The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-12
THE PRINCESS BARNABAs.


The Princess BarDabss was in state of tn
most profound perplexity. She could not
for the dainty life of her. make up her mind
on the important question as to whether sh
should or should not commit suicide st tn
close of the season. It was not very easy for
the Princess many admirers to understand
why she should perturb her mind with such
problem at all; but perturb it she did with
that very problem, whether wisely or un-
wisely.
The Prir cess Barnahas was very remarka.
bic young woman, who had proved the puz-
zle, the price, and the passion of London So
cie.y for three whole sensational seasons.
She was not get four and twenty. She bore
the title of great Russian Prince, who had
married her just before she came of age, at a
time when he himself was old enough to be
her grandfather and who had considerably
died within two years of the ceremony,
leaving her the absolute mistress of bis
fortune and his territories, a, che had been
dnring life the ab,olute mistress of his
heart for the short time in which he swayed
1t. She was said 10 be fabulously wealthy.
and she delighted in wearing them in season
and out of season, with a semi barbaric en-
joynent of their glitter aud solendor. which
was. Ike every thing eles about her, partly
oriental and partly childish.
Some time after her husbands death she
had come 10 Paris and got tired Of it, and
then she crossed the Chaupsl and conquered
London During one rssp,endent season
little else was talked ABOUT but the Princess
- Yn has ~ inn 10 ro1 ah@w- H..
delicate beauty, which seemed to belopg to
the canvsss,s of the last century, which
Dug ht TO have been immortslized on pate
tendre, end bymned in madrigals.
Men sdored her. Women envied her mar
velous dress ard Der laetchless jewels. The
dying ashes CT a seasons scandal Jared up
In marvellous activity around her pretty
personality.
She ives enormously "the thing. And
enormor sly the thing" she remained dur
ing q second season, after an interval of 40
solufe disappearance into the dominions OF
appeared to be now in her third season, in
spite OF the rival attractions of an American
actress who had married an English duke.
and an American girl with millions who had
married the bluest blood and the Oldest
name in Earope. 1t would havs been alb.
surd for any one to contest the point that
the Princess Bsrnabas was the most interest.
ing figure OF that phantasmal dance of shad-
Cws which is called London society.
Nevertheless, the Princess Bsrnabas was
weary-positively bored. If she had been
less of . success life might not have appeared
so desolate. There would have been a
piquancy in the possibility of rivalry watch
would have lent a new interest to the taste.
less feast. AS it was, however, London lite
at the height OF its IDaddest activity, ap-
peared to her az drear and gray as those
stretches of steppes which lay like q great
sea around one OF the Russian castles of the
late Prince Barnabss.
1t was during this fit of depression, when
the Princess Barnabas was graciously pleased
to agree with the author of "Ecclesiastes,"
that Life was vanity, that it occurred to her
that IN all her strange experiences she had
never yet committed suicide. She immedi-
ately gave up her mind to the important
problem, whether she would gain this ulti-
mate human experience at once, or post pone
IL indefinitely.
1t was in this frame of mind that the Prin-
cess went to the great hall of the Russian
Embassy. As she nestled among her furs in
the dim, luxurious wsrmth of her carriage
her mind wes running entirely upon the
VARIOUS forms of selfdsstruction which had
been made famous By celebrated persons a.
different sssges of the worlds history, and
she could find none that were sufficiently at
tractive or remarkable 10 please her.
Good heavens" she thought to herself
with o little shudder, which even the warmth
OF her surroundings could not repress. lis il
impossible to be oanale even in that"
And then she gave q little groan as she
stepped out of her carriage and went up the
Embassy steps The thought wac still on
her mind, and tracing the least suggestion of
frown upon her exquisite girlish facs, as
she entered the great room and took the
nand o. the Ambassadors.
The thrill Of interest of excitement, CT ad
mirst1on, which, rs matter OF course at
senceo upon her entrance, did not give her
sny answering thrill CT qualification. She
appeared to listen with the most gracious at
tention to the compliments of the Ambassa.
der. She answered with the daintie5t little
ar OF infantile obeisance the Old World
courtesy OF . white haired minister who
would have been as much at home as she
herself In salon OF the Regent of Orleans.
She condescended to entsnele tn a net work
of fascip alton, particularly obdurats and
impassive Secretary OF State. She patronized
prince of the blood royal, and was exceed.
ingly frank and friendly with the Young
painter Lepell. who knew exactly how much
her familiarity meant but was at once
smueed and delighted by the envy it aroused
IN others.
Yet all the while the Princess Barnsbas
was not devotiDg single serious thought to
one Of her admirers Every idea In that vain
and foolish head was centered upon the one
query:
SHALL / commit suicide next week. and If
30. how?'
It was while in this frame OF mind, talking
to twenty people and thinking OF none of