The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-11-05

waves Of the ocean surging through
her ears.
Before God, Blanche, / will never
marry any woman but you.'
He had forgotten her, then. Even a
king could forget his vow.
She put away her sewing presently
and went up TO her own room. Out
over the woods. yellow green in their
young leaves, and the distant sea,
shimmering sapphire, the sunshine
swept in a food 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 hand-diamonds that
mean constancy! And he was about
20 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 a 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 off1ciate. and
then came the entire programme of the
great event.
Blanche read it all through as though
ton she saw her own name in place
of that of Princess Flavia. 1t might
have been. Yet not once did she re-
pent 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 tran
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 beneath 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.. VIII
loughby. Have you completed your
business in town satisfactorily"
Thank you. yes" he answered. "And
feel like a giant refreshed by these
| few days in l.ondon-one drops into
| such a rut. forever In the country.
OF course yon have not heard this
mornings newsy"
mo. What has happencd?"
''The king of Stervia. who was to
have been married today. you know
| was found dead in his bed this morn
ing"
With a choking cry Blanche rceleG
| and before the vicar could reach heI
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 i'm Lon
don except for three months of her life
with the king. who. instead Of being
principal in the pageant Of wedding
lay dead. it was whispered of poison
in his darkened palace.
1t was for her he had died, Blanch,
/ <ol< occ,1rad ond hv choor s,ff0pf 0f yrtl
she overcame her nerves and her au
guish and waited-wa!ted until Oh tn,
second day the postman brought her Z
little package with many foreign
stamps thereon. When she next sum
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 he
expression was that of a 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 bad ever receivet
from her king lover:
| Ny Blanche-You have seen all the reports G
my approaching marriage. and you are tbinkin
that have altogether forgotten the one woma
| love. No 50, my peerless Blanche. II has bee
necessary. for state reasons. 10 scquiesce in III
match arranged for me by my ministers. bu, &c
| night make my own quietus. No other cours
| is open 10 me but the one an about 10 take, bs
| lieve me, Blanche; also am delivering the prir
cess from q lifelong hypocrisy. for, like myself
| she has been forced into this. send back n
MIzpah ring, and l know merciful God wi
| Judge me innocent In the time We have been al
| sent the one from the other. Wear 1t always fc
| my sake. Heart Of my heart. farewell until "
meet in the land where all are equal and wheI
| love is the only king. REX.
Ladies' Field.
Moor Baths.
| The moor baths which are DrOyide,