Abilene weekly reflector., 1899-07-20
A TRUE LOVE STORY.

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II A TRUE LOVE STORY. !
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It was beautiful spring morning
toward the end Of the seventeenth CEN
tury-the scene, Germany In 9
meadow thiekly carpeted with flowers,
q boy and girl were strolling hand in
hand. He was about fourteen 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 loveiest even 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 c0untenance.
SLOW pretty thou art, Anna Liese!"
he cried. "There is no other like thee
anywhere in the wide world. When
thou art older thou shouldst wear
crown Of je,-els instead Of one of flow
ers, for thou are born to be little
queen!"
The little girl laughed gently and
shook her head.
"An apothecarys daughter cannot
become a great lady, much less
QUEEN" she said, 80 shall have to do
without a crown and be content with
my mothers trinkets when | grow
up"
The boy drew her up to him, and,
bending his head so as to be on level
with hers, whispered:
"Thou shalt be great lady, little
Anna Liese, for 7 mean, when Tina
man, to marry thee, and then thou'lt
be a princess Of this province and have
as many fine jewels as my lady moth
er. Dost that please thee?"
Still the little girl shook her lovely
blond head incrcdulously, and at that
moment a mans figure appeared at
the further end of the field.
"Sec," said ,Anna Liese, "they come
from the castle to look for thee. We
must say goodby for today"
The boy looked angrily in the direc.
ton Of the richly attired serviter. "
shall not Co." he said, defiantly. u
wish to remain where am"
"If the prince or thy mother wish
to speak with thee they will be an.
gry," said Anna Liese. "Go with
him now," she added, persuasively I,
land tomorrow we can come here
again. Go, to please mel"
swell, then" said the boy, his lips
relaxing into a smile as he looked
down at her, ito please thee ! will 60.
ut, remember, tomorrow at the
me hour be thou here, Wesgen.
! Auf wiedersehn," and he kissed her
pretty rosy lips as he spoke.
The road to the castle was gally
decorated with floral arches and wav.
ing banners, and q host of retainers
and servants were assembled to well
come back the young Prince.
: His mother stood in the great hall
anxiously listening for the sound of
her loved ones approach. Already
the time when his arrival was expcc-
ted was past and still he came not.
Slowly the minutes crept on; anx-
iously the mother waited. No prince
ly son appeared.
In front Of the apothccary's house
in the little town below party of
riders had drawn up, and the most
brilliantly dressed among them was
leaning from his horse speaking words
Of passionate love and joyous greeting
to a 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.
II have seen no one to prefer to
thee" he whispered, "Tell me, Wlcs-
zen dost thou still love me best OF
alp"
P And Anna Lieses sweet. blue eyes
answered for her as she raised them
a moment 10 his.
When the Princess heard the reason
of her sons tardy arrival she was in
despair. II nearly two years Of alb.
sence among the novel and brilliant
scenes could not cure her son, the case
was hopeless. Bitterly she rned her
blindness in having allowed the old
childish friendship TO continue so
long. But she was woman OF re-
sources. She did not give up the bat
tie; she only changed her tactics
She collected what gossip she could
concerning Anna Licsc, and retailcd
IT in very garblcd form 10 her son.
Thus the girl. according to these ac-
counts, had become n practised CO.
Quettc: she was hcsct with admirers
and Iavishcd smiles on them one and
all. Tattcrly there was one whom
she had seemed 10 favor more than
the othcrs---a cousin. a young doctor.
who had just returned from lengthy
travels.
Anna was sitting one day at work
beside one Of the quaint old windows
of her fathers house. II was in the
front Of the dwelling, and looked out
into the street, for which reason It
was a favorite place with the girl.
who liked TO watch the passers-by.
) To her entered her cousin, DR. Will
helm. with some curious old coins
and other articles amassed on his for.