Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-05-17
A Romance Of History.
1t WAS nutting time.

1t WAS nutting time.
A blooming band of peasant children
had gathered from far and near to havs
a merry day amid the nut trees and
hedges.
say dlen-but girls Of fifteen and
lads of eighteen and twenty were scat
tered throughout the ehattering group.
The nut harvest was a joyful time to
them.
The young are always attractive in q
certain way. The undimmed brightness
OF the eys-ths satiBv smsothness of the
complexion-the happy smiles lowering
around the rosy lips-each has beauty
to itself; but add to the youthful face
the charm Of perfectly chissled features,
and OF lustrous brOwn eyes, looking out
upon the world with an innoesat won
der at the changing scenes of loveliness
80 constantly unfolding themselves be-
fore them-frame 1t in = mass Of shin
ing, wavy gold of natures own crimping
and poiss it upon form SO 1.-THE and
slender in its exquisite grace that Prax-
iteles might have chosen it for his mod
el-and you can form an idea of Rika
Bremen 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 rustic procession,
which had been gotten up in honor of
some important victory, recently won
by his famous father; and, as he stood
gazing listlessly out, his eyes frightened
suddenly, and he turned to an attend
ant and whispered few words which
caused him to hasten away. When he
returned he was not alOne-Rika was
with him.
Prince Erie's beauty loving eyes had
been attracted by her rs she had stood
amid group of other maidsns looking
at the gayly-dresssd columns of her
countrymen filing by.
She, too, was in holiday. attire; and
tho black velvet jacket, citing closely to
her slender figure, And adorned with
silvsr-gilt buttons, brought out 80 vivid
ly the exquisite fairness of her skin,
with its rose-leaf tints of red upon lips
and cheeks, that she looked like being
of different sphere as she stood amid
her mates.
Confused and blushing, she now await
cd the Princes pleasure. She dared not
raise her eyes to his face.
Had she done so she would have been
overpowered by the earnsstnsss 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 roy
al bride, upon whose brow rested dia-
dem whose splendor far exceeded the
one which he wa. to inherit upon the
death of his father
No. In that moment Elizabeth of
England was forgotten. The peasant
maid who stood befroe 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-ths forester's daugh-
tsr-your Majesty"
NAY, not yet crave for that title,
maiden. Young blood must have its
vent, and 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 physi-
cal comeliaess in the country, as was his
face called the handsomest of any
Princes in Europe.
Rika 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 we'll
her position, and was to the full As proud |
of her unsullied innocence and integrity |
as the haughtiest maid in the realm.
Her shy modesty added to her beauty
in Eric's eyes.
"Where livest thou, Fredsrikar" he
asked, softly for would we'll like 20 |
send thy father a commission to fell |
some trees which much interfere with I
the comfort of the Kings hunting par
ties in the forest"
This he said, knowing intuitivsly that
it would startle Rika to give her his |
true reassn and say that he intended to |
start out himself in quest of fairer and |
more precious gxme-which must be en-
shared in tenderer tolls than those at |
of the krenost sportsman at |
his fathers court.
After few words more he suffered |