Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-01-26
THE F0RESTER's DAUGHTER.

1t was nntting time.
A blooming band of peasant children
had gathered from far and near to have
n merry day amid the nut trees.
| say children--but girls OF fifteen
and lads of eighteen or twenty were
scattered through the chattering group.
The nut harvest was joyful time to
them
The young are always attractive in a
certain way. The undimned brightness
of the eye the satiny smoothness OF the
complexion the happy smiles lowering
around the rosy lips each has beauty
in itself; but add TO the youthful face
The charm of perfectly chiselled features,
and Of lustrous brown eyes looking out
upon the world with an innocent Won
der at the changing scenes Of ]oveliness
SO constantly unfolding themselves be-
fore them, frame it in n mass of shining
wavy gold of natures own crimping.
and poise it upon a form 50 1.-the and
slender in its exquisite grace that P,'aX-
iteles might have chosen il for his model
and you can form an idea Of Rika Bre
mcr. the acknowledged beauty ct the
whole surrounding country,
And there was a romantic story about
her going the rounds.
1t was said that no less u person than
Prince Eric, the son of the great and
good Glstavus, had been standing one
morning by one of the palace windows
to witness "a rustic procession which had
been got up in honor of some import
ant victory recently won by his famous
father.
As he stood gazing listlessly out, his
eyes frightened suddenly, and he turned
10 an attendant and whispered 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 had stood
amid q group of other maidenS, looking
at the gaily-dressed columns OF her
countrymen filing by. She. too, was in
holiday attire, and the black velvet
jacket, fitting closely to her slender
figure, and adorned with silver-gilt but
tons, brought out so wildly the exquis-
lite fairness of her skin, with its rosc-leaf
sints of red upon lips and checks. that
she looked like being of different
sphere as she stood amidst her mates.
Confused and blushing, she now await
I'd the princes pleasure. She dared not
raise her eyes to his face. Had she
done so, she would have been over
powered by the earnesiness of the gaze
with which he regarded her. Let skep-
tics scoif at the tender passion as they
will. il is one Of the moving powers of
the world and oft-times ii springs to
life within the heart Is suddenly as the
sun rises from hi. bed of clouds to pro-
claim the advent Of the new day, and
like to the magic glory with which his
beams invest this earth i the rose-hued
coloring that makes the heretofore pro-
sale life a bissful fairy-like dream OF
happiness when in the presence OF the
one beloved So it was with Prince Eric.
From the moment his eyes rested upon
Rika's face. the world held but one peer
less woman to him. Ii mattered not
that his younger brother, Duke John,
was even then in another kingdom WOO
ing for him q royal bride, upon whose
brow rested diadem whose splendor
far exceeded the one which he was to
inherit upon the death of his father.
No In that moment Elizabeth of Eng
land was forgotten. 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 handsome,
earnest face. but dropped them timidly
as she met his glance.
81 am Frederika, the forester's daugh-
Ter, YOU. majesty
NAY. not vet crave that title, maid
en-. Young blood must have It's vent
and am glad to know that the cares Of
government are not likely soon to res
upon nv shoulders, broad though they
be-
With a smiling glance at the stalwar
frame which was acknowledged to bt
one of the finest specimens OF physica
comelness in the country, as was hi
face called the handsomest of any prince:
In Europe.
Rika curtsied respectfully, but did no
reply. If the gracious prince chose thu
10 address as an equal one OF the mum
blest Of his fathers subjects, she knew
well her position, and was to the fuii a
proud Of her unsullied innocence an'
integrity rs the haughtiest maid in tn
rcalm-count she her ancestry back 10
many generations.
Her Shy modesty added to her beaut,
in Erc's eyes.
..Where Invest thou, Frederikap' b
asked softly. 'for would like to sem
thy father . commission to fell som
trees which much interfere with tn
comfort of the kings hunting parties il
the forest"
This he said knowing intuitively tha
it would startle Rika had he given he
his true rrassn, end said that 10 lad u