The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-05
The WOOing Of Renee
BY cATULLE MeNpEs.


 save one old woman who gathered herbs In the forest. and her word would not have been taken in the village, for she was In league with the devil She knew cures for Ills. brewed potlons from the wild things growing In the forest. muttered words In an accursed tongue and had far too much of wis dom to be In any way reckoned an honest woman.
 It happened In this wise; Renee was in the forest picking up fagots when she chanced upon the old mother hunt Ing her strange herbs. The child was too gentle to understand evil and toe pure to know fear. so she said with her pretty smile:
 Good evenlns to you. mothcr.
 Good evening. pretty oner' said the crone. strengthening her bent shoul' ders to look In Renee's face.
 Then she drew nearer and. putting her dry and wrInkled lips to the girls ear. said;
 Thou art too fair to gather fagots In the forest all thy life. Down the path 10 the right the kings huntsmen ride. Run that way, and perhaps thou shalt see the prince"
 Renee shook her long yellow plaits and ran down the path to the right. singing as she ran. The old mother looked after her.
 "A good child" she muttered-"good and pretty. Now may Gods blessing go with her"'
 The kings huntsmen rode all on black horses. but a snow white charger bore the prince. The sun shone on his yellow curls. jewels sparkled at hls throat. and his dark eyes flashed like stars He drew rein and bade the hurtsmen ride on before.
 "Who art thou. little oner'
 Renee" answered the child.
 Well namedr' cried the prince. "Yet had rather call thee Reine. Wilt thou give me a kiSsY
 Nay" said the girl. "I win kiss only whom love and love only whom | wedr'
 The prince frowned.
 "I am thy prlnce!
 True" said the little peasant, but am not thy princess" And she turn ed and ran away. tossing her long vel low plalts and laughing as she ran.
 After this the prince rode every day through the forest. Once he met the crone. who courteSled profoundly and called Gods blessing down on his head.
 "I have seen thy Renee" he said "So fair Is she that would make her mine and. when my good father dies. queen of all the land Now. help me to it. mother. for see that thou art wise far beyond thy humble station"
 Let her not sleep O nights" said the old woman. hobbllng away toward the heart of the forest.
 Let her not sleep O nights"
 What means thls gibberishg" ex' claimed the prince angrily. Then he reflected. should there be truth in what she saysY' And. turning his horses head. he galloped through the wood to the hlghroad. where the kings huntsmen waited 10 escort him to the palace. There he sought the king and laid bare his heart and vowed he'd throw himself from the ramparts crest if he be not given Renee for his wife.
 So the king was forced 10 give his consent.
 That night the prince sent twenty sweet voiced miustrcls to the village, and all night long beneath her vine wreathcd window they sang the love of the prince for Renee. The girl lls- tened. Tbe words touched her heart, the music Swayed her spirit, and that night her eyes were not closed In slum' Der. In the morning she was weary and sought the shade of the forest. There she found the prince. who look cd Into her eyes and made her listen to the story of his love from his own lips.
 Each night the mlnstrels sang under Renee's window; each day she met the prince In the forest. She found him fair and gentle. The lover of her lroam had blue eyes. tender as the summer sky.
 "But." thought Renee, looking at her prince. dark eyes can be tender too"
 Still she said hlm nay.
 Woo not with too much sweetness. cautioned the old mother. coming sud denly upon the prince where he sat. tllSconSolate. beneath great tree. Music sometimes soothes to slumber."
 So that night the prince sent the keepers to beat the royal hounds be heath the window of Renee. All night the wretched brutes howled; all night the keepers lashed their whips. and In the morning Renee pale. languid. worn with a weeks vigil. laid her little tired head on the arm of the prince and could not In any manner say him nay.
 Make haste to marry" cried the old woman. crossing the homeward path of the prince.
 Aye. that will T." cried he. And thou shalt be a duchess. mother. ere tomorrow's sun goes down"
 A gllded coach bore Renee to the pal acc. and when she stepped forth. clad In her white communion robes. even the unwilling king found her fair. and. kissing her. he called her daughter New York Journal
 An Inference.
 "Young Mr. Margin seems very fa.