The Red Cloud chief., 1883-05-11

the throng.
Come" he said TO the courfier
who were standing near. ..Iet Us 20
down 10 the square in . body and make
the hearts o Won merry rustic. ever
merrier to-day by exchanging III
coins for the nuts they have with them"
A Princes suggestion never lack. for
listeners, nor for followers. and soon
the rich toilettes Of the court people
were scattered about amidst the crowd
in the square.
Eric's steps were turned Al once To-
wards kika.
lie soon possessed himself III Der nuts,
n after paying for them lsvishly IN
golden coin. he took fruu an inner
pocket a locket and chain. which be
gave To her. saying:
w ear IL for nv sake. There IL no
one who would look fairrr in IL. You
ought 10 BIZ a Queen. little Rika. and I
viii yet make you one"
Before Rika had time 20 realize auyht
but thu; his words had flied her heart
with q bewildering sense Of happiness,
he had gone, his gift alone remaining
10 prove tina; she had not been dream
Ing.
But she soon came TO her sober
senses.
il was well known that King Gus
tavus had been holding negotiations
with the maiden Queen Of England 20
induce her Ia bestow her jcweied hand
upon his elder son. and IL had reached
kika : ears.
Such Il thing had been known as 8
maid Of low degree being wooed and
won by n royal sri,or. The tale If
Grisel- happiness. and If her woes a.
well. was \ ~favoriie one among the
folk-stOries told around the humble
hearths If the p~easantry; and If fate
had ordained IL to happen 20 her also.
Rika would have been as glad and proud
4 maiden as ever the sun had shone on
But she would listen to no words Of love
from one whose hand was A. good as
given to another.
Thus she thought a. she walked slowly
bomeward.
So the next day a little barefooted
boy-the child Of n neighboring farmer
was sen to the palace by Rika with
Prince Eric's gift. carefully tied up in a
piece Of linen cloth cut from the corner
of a web which she herself had woven
from flax raised from the seed. and pre-
pared by her own dcft hands.
Gould the unconscious trinket have
told Erie that Rika's bright eyes had
fingered lovingly and rrgretfully upon
il. and that she had pressed il To her
lips again and again. it might have les
sened his chagrin in receiving his pres
ent back again.
As it was. il only kindled anew his
determination Ia win Rika for his own,
be- b consequences what they might.
IL should not be- said Of him that a low
peasant girl had given him. the Crown
Prince of Sweden, such a rebuff.
He threw a large cloak over his rich
court suit. and thus disguised he mount
ed Olaf. his favorite hunter. and hast
ened towards Rika's home.
Hot anger was ~con;ending with his
love for the rustic beauty a he rode
along.
But when he at last reached the Dor
ders If the cleared patch of land in the
forest which held the little cottage. had
dismounted from his horse and tied him
to 4 sapling. and found himself stand
ing NJ the door. awaiting his answer to
his rap, all was forgotten but the thought
that he Was soon la gaze upon the beau
tiful face which had haunted his fancy
SO persistently since fate had first
brought il before him.
Rika opened the door and stood for
an instant in glad surprise. gazing up
into her lover face in utter foryetful-
-. g al. l.y-.
All little one. thy face for nee tells
me all that | wish to know. Thou lowest
me, | see il in those eyes
And before Rika had time to retreat
he caught her TO his heart and imprint
ed passionate kisses upon her trembling
lips.
She drew herself from his encircling
arms. and stood painting like = fright
ened fawn.
Then she threw herself at his feet.
and, clasping her hands entreatingly.
she said:
"Oh. most noble Prince. let il not be
put against thy record that innocence
and virtue received no respect at thy
hands. Go. l entreat YOU, Should nv
father return and find thee here. he
I NbuIu SultAh lis Nil liz duu tDfu Nil
himself, in shame and despair! Oh.
CO.
II mean thee no harm. Rika. l love
thee; and when one loves he hurts not
the object of that love. To win thee l
Will give up my heirship Ia the crown
to my brother John: and while he wear
the diadem upon his brow / will con-
tent myself with love and happiness
with thee
Not 81. noble Erie" said Rika,
firmly; If hot wouldst make such a
sacrifice, /. for one, will not be a party
to it. After such a marriage-entailing
as il would. 81 much loss-love would
prove but a transient guest within our
home. Reproaches would drive the tickle
god away"
Tell me the truth. Rika.' interrupt
ed Eric, with passionate ea~rnestness;
do YOU love me9"
so well that / would rather die
than know than harm would come to
one so noble through any influence Of
mine"
And yet YOU refuse to make me
happy
II refuse TO work your ruin. noble
Prince The present is not all of life.
But see-the sunlight has already
reached the middle point of Your dial,
In ten more minutes my father viii be
here. II thou wouldst shield me from
harm. 60"
Il viii obey now; but / viii not
promise TO give up the hope which lured
me hither. Farewell for a time, most
obdurate maiden
Then. with : long. lingering. re-
gretful look the Prince turned and de-
parted.
DAYS and weeks passed on
At last came q time which was to
plunge the nation into mourning. The
good and great Gustavus WAS stricken
with . mortal illness.
He died and was laid beside his King
ly ~progenitors. and Eric Was the reign
ing sovereign in Sweden.
Young. impulsive and his own q
ter. with his heart filled with but one
image. is il TO be wondered At that he