The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-11-16
TIE PRINCESS OLGA.

ALONG II Un6 SUdrlSnC Oh DrlSnU
night in autumn Harold Vincent waited,
lurking in the blackest of the thick
shadows cast by half-ruined group of
statuary, cleaning ghostly in the still
ness and gloom of remote corner in
the garden Of the Palais Romanzeff in
st. Petersburg. Surely a fit emblem
of the Romanzeff family were these
broken figures, rearing their fragments
proudly on the spot which had been
their home for centuries-a relic of
past greatness, old, despoiled, their
glory departed, but stillhaughtily erect
as the race over which they seemed
keeping guard.
Irreverently and impatiently did
this fair-haired, blue-eyed young Eng
lishman stamp his heels on the pedestal
of the statue, while he gazed eagerly
and fiXedly at small door leading
from the palace into the garden. For
what seemed to him an age, though in
reality it was scarcely half an hour, his
watch was unrewarded. What could
be the motive of this nocturnal visit +?
He appeared to be a well-to-do young
Englishman-a gentleman in position
and character. Still neither this nor a
long rent roll and good looks could en-
title him to an entrance within these
hallowed precincts.
At last the door opened and the
lights from the corridor within shone
for an instant upon no less parsonage
than the beautiful young Princess
Olga, the only child Of the house of
ypH Tho nhcnnra nt
fondly murmured as he watched her
approach
'She is coming-my love, my sweet !"
and, as she reached the statue, a pair
of bold arms drew her into the shadow
while Harold, unrebuked, pressed one
kiss and then another on the girls
rosy lips.
"My love, how late you arep he ex-
claimed, tenderly. 81 began to think
I had my scramble over the wall for
nothing tonight. l certainly shall
break my neck there some time, or be
found impaled on one of those villain
GUS iron spikes in the morning-a vic
tim to too soaring aspirations"
"No, no, Harold the young girl
answered, smiling little sadly. "You
will be safe enough after tonight, for,
my love, you must never come again"
but, Olga" began Harold, in dis
may.
Eyes, it is only too true" Olga de
clared, with something like a sob in
her voice. q have very bad news,
Harold. BY some means or other the
count has learned our secret. Furious
ly jealous, he has complained to my
father, who is more angry than / can
tell you. lie has told me that l am to
be ready to marry the count within a
week. Oh, Harold--and detest him
more and more every day"
"Olga, my darling, do you love me
well enough to trust me entirely to
take any means | may see fit to save
you from this iniquitOus marriage?
Will you place your future in my
hands, believing that will ask you to
do nothing which will be unworthy of
you?"
81 trust you and love you with all
my heart, Harold"
"Then take courage, my own; before
the week is over you will havenothing
more to fear from the count"
"Ah, Harold cried the girl, sadly,
''you little know how hopeless is any
thought Of escape! From now until
my marriage l am to be watched con-
tinually, day and night. My father
installed in the house to-day his
maiden sister, who has made herself
responsible for me during the week.
1t is with the greatest difficulty that /
have stolen few minutes now while
the maid is preparing her for the
night. She must discover my absence
Immediately, if she has not already.
I must return instantly"
"Yes, dear, you are right-you must
CO." Harold replied, gravely. "Wait
one moment. You say you can trust
your maid?"
"Thoroughly. Poor Babette Her
hopeless passion for policeman, too
poor to ever think of marriage, has
made her heart very soft for the sor-
rows of other unhappy lovers"
"Tell her / wish to speak to her
when she goes to market tomorrow. L
have no plan as yet, Olga, and can
communicate with you only through
Babette. But, even if you hear moth
ing OF me for several days, rest assured,