La Junta tribune., 1900-06-16
"A KISS, A WORD"
A Story OF q Woman Who Could
Not Keep q Secret and How
She Paid the Penalty.
BY MAURUs JokAI.

I When the Princess AieAauufa ser
bator was presented at the luxurious
court OF Catherine II, two men had the
most influence In the empire. One was
/ Gregory Aiexandrovitch Potemkin. the
mighty minister. the other Prince Mon.
omoff. the handsome favorite Of the
\ czarina.
/ The gossiping world said that the
pretty eyes OF the favorite had just as
much share in governing the land Of all
| Russians rs the great brain of the ia
nous statesman.
| The quick eye of Prince Monomoff
noticed at once the extraordinary beau
| ty OF the new court lady. and OF course
II was only natural that SO wide awake
| a statesman as Potemkin. whose less
! pretty but nevertheless watchful eyes
| were always open. couldn't help seeing
and admiring.
Both men fell in love with the young
i princess. and In the ensuing ardent but
/ secret struggle for her love the cZari-
mas favorite. Monomoff. was finally
| the more successful. He became the
devoted admirer of the princess. and
the wise Po,emkin. knowing that he
was mot in it, any more. withdrew.
| burying his malice In his diplomatic
heart.
| Thanks to his intrigue. the new love
of Prince Monomoff now became
known to the czarina. who. to avoid a
scandal. ordered her favorite to marry
| at once the girl.
The punishment" was taken by the
prince with resignation. which was
only natural. knowing that the young
princess was not only bewitchingly
beautiful. but also enormously rich.
The wedding took place with great
pomp and ceremony. The young pair
was overwhelmed with the costliest
presents. among which the most valua-
BILE was that Of the cxarina. 1t was .
large solitaire diamond. Its won
drous Ore had beautiful color.
Nothing marred the happiness Of
the young couple. and their honey
moon passed in JOY and pleasure.
Once In happy hour the young wife
approached her loving husband with
this lnquisitive question:
Tell me. dear. what is the value Of
that large diamond which you have ON
your tingerY'
Monomoff looked upon the czarIna's
present and did not answer for awhile.
Tell me honestly. sweetheart" con-
tinued the princess, '.how much was
given for that stoney'
"a kiss" thoughtlessly replied Mono
| mon. They both laughed at the joke.
won't you sell 1t to me? / will pay
you double that much for It." And the
charming young woman demonstrated
right away her generosity by allowing
her husband to help himself" and
the price. two kisses. was willingly
paid-in fact. overpaid-but Of course
that is none of our business.
Alexandra. II you value our lives
you must not tell of this bargain to
any one. You know the czarina."
Il do promise to you, dear. that no
soul shall learn from me the price Of
the diamond"
Il have also promised to Catharina
and told you just the same"
"Yes. but ! won't"
And she dIdn't-untiI the next court
reception. or course she didn't mean
to tell 1t to a soul. and II was only
by mere chance that the secret es-
capped her lips. During the evening
her most Intimate friend. the Prin-
cess Orion. had admired the sparkling
gem and 1--WE must remember that all
this happened In RussIaD INQUIRED
about Its value
Princess Monomoff smilingly whis-
pered into her rosy ears: at was given
to my husband for a kiss. I gave him
double the amount for IT, But I said
this only for you and to no one. else.
Don't let II go farther. or II may bring
Ms into danger"
want to tell the secret to any one and.
In fact. did not tell II to a soul except
to the wife Of General RomanoH. but
she was such an intimate friend Of
hers that she could be trusted without
fear. And she knew also perfectly
how to guard an intrusted secret. No
body learned II from her but her bosom
friend the Princess Kerchiko6. The
Princess Kerchiko6 told II to no one
except to the Princess Dasko6. 30 the
well kept secret reached Princess Po-
temkin shortly after midniGht. vhi.-
pered couiidentially By an unrecorded
iady's rosy lips under the promisa Of
strics secrecy.
Princess Potemkin hated Princess
Monomo6. sud. being the wife of .
great diplomat she was berseaf Z great
intrteuef. She I'D Da1euvered %
skinfully that sAe approacAed TIE en-
peess unnctseed. and when the Princess
Nooomo6 pafaded By she remarked
lnDocentiy:
-oh. Asv bsaseifnl = that dIa-s,d