The evening times., 1898-04-21

she and l." the princess continued.
had both rejoced and thanked God that
the condition Of the Queen Louisa was
mending and that the physicians at last
seemed full of hope. Il was quite late
and l was about 10 say good night and
! descend 10 my apartment in the castle
! when the kammarherre announced that
there was a large fire in the northern
| part of Stockholm, in the neighborhood of
Hotorget the flames of which shot across
| the sky. The dowager queen requested
me to follow her to the large hall in order
to see the fire from its windows. SER
want was sent in advance with candles
we followed. and from our windows had
| Il good view of the fearful scene. When
We turned to leave my mother suggested
| that we return through the outer rooms
/ of King Carrs apartments, where we
| might by chance meet some attendant
| who would be able to give us the latest
news from the sick queen.
when We entered that one Of the
| kings rooms from which stairway
| leads down to the queens apartments.
saw a stately lady Of fine appearance
| standing in the center of the room
| under the chandelier She was attired in
| folds of silk, and a lace collar hung on
| her shoulders. / naturally thought her
| to be one of the queens ladies, who in
tended to inform the dowager of Queen
| Louisa's condition. The woman looked
! tixedly at us without moving. | had
| never before seen the woman. and it oc-
| CURED to me to ask my mother who she
might be. But l thought that after she
should have made her salutation TO my
I I Shn bar
| Imagine my astonishment when We
| drew near that no nod or sign of ac-
| acknowledgement passed between the dow
| ager and the strange lady. / then
thought that possibly the strange person
! had not had the honor of a presentation
| and that that was why my mother
| passed her silently. 1t seemed strange.
| however that she knew neither of us. OF
| course, when the dowager said nothing
| was silent. When we came through
the door | turned around and saw that
the white-clad woman still remained un-
| derneath the chandelier. After l had
looked at her for a few seconds. while
yet on the threshold she moved and
made a few steps toward us.
| "As soon as we came into the next
room / turned abruptly to my mother
4
| "'Who?'
1.-The woman in white who stood in
| the next room and looked at us so close
| ly without speaking.
1.-The dowager was suddenly agitated
| and in a trembling voice asked: Have
you seen a white lady in the room yonder
| that connects with the queens apart
| ments? Are you sure"
MY mothers agitation affected me and
a nervous feeling came over me. l ans
wered: Certainly l saw her-just in
| there Did you not observe her? May
not open the door again so that we may
/ see who she is?
| MY mother seized my hand and said:
| Say not a word to a soul for a few days
| of what you have seen. You have. per-
haps, seen the white lady and if SO
| 1t foretells the queens death.
II now understood for the first time
my mothers agitation. With a beating
| heart | retired to rest that night, but
| sleep did not visit nae. l lay thinking
| of Queen Louisa and of the sorrow that
| might so soon come to the king. The fol-
| lowing day the physicians issued bulle-
| tin that the queen seemed to be in a
worse condition. Three days afterward
| the beloved Louisa died and left the kine
| and her sorrowing people in deep grief.