The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-21
A TRUE LOVE STORY.


the end of the seventeenth century = the
scene Germany In a meadow thickly car
peted with flowers boy and a girl were
stroling hand in hand. He was about four
teer years old, and his dress betokened him
OF high birth. She was about year younger
and wore the attire of girl of the middle
class. Her face was one of the loveliest
ever seen, with her gentle blue eyes and
the bright, fair hair, which fell in two
long plaits down her back, and the boys
eyes rested upon her with an expression of
loving admiration which softened down his
usually naughty and defiant cast of counte-
nance. He had twisted a handful of field
flowers into wreath, and, placing 1t hpon
her head, he sprang away laughing to sur
vey the effect of his adornment.
How pretty thou art, Anna Liese,'' he
cried. There is no other like thee any
where in the wide world. When thou art
older thou shouldst wear a crown of jewels
instead of one of flowers, for thou art born
to be a little queen
The little girl laughed gently and shook
her head.
AN apothecary's daughter cannot become
a great lady, much less a queen she said,
so l shall have to do without a crown
and be content with my mothers trinkets
when grow up.
They boy drew her to him, and, bending
his head so as to be on level with her,
whispered:
Thou shalt be great lady, little Anna
Liese, for l mean, when I'm a man, to mar
ny thee, and then thou'lt be princess of this
province and have many fine jewels as
my lady mother. Does that please thee?"
1T sounds a pretty tale, laughed the
little girl smiling, but thou knowest it is
nothing but dream They let us play to-
gether and be friends because we are only
children; but when thou art man we shall
have to be strangers, and thou wilt marry
a noble lady who will bring thee more
wealth and lands. That is what princes
have to do, know"
But 1 shall not, Wiesgen." cried the boy.
Il mean what / say, and vino even now
cares to cross my will? Thou and no other
shalt be my wife and my princess, so now
thou knowest thy fate
Still the little girl shook her lovely blonde
head incredulously, and at that moment a
mans figure appeared at the further end
of the field.
''See,'' said Anna Liese, "they come from
the castle to look for thee. We must say
goodbye for to-day
The boy looked angrily in the direction of
the richly attired servitor Il shall not co.,
he said defiantly. Il wish to remain where
l am"
If the prince or thy mother wish to
speak to thee, they will be angry" said
Anna Liese, land perhaps they will not let
us be playmates any more. Go with him
now she added persuasively, stroking his
arm and trying to smile away the frown
that darkened his face, land tomorrow we
can come here again Go, to please mer'
We'll, them said the boy, his lips relax
ing into smile as he looked down at her.
Ito please thee 1 will go. But remember,
tomorrow at the same hour be thou here,
Wiesgen. Auf wiedersehen,'' and he kissed
her pretty rosy lips as he spoke.
Little Anna Liese from the apothecary' S
shop and Prince Leopold from the castle
had been playmates from early childhood.
The prince was the only surviving son of
adoring parents, whose indulgence had
helped to foster a disposition already by
nature wild and ungovernable, and there
no one in the wide world who could
persuade or guide him so we'll as gentle Anna
Liese. Seeing this and knowing that the
little girl was a good child and well brought
up, his mother placed no obstacle in the
way of their meeting together, and so they
grew up, as one may say. side by sde low
ing each other devotedly.
But as the months and years passed on,
and Leopold grew into a tall youth, and
Anna Liese into the fairest maid in all the
land, the Princess Henrietta began to see
danger in this constant companionship. And
her fears proved only too well founded.
The affection of the boy for the little child
merged impercepubly into the passionate
love of man for maid, and Leopold displayed
an open admiration for Anna Liese which
appalled, his mother. He spoke of mar
riage-marriage with an apothecary' s
daughter! He, the reigning prince of the
province for his father had been dead some
years. AT any cost, she told herself. a stop
must be put to this youthful folly. In those
give the finishing touch to a young gentle
mans education The princess decided that
Leopold should travel; he should go to Italy,
and amid the excitements and splendors OF
access how could he fail to get over this
mad fascination for a girl so far beneath
him?
The prince protested against the decision:
he did not want to leave Germany and
Anna Liese but his mother managed very
Skilfully to overrule his objections, and in
company with a young nobleman he set
forth on the tour planned for him.
His absence lasted nearly two years, dur
ing which his mother hoped and believed
that her specific had been successful-that
Leopold among the fair and high-born ladies'
of other lands had forgotten his simple Ger
man first love.
The road to the castle was gayly deco
rated with floral arches and waving ban
ners, and a host of retainers and servants
were assembled to welcome back the young
prince.
His mother stood in the great hall anx-
iously listening for the sound of horses feet
which should tell of her loved ones an
proach. Already the time when his arrival
was expected was past, and still he came
not Slowly the minutes crept on; anxiously
the mother waited. No princely son ap-
peared.
In front of the apothecary's house in the
little town below a party of riders had
drawn up, and the most brilliantly dressed
among them was leaning from his horse,
speaking words of passionate love and joy
Gus greeting to beautiful girl, who stood
with flushed face and downcast eyes before
him.
1t was Prince Leopold, whose first thought
upon reaching home was for his Anna Liese.
Il have seen no one to prefer to thee" he
whispered. TELL me, Wiesgen, dost thou
still love me best of all?"
And Anna I.iese's sweet blue eyes an
swered for her, as she raised them a mo-
ment to his.
When the princess heard the reason of
her sons tardy arrival, she was in despair.
Ifanearly two years of absence among novel
and brilliant scenes could not cure her son,
the case was hopeless. Bitterly she rued