Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-05-08
E: Good Princess and the Actress
Copyright, isos. by Jossph 3. Bovlss,
" FRANCIS cRIBBLE

vantage TOT nlm IO marry me. It VIII be what people would call good match for him, Katti, won't it?"
 Katti's blue eyes opened in amaze ment.
 "A good match for him? Yes, and a great match. Is not that what all the newspapers are saying what all the world is saying? You, the daugh. ter of the greatest of the emperors. and he only Prince in exile, turned out of his miserable Kingdom in the Balkans. soldier of fortune. an ad- venturer without lands or lieges."
 The Princess was by no means sure that he loved her, though she had his word for it. He had courted her, indeed, to begin with, with all soldiers dash ing gallantry, and her heart had yield ed readily to the assault. But she knew that the gallantry of soldiers is superficial, and her looking glass told her that she was very plain and in. significant, and she wanted to be very sure of him, and she was not sure.
 And of late, in scandalous paper that had come, by accident, into her hands, she had read strange scandal about her lovers way of life.
 The Princess questioned Katti about the scandal to which she had read dark references in the scandalous newspaper.
 "A mere play actress. A minx! A hussy!" cried Katti. There is no room for jealousy of such thing as that; there is room only for pity and contempt A princess can only ig- nore such creatures, can only behave as though she did not know that they existed"
 The actress, who was no early riser, lay upon her sofa. in demi-toilette of soft nuns veiling;-a faint odor ot heliotrope perfumed the room. The bell rang, and the servant an bounced that lady desired to see | Madame.
 Her name?" the actress asked, i'm periously.
 "The lady declined to give her name, but bade me say that her busi. ness with Madame was of impof' tance."
 The actress thrust the letter she had been reading into her bosom.
 You may admit her." she said; and then soliloquized complacently.:
 Some stage.struck fool, no doubt, | who wants me to help her with the managers. An, well. we'll see. What a thing it is to be good-natured!"
 And then the door opened again, and the Princess entered.
 Pray be seated. madam said the actress, pointing with queenly cour. tesy to a chair; and the Princess per. ceived that she had not yet been rec. ognized.
 She sat down as she was bidden- albeit she felt that 1t was a strange thing for her to be doing-and looked her rival up and down with searching eyes.
 Not q beautiful woman, she reflect sd, nor yet a young woman. Not woman whose natural charms could fearlessly face the daylight without the support of art. Her complexion certainly owed much to the powder puff. and possibly something to the rouge-p pot. It might even be suspected that her hair was dyed. Yet she had eyes that were eloquent and fascinat ing; character declared itself in her mobile mouth: the grace of her move ments had a charm that was none the less sure because it was indefin able. Though her features might mol follow the classic rules of beauty this woman was emphaslcally rival to be afraid of.
 There was music in her voice, too even when she merely said:
 q understood, madam. that you had important business with me"
 The Princess rose to her feet again before replying.
 You do not know who I am?" she asked: and as she spoke she flung back the shabby cape and removed the old fashioned hat that formed her slight disguise.
 Then the actress saw who was hei visitor. and sprans to her feet in heI astonishment, and the two rival: faced each other. The fire of ieal ousy flashed in both their eyes: but for awhile. both of them were too em barrsssed to find words.
 It was the actress who spoke first
 Your royal hiehness does me ar unexpected honor" she said. bitterly and in tones that foreshadoved [ whole avalanche of angry words tC follow.
 As she spoke. she moved toward, the piano and stationed herself ir front of a soldiers photograph. al though there were need for her ts guard It. The Princess vas visibl, perturbed She felt that she vas h the presence of . woman of stronger character and stronger passions thar herself. and that her birth vas but { poor substitute for these things ir this hour Of battle
 Y T don't knov.- she s;ammered- I suppose did wrong 10 come
 -wrons.- came the socrufuI an sver. accompanied by a mssnifcen' gesture of contempt Nothing tha a princess nay dO is wrong You hishness thought that she would iiki to sIozt over the unhappy rivsi vhos' lover she means to take from her G she can Y0sr klsk1sss wished C