand upon his elder son, and it
had reached Rika's ears. Such thing
had been known rs u maid of low de-
gree being wooed by II royal sutton.
The tale of grisel's happin ess and her
woes AZ well was favorite one among
the folk stories told around the humble
hearts of the peasantiy; and if fate
had ordained it to happen to her, also,
Rika would have been rs glad and
proud n maiden as ever the sun had
shone on. But she would listen to no
words from one whose hand was as
Good az uiypp tn apptbpr