The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-03-09
A RUSSIAN PRINCESS.
She Was a Charming Woman and
Played Her Part Well.
Her Presence frightened the Winter
Atlantic Voyage-Dn Arrival at New
York She Received "A Hearty
Welcome

Alder kept putting away at his cigar,
while looked Dut of the great window
at the falling snow. They had been
telling stories and thus far he had lis
tened. Finally he said, with smile:
II don't believe I've ever told you of
the part played in diamond swindle,
have I?''
"What?" calculated Hennequin, with
mock horror. as it possible what we
have been harboring criminal? Well.
go on with your damaging confession"
The waiter had just entered with a
tray. Alder first drank his creme de
menthe. Then he settled himself back
in the comfortable leather chair. and
went on, with a laugh:
1T happened two years ago. coming
over in a French steamer. 1t was in
the winter time, and there We're very
few passengers. Our Christmas was
spent at sea, and right jolly Christmas
it was. Capt Fourget and | We're old
friends I had made the trip with him
half dozen times before, and he did
everything to make things agreeable
for me.
I'VE have a real live Russian princess
with us this time, mon ami he
laughed. as we sat playing vingt-et-un,
the first night out i am afraid that
when you see her you will lose your
heart
IFS she so very beautiful, them? /
asked carelessly-
she is superb was his reply. i
do not think a more charming woman
has ever Travelled on my ship
Il confess that, after what the cap
tain had said, | was rather curious To
see this Russian princess But she
did not leave her stateroom for the first
three days out She was suffering from
an aggravated case of mai-de-mer. |
was told Finally she made her ap-
pearance at the captains table. and her
beauty created a veritable sensation
.'She was all the captain had said,
and more. do not believe | have ever
seen a more beautiful woman any
where. and, as you know, | have been
something of a globe trotter. If
she was not a princess, which even
then doubted, she certainly looked it
in her costly sables Whatever she
was, she ought to have been queen
..She was seated on the captains
right, and the next place at the table
was mine | was able, then, to extend
her few little polite attentions, which
soon put us on the best of terms. Ac-
auaintances, as you know, are easily
made on shipboard, to be dropped, If
you like. the moment the steamer
touches its dock.
".Ah monsieur the princess said,
speaking French with a delicious ac-
cent Il have heard of you before You
are the American gentleman, nest ce
pas who, several years ago, nearly
broke the bank at Monte Carlo?
''She alluded to a lucky coup of mine
at rouge-et-noir. The newspapers at
the time had got hold of it, and exag-
gerated my winnings into princely
fortune. although in reality they were
only some thousands.
".I have seen you before, monsieur
said the princess, with her luminous
eyes fixed upon me-
81 That is strange ] said. i cannot
recollect it And, if l saw you once l
never should forget YOU
.''Ah,' said she. with charming
smile, but you did not see me- The
Princess Dolgorouki pointed you out to
me on the Newsky Prospekt in St
Petersburg You are known all over
Europe, it seems, monsieur.
well, | fiirted with the princess all
the way over. We promenaded the
decks, and spent our evenings together
in some coy corner en- tete-a-tete- She
gave me soft glances and permitted
gentle pressures of her plump hand.
There was one passenger, French
man. to whom | took violent dislike.
He looked like a croupier / had once
seen at Monaco. He followed us about