Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-10-07
After some weeks he demanded an

lHe princess manner was as IOrllla
as his own, and her tone as naughty
when, after little pause, she replied
"Sir knight, doubtless thou art not
aware that in the possession of the
crown prince are papers showing that
with this estate goes signet ring.
The ring is always in possession of
the rightful heir and that ring l
have"
The knight was exceedingly angry,
but he brought all his arts of fascina-
tion to bear upon the princess, think.
ing to induce her to show him the
ring, but all in vain. Quite out of pa
tience at length lie told her if she did
not give up the ring Immediately lie
would set every person on the estate
to gathering spiders from field forest,
river, and castle and would fiji her
apartments, her clothing, nay even
her couch with them. The princess
quaked with fear at even the thought
of this, and enveloping herself in her
linen wrap preceded the knight to the
arsenal that was high up in one of the
western towers. Here behind coat
of mail that was hanging upon the
wall she touched spring that opened
a secret drawer within which was a
small golden key. With this key
closely clenched in her hand, and the
willy knight close at her side, she pro.
ceeded to the great picture gallery.
There behind the life.siZe portrait of
her own beautiful mother she found
another secret drawer, and taking
therefrom an ivory casket she unlock
ed it with the golden key, disclosing
the coveted prize.
"Let me examine it, please" entreat-
ed the knight
"Never," cried the princess, now
that the ring was in her hand, impress
ell by the instructions regarding it she
had received from her parents, and
dsmayed at her owD weakness in be-
ing frightened in her own castle, amid
her own people by stranger.
The knight, quite forgetting all his
assumed courtly ways, sprang to take
it from her, when, quick as thought,
she threw it out of one of the deep
narrow windows that the knight had
opened on account Of the closeness
of the air, in the long disused gallery.
1t flashed like coal of fire in the sun
light and was gone.
"Mad girl" shouted the knight, an
grily at has fallen into the moat 7"
and leaving the princess he rushed
down the starts.
With her heart beating wildly, and
her eyes sparkling with excitement,
the young girl leaned out the narrow
window and looked far below to where
the gray walls Of the strong square
tower were reflected in the still black
waters of the mOat.
"Ah what is that?" she cried, for
just below her, even within reach of
her hand the signet ring hung secure
ly caught in the meshes of an ancient,
closely woven spiders web. Although
the spider was close by. curiously re-
garding this singular prey, the prin-
cess did not mind, but reached down
and secured the ring without fear.
AS She did so, standing there in front of
the portraits of her parents, she seemed
to hear their voices, explaining once
more the significance of the ring, and
setting forth her duty to all the de-
pendent people living on her estate.
"To whom much is given much
shall be required" she said half aloud.
Dear me how selfish | have BEEN"
and securing the ring toa chain
fastened about her neck, she, too, ran
down the winding stairs, quite regard
less of her linen wrap that lay forgot
ten on the dusty oaken floor of the
gallery, and astonished her servants
by dispatching acourier with letter
to the crown prince.
The knight meanwhile had set all |
the laborers about the estate to draw
the water off from the moat and search
the muddy bottom for the ring. While
they were thus engaged, with the
knight in the greatest excitement and
followed by his servant, pacing back
and forth across the drawbridge, a
company of horsemen arrived who |
had been sent from court. The Prin-
cess Philippine met them in the gar
ments, laces and jewels of her beauti-
fui mother and on one dimpled finger
sparkled the signet ring.
The grand old courtier who bowed
over her proffered hand, said "Your
face and your bearing establish your
identity for knew your parents and
grandparents but this slgnet ring sub
stantiates your rightful ownership to
the estates beyond doubt"
The designing knight and his SER
want were banished from the country.
Young Prince Basil was sent for and
most gladly returned home. The
crown prince and princess and a great
retlnue from court came to the we'd
dino and tho feast g,rnnssed onvtbin1