The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-12-24
waves Of the ocean surging through

her ears. ..s
Before God, Blanche, will never
marry any woman but your
He had forgotten her, then. Even a
king could forget his vow.
She put away her sewing presently
end went up to her own room. Out
over the woods, yellow green In their
young leaves, and the distant sen,
shimmering sapphire, the sunshine
swept In a flood of gold. The birds
twittered hundred glad songs, and the
scent of the lilac and hawthorn hung
on the air. But she heard nothing save
the memory voice Of her king lovers
pleading, saw nothing but his dia-
monds on her Embellishments that
mean constancy! And he was about
to do as she had urged him-marry an
other woman. All, well! When the
Princess Flavia was queen of Stervia,
she would put away his love pledge
forever.
The days crept on, and the weeks,
and now and then n paragraph ap-
peared In the papers anent the forth
coming royal wedding. 1t was brought
to remembrance that King Rex was
the handsomest ruler in Europe. The
Princess Flavia was said to be beau
tiful and accomplished. The names of
the bridesmaids were announced and
the clergy who were TO officiate. and
then came the entire programme of the
great event. ....... .
Blanche read it all through as though
IA ,,,@ 30 I,,a Ia, loon tNn
tion she saw her own name In place
of that Of Princess Flavla. 1t might
have been. Yet not once did she re-
pcnt her decision of that fateful May
night. She still believed that to have
yielded to her love and married him
would have been the greatest wrong
she could have done him. And so his
wedding morning dawned in that tram
quill country spot, and Blanche Drum
mond's left hand was minus its blaze
Of diamonds. She wandered out into
the garden that morning, restless and
agitated and. sitting in tiny summer
house benenth a big lilac tree, fell
amusing while the hours passed, and
by and by the glare of the monday
sun warned her to return to the house.
AS she neared the garden gate the
vicar was passing on the road outside,
and mechanically she paused to speak
to him.
$50 you have returned, Mr.. Will
loughby. Have you completed your
business In town satisfactorily"
"Thank you. yes" he answered. "And
feel like giant refreshed by these
few days in London-one drops into
such a rut, forever in the country.
OF course you have not heard this
mornings news"
mo. What has happened"
"The king Of Stervia, who was to
have been married today, you know,
was found dead in his bed this morn.
ing" ....
With n choking cry Blanche reeled
and before the vicar could reach he,
she lay faint and prone on the gravelet
. path. For hours she passed from one
fit of Mysteries to another. The doctor
said her nerves were completely un
strung, and the shock of the Wears
tidings had been the last straw.
No one dreamed of connecting the
country girl, who had not been in Lon
don except for three months of her life
with the king, who. instead of being
principal i'm the pageant of wedding
lay dead, it was whispered of poison
in his darkened palace.
1t was for her he had died, Blanche
felt assured, and by sheer effort Of will
she overcame her nerves and her an
guish and waited-waited until on til;
second day the postman brought her Z
little package with many foreign
stamps thereon. When she next sum
4 moned up strength to face the worlt
again and take up the burden of life
every one marveled at the alteration
In her. Years older she looked. Th'
luster was gone from her eyes. and hel
expression was that of woman wht
had just turned away from the death
bed of all that the world held dear T.
her. Above the diamond ring on he
wedding finger was plain gold circle
engraved with the old tryst word "Mis
pah," and next her heart lay letter
the only letter she had ever received
from her king lover:
My Blanche-You have seen all the reports @
my approaching marriage, and you are thinking
that have altogether forgotten the one woma
] love. No SO, my peerless Blanche. 1t has bee
necessary. for state reasons to acquiesce In tn
match arranged for me by my ministers, but to
night make my own quietus. No other cours
is open to me but the one am about to take, be
lieye me, Blanche; also am delivering the prn
cess from lifelong hypocrisy, for, like myself
she has been forced into this. ! send back tn
II \ ,S.,l I,I