The Jennings daily record., 1902-09-23
The Awakening Ct Princess
Valerie.

By CURRAN RICHARD GREENLEY.
Copyright. 1902. by Dali. Story Pub Co,
Pretty Princess Valerie, they had
called her. back in the little kingdom
Of Arstadt. when Duke Fritz had
Wooed and won her in the guise OF
the Count Of Neinheim, and with the
Willy old Prime Minister had plotted
against girls willfulness to give
her the sweetest of love marriages.
Well! That was years ago. Since
then. only yesterday. a weary truth
had come to Princess Valerie-that
Wen may love: but men will tire. and
the newest face has ever charm.
It was bitter smile that curved
the proud red lips. as she watched
Duke Fritz stroll under the lindens,
murmuring pretty speeches into the
dainty ear of the Countess Isobel.
Countess Isobel of Hohenhauffen, the
veriest flirt ever sent to overturn the
peace of the little court of Auer-
stadt
Valerie rested her hot cheek in her
hand and gazed down at the sleeping
boy. heir to the duchy. child OF her
love. all that was left Of that love,
Valerie told herself, as the countess
gay laugh rang up beneath the win
dow.
She had been so happy. only last
night. when that little vixen, kath
crime de Graflenried. had spoken
lightly in her hearing of Countess
Isobels latest conquest. Katherine
had seemed properly dismayed when
the duchess angry ia .e appeared be-
tween the portiers and bade her say
out her meaning. She had wept and
sobbed with a pretty reluctance. and
then had come the story of the moon
light walks, of the rides in the forest
and the little notes that went to and
fro, and Valerie listened with death
in her heart and proud smile on
her lips.
SIS that all?" she had asked. Then,
at her bidding. the girl crept away.
the malice half hid in her sleepy
green eyes. Katherine hated the
duchess. as her small soul hated all
things gracious and lovely.
Poor, proud Valerie. All that night
she lay in her great state bed with
wide staring eyes facing the future"
she called it, with ali q girls high
tragedy, with all loving woman's
pain. At breakfast. the duke came
In to join her, with song on his
lips, and rose in his buttonhole;
but Valerie thought she knew whose
fingers had plucked that rose, and
she would have none of him. and the
duke went away with scowl on his
handsome face and found the Count
ess fsobeI upon the terrace. where
little later Valerie Saw them talking
together. She could imagine what
they were saying, and her Jealous
heart throbbed nigh to bursting
"Fool! fool" she told herself. "Is
not this the portion of royal women.
the cross that goes with the crown?"
but she had loved him so.
A dry sob arose in her throat and
a blackness was before her eyes. all
the day, as she moved through the
stately rooms. Duke Fritz had care
fully kept away from her. He was
puzzled, hurt and a little resentful,
yet he glanced wistfully toward her
once or twice: but that inscrutaDie.
cold smile lay on the lovely lips. re-
pelling all approach, r1d unfortunate
ly, Valerie never caught that look,
only suffered and wound the scourge
closer to her tared bosom.
When her women came TO robe her
for the evening she thrust aside the
gay tissues. the shimmering satns.
and bade them put on trailing
black gown of some misty material.
cloudlike, sombre. from which The
white marble of throat and bosom
cleaned like frost.
Duke Fritz stood at her side until