Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-10-07
AROMANCE OF HISTORY.
1t was nutting time.


A blooming band of peasant chill
dren had gathered from far and near
to have a merry day amid the nut
trees and hedges.
1 say children-but girls of sixteen
and lads of eighteen and twenty
were scattered through the chatter
ing group.
The nut harvest was a joyful time
TO them.
The young are always attractive
in a certain way. The undimmed
brightness of the eye-the satiny
smoothness of the complexion-the
happy smiles lowering around the
rosy lips-each has beauty to itself;
but add to the youthful face the
charm of perfectly chiseled features,
and of lustrous brown eyes, looking
out upon the world with an innocent
wonder at the changing scenes of
lovliness so constantly unfolding
themselves before them-frame it in
a mass Of shining, wavy gold of ma
lures own crimping-and poise it
upon form so 1.-the and slender in
its exquisite grace that Praxiteles
might have chosen it for his model
and you can form an idea of Rika
Bremer-the acknowledged beauty
of the whole surrounding country.
And there was a romantic story
about her going the rounds.
It was said that no less person.
age than Prince Eric, the son of the
great and good Gustavus, had been
standing one morning by one Of the
palace windows to witness rustic
procession, which had been gotten
up in honor Of some important vic
tory, recently won by his famous
father; and as he stood gazing list
lessly out, his eyes frightened sud-
denly, and he turned to an attend
ant and whispered a few words
which caused him to hasten away.
When he returned he was not alone
-Rika was with him.
Prince Eric's beauty loving eyes
had been attracted by her,as she bad
stood amid a group Of other maidens
looking at the gayly-dressed columns
of her countrymen fling by.
s She, too, was in holiday attire
and the black velvet jacket, fitting
closely to her slender figure, and
adorned with silver-gilt buttons,
brought out so wildly the exquisite
fairness Of her skin. with its rose
leaf of red upon lips and cheeks, that
size looked like a being of a different
sphere as she stood among her mates.
Confused and blushing, she now
awaited the princes pleasure. She
dared not raise her eyes to his face.
4 Had she done so, she would have
/ l2en overpowered 10y the earnestne5s
I of the gaze with which he regarded
her.
From the moment his eyes rested
upon Rika's face, the world held but
one peerless woman for him.
1t mattered not that his younger
brother, Duke John, was even then
IN another kingdom, Wooing for him
a royal bride, upon whose brow
rested a diadem, whose splendor far
exceeded the one which he was tC
inherit upon the death of his father
No. In that moment Elizabeth OF
England was forgotten. The pee sant
maid who stood before him had be
come the queen of his fancy.
| "Thy name, little one?" he asked
4 Rika raised her eyes to the hand
some, earnest face, but dropped then
timidly as she met his glace
81 am Frederika-the forester's
daughter-your majesty"
"Nay,n not yet crave | for that title
maiden, Your blood must have it,
vent, and am glad to know thai
The cares Of government are no
soon likely to rest upon my should
ers, broad though they be-"
With a smile he glanced at hi