The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-10-01
TCOpyright, 1897, by the AuthOr.l

counting the Princess Osra, for his ia
ther had sought the most beautiful lady
of a royal house in Europe and bad
found none TO equal Osra. Therefore
the prince came to Strelsaa with q
great retinue and was lodged in the
White palace, which stood ON the out
skirts of the city where the public gar
dens now are, for the palace itself was
sacked and burned by the people in the
rising of 1848. Here Ludwig staid
many days, coming every day to the
kings palace to pay his respects to the
king and queen and to make his court
70 Jne princess. King Rudolf had re-
ceived him with the utmost friendship
and was, for reasons of state then Of
great moment, but now of vanished in
terest, as eager for the match as was
the king of GlOttenberg himself, and he
grew very impatient with his sister
when she hesitated to accept Ludwig's
hand, alleging that she felt for him no
more than a kindly esteem, and, what
was as much to the purpose, that he
felt no more for her, for, although the
prince possessed most courteous and
winning manners and was very accom-
plished both in learning and in exer-
cises, yet he was a grave and pensive
young man, rather stately than jovial,
and seemed in the princess eyes (accus-
toned as they were to catch and check
ardent glances) to perform his wooing
more as a duty of his station than on
the impulse of any passion. Finding in
herself also no such sweet ashamed
emotions as had before now crossed her
heart on account of lesser men, she
grew grave and troubled, and she said
to the king:
Brother, is this love? For l had as
lief he were away as here, and when he
is here and kisses my hand as though it
were a statues hand, and feel as
though it were. They say you know
what love is. Is this love?''
"There are many forms of love-"
smiled the king. This is such love as
a prince and princess may most prop
erly feel -
81 do not call it love at all, - said
Osra with a pout.
When Prince Ludwig came next day
to see her and told her with grave cour-
tesy that his pleasure lay in doing her
will, she broke out:
81 had rather it lay in watching my
face, and then, ashamed, she turned
away from him.
He seemed grieved and hurt at her
words, and it was with a sigh that he
said, my life shall be given to giving
you joy. ="
She turned round on him with flush
ed cheek and trembling lips.
eyes. but had rather it were spent
in getting joy from me. "
He cast down his eyes for a moment
and then, taking her hand, kissed it,
but she drew it away sharply, and so
that afternoon they parted, he back to
his palace, she to her chamber, where
she sat asking again, lis this lOve?''
and crying, He does not know love-"
and pausing now and again before her
mirror to ask her pictured face why it
would not unlock the door of love.
On another day she would be merry
or feign merriment, rallying him on
his sOmber air and formal compliments, |
processing that for her part she soon
grew weary of such wooing and loved |
to be easy and merry, for thus she hoped |
to sting him, so that he would either
disclose more warmth or forsake alto |
gether his pursuits. But he made many |
apologies, blaming nature that had |
made him grave, but assuring her of |
his deep affection and respect.
Affection and respectr' murmured |
'Osra, with a little toss Of her head.
'Oh, that l had not been born prin-
cessr' And vet, though she did not love
him, she thought him very noble gen
tleman and trusted to his honor and
sincerity in everything. Therefore
when he still persisted and Rudolf and
the queen urged her, telling her (the
king mOckingly, the queen with a touch
of sadness) that she must not look to
find In this world such love as romantic
girls dreamed of, at last she yielded, and
she told her brother that she would
marry Prince Ludwig, yet for little
while she would not have the news pro-
claimed. So Rudolf went. alone and
privately, to the White palace and said
to Ludwig:
Cousin, you have won the fairest
lady IN the world Behold, her brother
says itr'
Prince Ludwig bowed low, and tax
ing the kings hand pressed it, thanking
him for his help and approval and ex-
pressing himself as most grateful for
the boon of the princess favor.
And will you not come with me
and find her?" cried the king, with a
merry look.
Il have urgent business now," an
twered Ludwig. beg the princess to
forgive me. This afternoon will crave
the honor of waiting on her with my
humble gratitude -
King Rudolf looked at him, smile
curling on his lips, and he said in one
Of his gusts Of impotence:
By heaven, is there another man in
the world who would talk of gratitude
and business and the afternoon when
(lcy-a Of Cfrolco,, cot E.. ]