Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1901-10-21
The TN NA||eY % 70 % Graphcs D e @ ST(0RY

"It is officially announced that marriage has been arranged to take place shortly between his majesty King Rex of Stervia and her royal highness Princess Flavia of Rhodania.
 That was all-only a bald press par agraph, but it set the sweet May sun shine all dazzling before Blanche Drummond's eyes and brought the waves of the ocean Sursing through her ears.
 Before God. Blanche, l will never marry any wonHil but you.
 He had forgotten her, then. Even king could forget his vow.
 She put away her sewing presently and went up to her own room. Out orer the woods, yellow green in their young leaves. and tAe distant sea. shimmcrin& sapphire, tAe sunshine swept in q food of gold The hire3s twttercd q h.in'red glad songs. a:!d tEe scent Of the lilac and hawthorn hung on the air But she heard nothing SaYo the memory vo.tp of her king lovers pleading. saw so,hing but l=> t.is;- mondS on her i.aiid-st stiaiaaIds that mean conSt&scy. .'G5I he was Hi5o5t to do as she lssl urged hssa marry ail- other woman. Ah, wei When the Princess Fi;.via MS qaeea Of ..7tefviss, she wol.ll pat aVsa* lis bye pledge forever
 He Gays =, II ea,=#ud tie weeks, md ION a,Iyi t.s-a :; if.sr.fs rstpil= aP- pearei il ti.e IaIeFs a:tsHt tlta terth- coming royal &es.s:..ssss..yy. Ii was brought to re1aemhr,.:Ec that E.z.t Rex Was I,le l4anfiSa1est ruler in Europe. Ire Princess Iiayia Wsts said te Aa heau- ;.fal and accomplished. The names of the bridesmaids Were announced and the clefsH who were to e..sici.9te. and then c@.ae flle entire programme Of the great event.
 Blanche read t. all thrae@h as;housh it were l}:ft of q dream. In ima@ina- ,ioa sle >tsH. her own name ia place cf that of Princess ilaV.a. It might have beer. Net net oIce did she re peat her decision of tat fateful May night. She still believed that to have yielded to hef love and married him would have been the greatest wrong sle col!Ia have done him. .1nd so his wedding morning GaNzned ifl that tran Qai country spot an9, Blanche Drum nena'S left tand was minus it's blaze Of diamonds. Sic wandered out into the garden that morning. restless and G3itated and, sitting in I tiny summer house beneath a big lilae tree, fell amusing while the hours passed, and by and by the glare of the Hoonday sl!:l 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.
 "So you have returned. Mr. Will loG@lby. Have you completed your business in town satisfactorily"
 "Thank you, yes" he answered. "And I feel like q giant refreshed by these few days in London-one drops into such rut, forever ia the country. Of course you have not heard this mornings news:'
 No. What has happened:'
 "The king of Stervia. who was to have been married today. you know, was found dead i'll his bed this iaorn- ing
 With choking c:y Blanc..e reeled, and before the vicar could reach her she lay faint and prone oh tEe srayeled path. For hours she passed from one it of Mysteries to another The doctor said her nerves were completely ttn- strung. and the shock of the vicar's tdin@S had been the last straw
 No une dreamed of connecting the country girh who had not been i'll LoD don except fer three months Of Ter life. with tac king. who. instead of beng principal ia the pageant of q wedding, lay dead. it was whispered of poison, in lis darkeaed palace.
 It was fer her he had died. Blanche felt assured. and by sheer effort ef will sle ovc.came her nerves and her an euish and waited waited until on the second day the Eostman brol git Ler | little package with many foreign stamps thereon. When she neXt=sum mGned up strength to face tEe world again and take Up the burden Cf life. every one 1a:,rvcled at the a!teratioH En fer. Years oltPr slte locked Fife lester e4S 2e:le from =hes eXes- aaG hey expression Was that ef I Nn,.tH Wiio had i;.Et te.seo aw&t te#i T." death s,=al HI t.sat ,4e N.or.= lpld ,!eaT to l~: .&oFe Ire tz...4a Et rt.sZ on It@t'