The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-13
The WOOing Of Renee
BY cATULLs MENoEs.

Still. nobody knew this for the truth 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 aecursed 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 chanccd upon the old mother hunt Ing her strange herbs. The child was too gentle to understand evil and too pure to know fear. so she said with her pretty smile:
 Good evenlns to you. mOther!"
 Good evening. pretty one! said the crone. strengthening her bent shoul- ders to look In Renec's face.
 Then she drew nearer and. putting her dry and wrlnkled lips to the girls ear. said:
 "Thou art too fair to gather fagots in the forest an thy life. Down the hath to 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 his throat. and his dark eyes flashed like stars He drew rein and bade the huntsmen ride on before.
 Who art thou. little OneT'
 Renee" answered the child
 Well namcir' cried the prince. "Yct I had rather call thee Relne Wilt thou give me a kiSST
 Nay" said the girl "l will Kiss only whom love and love only whom | wed"
 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 hlS head.
 "I have seen thy Renee" hc said. "So fair Is she that would make her mine and. when my good father dies, queen of an tbc land Now. help me Co it. mother for l see that thou art wise far hcvuud thy humble station"
 "I.ct her mol sleep O nights" said the old woman. hobbling away toward thc heart Of ;he forest.
 "Lct hcr not sleep o' nights"
 What means this gihberlsh:" ex' claimed thc prince ansrily. Then be reflected. should there be truth in what she slysg" And. turning his horses hcad hc gallopcl through the wood Go the highroad. where the kings hunismcn waited to escort him to the palace. There hc sought the king and lald bare ui, heart and vowed he'd throw himself from the romp0rt's crest lf he bo not given Renee for his wife.
 So the king was forced Co give his consent
 .f.t. .,f.-tt tf., ,,rf,e, e.of twenty sweet voiced minStrels tO the village, and all night long beneath her vine wrcathed window they sang the love of the prince for Renee. The girl Ills tened. The words touched her heart, the music swaycd her spirit. and that night her eyes were not closed in slum- Der. In the mornlng she was weary and sought the shade Of the forest. There she found the prince who look ed Into her eyes and made her listen Co the story or hls love from his own lips.
 Each night the mlnstrcls sang under Renee's window: each day she met the prince In thc forest. She found him fair and gentle. The lover Of her dream had blue eyes. tender as the summer sky.
 But" thought Renee. looking at her prince. dark eyes can bc tender too"
 Sill she said him nay.
 Woo not with too much sweetness" cautioned the old mother. coming sud denly upon the prince where he sat. dlsconsolate. beneath great tree. Music sometimes soothes Co siumber."
 So that night the prince sent the keepers to beat the royal hounds be heath the window of Renee. All night the wretchcd brutes howled; all night the keepers lashcd their whips, and In the morning Renee. pale, languid. worn with 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 l| cried he. And thou shalt be a duchess, mother. ere ionorrow's sun goes down?'
 A gilded coach bore Renee to the pal ace, and when she stepped forth. clad in her white communion robes, even the unwilling king found her fair, and. kissing her. be called her daughter New York Journal