Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1903-01-23
THE ART OF LOVE.
Nv nAnoID oHLsON

NNNlA N~a ANNA NANlNNNNlff anu MNA" NNINN
ing a quiet hour in unwonted freedom
from the rigorous etiquette Of the cour.
For some time past life had been wtati
some for the princess There was mai
ter Of some " suitors for her hand. and
she could not love any of them She
liked those who could dance and make
her laugh but as TO marrying why
that was a different matter altogether.
So she had lodged the serene iighness
round The tree trunks and run away
thereby tausing him to lose most of his
serenity II may have been uudignfei
behavior for princess but She was only
IL years old
Then she began to pick flowers and
chase butterflies, as though she were only
a village maden making holiday from
the milking stool
An exceptionally large and beautiful
butterfly had for some time eludcd her
efforts to imprison it in her hat (which
she had removed for the purposel, ami
the princess was just going to give up
the chase IN despair when she saw il
settle OF the trunk of q gigantic tree
Not daring to approach tco closely, sue
flung her hat with all her force at the
patch of bright color. Ii missed the but
ter1y-even tie tree itseli-and fell to the
ground ON the farther side The princess
ran and picked it up, and was about 20
restore 1t to its natural position. when she
became aware that her privacy was not So
complete as she had imagined-indeed,
had desired A man was seated on the
ground, with his back against the tree,
and great book was lying open on his
knees
He rose quickly on seeing the princess
and bowed low She returned the salute
with as muel dignity as she could com
mand at the moment She noticed that
| he was dressed in a long, black gown, ana
] had the appearance OF scholar.
81 fear that / have disturbed YOU sir,
said the princess, holding her hat IN front
! OF her with both hands and blushing o
little.
NAY" he replied. "Niay all my dreams
have such a sweet awakening
He smiled as be spoke, and the princess
thought it the most wonderful smile She
had ever SEEM its sadness made II sweet
er, and it's kindness the more loveable
When it vanished it left grave, thought
full face.
'Of what do you read, sir?' inquired the
princess, after endeavoring to explain 10
few broken sentences that 1t was te'
most natural thing in the world for lady
to throw her hat about under certain err
cumstances.
"a learned. treatise on grave natter
he replied 1T is called The Art d
Love
May see the book?' asked the prin
cess.
He held it out before her, and she begar
to turn the pages Suduenil she stopped
and glanced up into his face
at Is heavy; you must be tired. Lee
us sit down." she said.
So they sat side by side under the gtea
tree. with the book between them Be
the princess scarcely looked a. 1t.
THE Art of Love? she asked. ID
YOU Learn it from book alone IN Tor
est?"
'q have found it difficult Of eompre
hension. certainly" he answered.
"And 1, too" sighed the princess
"You have also studied it!
''Not in a book" she replied, solemnl
shaking her head
The grave face lit up again with tina
wonderful smile.
"some day you will learn it, f" he said
'oThen YOU will not call it an art me-
read Of it in a book. You will say
love as now you say l live, because you
love will be your life
The princess said nothing, only sh
sighed. and then wondered why. Becaus
she had heen quite happy a short time be
fore when she was chasing butterflies.
'rYou have read many booksy" she aske
presently. looking up half timidly int
his face.
eyes" said he, "many books"
ftNrr.1t ...., al mo about thpmf'
"If it would give you pleasure" he ar
swered.
u cannot read them for myself, sal
the princess. "And I should love to liz
ten"
So he began to tell her stories; and {
all Of them this same cart Of Love wa
the theme. At first the princess wa
puzzled; she could not understand th
wonderful power that ruled men and won
en- and brought such marvellous things
pass. But as she watched the grave
handsome face. with the wonderful smil
that came and went like the sunshin
on an April day, she began to understand
The minutes flew by, and the shadow
Of the trees grew longer. The princes
knew that she must return Of all th
court, With the II suitors, woul9 be seou
ing the forest in search Of hgr So sh
rose and thanked her comphnon pre-
! tily for his stories.
- am Princess Brenda, ami I hope
shall see you again, she said simply.
lie started and his face grew grave an
sad. But he said nothing, only made
low obeisance-
2 ''You are so wise" continued the prii
d cess
! ''Nay, but I am fool, 2 he replied, an
4 with Quick movement loosed The Ion
robe he wore and threw it back.
And he was dressed iiu the motley gar
Of Jester; a fool that lives by his folly
The princess drew Back; resentment 70
: lowed the first feeling Of sur Use; ang,
that She Princess Brenda, ha. sat so Ion
with a mere jester, while II great nobi
men strove for tho honor of a minute
her company She turned to leave BIZ
without a word But she glanced baC
4 once at his face end relented, for the loo
y on It was that Of a man suffering some te
4 rible pain
Z Il have hurt you" she asked.
b NAY. princess il is my duty to lauq
4 at all time. That is my business
He smiled as he spoke but the wonde
ful smile had more than its wonted sal
1, ness The princess held out her han,
n and he sank on his knee and kissed
4 passionattly.
3 "ShalDl never see You again. he aske
at would be better-better not to try
said tie princess Then she gently disel
gagged her hand and turned away fro
him.
p The jester leant YEARLY against the tr,
and watched her slender figure slowly r
treating along the forest path, until it ",
.lost TO view
u ! She was kings daughters and he