The Brookhaven leader., 1883-04-26
A ROMANCE OF HISTORY.
1t was nuttinp tin


A blooming band of peasant children
had gathered from far and near to have
merry day amid the nut trees and
hedges.
say children-but girls of fifteen
and lads of eighteen and twenty were
scattered throughout the chattering
group.
The nut harvest was a joyful time to
them.
The young are always attractive in a
certain way. The undimmed bright
ness of the eye-the satiny smoothness
of the complexion 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 chang
ing scenes of loneliness so constantly
unfolding themselves before them
frame it in mass of shining, wavy
gold of natures own crimping-and
poise it upon form so 1.-THE and slen-
der in its exquisite grace that Praxi-
teles might have chosen it for his
model you can form an idea of
Rika Bremer-the acknowledged beauty
of the whole surrounding country.
And there was romantic story
about her going the rounds.
1t was said that no less a parsonage
than Prince Eric, the son of the great
and good Gustavus, had been standing
one morning by one of the palace win
dows to witness a rustic procession,
which had been gotten up in honor of
some important victory. recently won
by his famous father; and, as he stood
gazing listlcssly out, his eyes bright
ened suddenly, and he turned to an at
tendant 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 had stood
amid group of other maidens looking
at the gayly-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 buttons, brought out so vivid
ly the exquisite fairness of her skin,
with its rose-leaf tints of red upon lips
and cheeks, that she looked like a being
of different sphere as she stood amid
her mates.
Confused and blushing, she now
awaited the Princes pleasure. She
dared not raise her eyes to his face.
Had she done so she would have been
overpowered by the earnestness 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 to 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 to inherit upon the
death of his father.
No. In that moment Elizabeth of
England 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.
Il am Frederika-the forester's
daughter-your Majesty"
Nay, not yet crave l for that title,
maiden. Young blood must have its
vent, and l am glad to know that the
cares OF government are not soon likely
to rest upon my shoulders, broad
though they may be-
With smile he glanced at his stall
wart frame, which was acknowledged
to be one of the finest specimens of
physical comeliness in the country, as
was his face called the handsomest of
any Princes in Europe.
kika courtesied respectfully. but did
not reply.
If the gracious Prince chose thus to
address as an equal one of the humblest
OF his fathers subjects, she knew well
her position, and was to the full as
proud OF her unsulIied innocence and
integrity as the haughtiest maid in the
realm
Her shy modesty added to her beauty
In Eric's eyes.
Where Invest thou, Frederika?" he
asked, softly; ''for would well like to
send thy father a commission to fell
some trees which much interfere with
the comfort of the Kings hunting par
ties in the forest"
This he said, knowing intuitiyely
that it would startle Rika to give her
his true reason and say that he intend
ed to start out himself in quest of fairer
and more precious game-whicb must
De ensnared in tenderer tolls than those