Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-03-31

yet despairingly, "it's not possible that
when this wonderful chance, this un.
heard Of chance, this chance that you
were praying for, actually falls into
your hands you will throw 1t away for
for sentimental schoolgirl scruple."
II was not praying for It," said Vir.
ginia. I'm sure, mother, you would
have considered II most bold in me to
pray for it. And l didn't. | was only
refusing other Chances
"Well, at all events, you have this
one now. 1t is yours"
"Not In the one way 1 should have
loved to see 1t come. Oh. mother why
does the emperor want to marry me-?
Isn't there some other reason than just
because I'm a proper Protestant prin-
cess"
"Of course" insisted the grand duch-
ess family encouraged. "Dal men.
tions several most excellent reasons in
his letter, II you would only take them
sensibly"
81 should like to hear them, at all
|
"Well, you see, the empress of Rhae-
tia must be a Protestant, and there
aren't many eligible Protestant girls
who would be acceptable to the Rhae-
tians-girls who would be popular with
the people. oh, I have finished about
that. You need not look so desperate
Besides, Dal explains that Leopold Is
young man who dominates all around
him. He wishes to take for his bride
girl who could not by any possibility
herself be heiress to throne. Dal
| fancies that his desire Is to mold his
wife and therefore to take girl with
out too many important and importu-
nate relatives, for he Is not one who
would dream Of adding to his great
ness by using the wealth or position
| of woman. He has all he needs or
wants of that sort. And then, Dal re-
minds me, Leopold is very partial to
| England, which helped Rhaetia passive
ly in the time of her trouble eight
| years ago. The fact that you have
| lived In England and had an English
| education would be favorably regard
| ed both by Leopold and his chancellor.
And, though I've never allowed you to
were child Q hate seeing young girls
| faces In the newspapers and magazines;
even though they are royal their fea
| lures need not he public property and
| you have lived here in such secluslon
| that you've been little seen. still the
rumor has reached Rhaeiia that you
lre-good to look at. Leopold has been
heard to say that. whatever else the
future empress Of Rhaetia may be, he
won't give his people an ugly woman
to reign over them. And so alto
gether"-
And so altogether, my references
being satisfactory, at pinch might
| do for the place." cut in Virginia, with
the hot, impatient rebellion Of her
youth. "Oh, mother. you think me
mad or u fool, know, and perhaps
am mad yet not mad enough not to see
that It would he a great thing a won
derfu thing, to be asked in marriage
by the one man in my world if-ah,
| that great 'if'-he had only seen and
| fallen In love with me. 1t might have
happened. you know. AS you say, I'm
not ugly, and l can be rather pleasant
| II | choose-so | believe. II he had
| only come to this land TO see what
was like. as royal men did In the dear
| old fairy stories, and then had asked
me to be his wife. why, | should have
been conceited enough to think II was
because he loved me even more than
because Of other things. Then ! should
have been happy-yes, dear, I'll con-
J fess It to you now-almost happy
| enough to die of the great joy and tri-
umph OF It. But now I'm not happy.
| I will marry Leopold or I'll marry no
man, but swear to you / won't be
married TO Leopold in Count Won Brett
| STEMS hateful old, cold, cut and dried
| way"
Its the emperor's way as well as
| Won Breitsteins."
"Then for once in his big, grand. OBJ
stinate life he'll have to learn that
there's one Insignificant girl who won't
| play GrseIda even for the sake of be-
ing his empress"
| The girl proclaimed this resolve, ris-
Ing to her feet, with her head high
and look in her gray eyes which
| told the grand duchess that 1t would be
!, hopeless for her to argue down the
| resolution. vt first il was Il proud look
| and a sad look. but suddenly a beam
| of light flashed into It and began to
| sparkle and twinkle. Virginia smiled
and showed her dImples. Her color
| came and went. In moment she was
different girl, and her mother, be-
wi!dered, fearful still. dared to hope
something from the change.
How odd you lookw she exclaimed.
You've thought OF something. You
are happy. You have the air of-of
having found some plan"
"It found me. | think" the girl an
swered, laughing. "all suddenly, just
In a flash. That's the way it must be
with inspirations. This Is one-I know
It. It's all In the air, floating round
me. But I shall grasp it soon."
She came close to her mother, still
smiling, and knet down In the grass at
her feet. looking up with radiance In
her eyes.
Luckily there was no one save the
Dresden china lady and the birds and
flowers to see how young princess
threw her mantle of dignity away. for
the two did not keep royal state and
royal retnue In the quaint old house
at Hampton Court. and the big ELM
which Virginia loved kindly hid the
mother and daughter from intrusive
eyes.
"You do love me, don't you, dear
estY cooed the princess softly as
dove.
"You know do, my child. though |
don't pretend to understand you,"
sighed the grand duchess, well aware
that she was about to be coayel into
some scheme, feeling that she would
yield and praying Providence that the
yielding might not lead her into tribu
lation.
"People grow dull II we understand
them too we'll" said Virginia. ITS
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