Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-04-20

| I'd 'Come, he Salu 10 the c0urUerS
who were standing near, 'let us go
down to the square in body and make
the hearts of yon merry rustics even
merrier to-day by exchanging some
coins for the nuts they have with them"
A Prsnce's suggestion never lacks for
listeners, nor for followers, and soon
the rich toilettes of the court people
were scattered about amidst the crowd
in the square. So. t.-.-.-t.t..
Eric's steps were turned at once to-
wards Rika.
He soon possessed himself of hcrnuts;
and after paying for them lavishly In
golden coin, he took from an inner
pocket q locket and chain, which he
gave to her, saying: sn .ga'5 ...a
"Wear it for my sake. There is no
one who would look fairer in it. You
ought to be Queen, little Rika, and
will yet make you one" i+
Before Rika had time to realize aught
but that his words had filed 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 well known that King GUS
tavtis had been holding negotiations
with the maiden Queen of England, to
induce her to bestow her jeweled hand
| upon his elder son, and it had reached
Rika's ears. hNs-t WeI4 1
Such thing had been known as q
maid of low degree being wooed and
won by royal suitor. The tale of
Grisel' happiness, and of her woes as
well, was a favorite one among the
folk-stories told around the humble
hearths of the -peasantry; and if fate
had ordained it to happen to her also,
Rika would have been as glad ndproud
a maiden as ever the sun had shone on. ?
But she would listen to no words of love
from one whose hand was as good as
given to another. -sgirfv in. fIar4 or
Thus she thought as she walked slowly
homeward. .. ~
!. So the next day little barefooted
boy-the child of a neighboring farmer
was sent to the palace by Rika with
| Prince Eric's gift, carefully tied up in
piece of linen cloth cut from the corner
of web which she herself had woven
from flax raised from the seed, and pre-
pared by her own deft hands,
Gould the unconscious, trinket have
told Eric that Rika's bright eyes had
fingered lovingly and regretfully upon
it, and that she had pressed it to her,
llips again and again, it might have les
sened his chagrin in receiving his pres
ent back again. s...7 sA
AS it was, it only kindled anew his
determination to win Rika for his own,
be the consequences what they might.
1t should not be said of him that a low
peasant girl had given him, the Grown
Prince of Sweden, such 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. u
Hot anger was contending with his
love for the rustic beauty as he rode
along.
But when he at last reached the bor-
ders of the cleared patch of land in the
forest which held the little cottage, had
dismounted from his horse and tied him
to a sapling, and found himself stand
ing at the door, awaiting his answer to
his rap, all was forgotten but the thought
that he was soon to gaze upon the beau
tiful face which had haunted his fancy
SO persistently since fate had first
brought it before him.
Rika opened the door and stood for
an instant in glad surprise, gazing up
into her lovers face in utter forgetfui-
ness of the difference in their stations.
"Ah! little one, thy face for once tells
me all that | wish to know. Thou lowest
me! l see it in those eyes" s7.r
And before Rika had time to retreat
he caught her to his heart and imprint
ed passionate kissesupon her trembling
lips. -rr ','l Gig, 9 l.' pm .isa7r n :
She drew herself from his 'encircling
arms, and stood painting like q fright
ened fawn. -. - =, II
Then she threw herself at his feet,
and, clasping her hands entreatingly,
she said: NJ ~ ..,,,.,s.,. ,,,,.li.s : : 3.
"Oh, most noble Prince, let itonot be
put against thy record that innocence
and virtue received no respect at thy
hands! Go, I entreat you! Should my
father return and find thee here, he
would surely first kill me and then kill
himself in shame and despair! Oh,
gor' ID. sH.t ~. at ono re
(" / mean thee no harm, Rika. I love
thee; and when one loves he hurts not
the object Of that love. To win thee 1
will give up my heirship to the crown
to my brother John; and while he wears
the diadem upon his brow will con-
tent myself with love and happiness
4 with thee.' - ...--.s
g Not so, noble Eric" said Rika,
firmly; '.if thou wouldst make such a
sacrifice, /, for one, will not be party
1 to'it. After such n marriage-entailing
as it would, so much loss-love would
prove but q transient guest within our
home. Reproaches would drive the tickle
Igod away -s~ay r svrl
!" Tell me the truth, Rika," interrupt
ed Eric, with passionate earnestness;
"do you love mep" .t,...
$50 well that / would rather die
than know than harm would come to
one SO noble through any influence OF
mine. sn 1AT ps1'
4 "And yet you refuse to make me
happyP" e. 20
~ 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 will be
here. Hthou wouldst shield me from
| harm, go.'' q os r e N ,.g 4. +.
81 will obey now, but / will not
4 promise to give up the hope which lured
me hither. Farewell for time, most
obdurate maiden. " p el.l-
4 Then, with long, lingering, re.
gretful look, the Prince turned and de-
parted.
4 Days and weeks passed on.
4 At last came time which was to
plunge the nation into mourning. The
good and great Gustavus was stricken
d with mortal illness.
/ He died and was laid beside his King
4 lly progenitors, and Eric was the reign
ing sovereign in Sweden. - t-tSs
Young, impulsiye and his own mas
ter, with his heart filled with but one
image, is it to be wondered at that he
suffered no obstacle TO delay his union
with the maiden of his love, after the
! days of his mourning were fully ac.