Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-03-25

uduBnteT, ldu llVeu tut years III plOt-
ty old house with high walled gar
den at Hampton Court lent by the
generosity of the king and queen of
England.
For a long moment the Dresden
china lady thought in silence and some
thing of sadness. Then she reused her
self again and asked the one and only
royal princess with an American name
what, in the way of match, she real
~ expected.
what do expect?" echoed Virginia.
'Why, wish for the moon-no, |
mean the Gun. But | don't expect to
get it."
us that way of saying you never
intend to marry?'
Urn afraid ii amounts TO that" adj
mltte1 Virginia. since there Is only
ore raan In the world l would have for
my husband"
"My dearest! A man you have let
yourself learn to care for, man be-
meath you? How terrible! But you see
no one. r.
"Pye never seen this man. And-I'm
not in love with him. That would be
too foolish, because, instead Of being
| beneath, he's far, far above me-"
} Virginia, of whom can you be'taIk-
| ing? Or is this another joker
Virginia blushed little and, instead
| of answering her mothers look of help
less appeal, stared at the row of tall
hollyhocks that blazed along the ivy
hidden garden wall. She did not speak
| for an instant, and then she said, with
| the dainty shyness of child pinned to
statement by uncomprehending ED
ers: 'It isn't a joke. Nonsense, maybe,
yet not joke. I've always thought of
him-for SO many years I've forgotten
when it first began. He was 50 great,
so-everything that appeals to me.
How could / help thinking about him
| and putting him on a pedestal? l.
| there's no idea of marriage in my mind,
of course, only-there's no other man
possible after all the thoughts I've
given him-no other man in the world"
my dear, you must tell me his
name"
"What! When I've described him-al-
most-do you still need to hear his
name? Well. then, I'm not asham
ed to tell. It's Leopold"
Leopold. You're talking of the EN-.
peror of Rhaetia."
cas- II 1t could have been any one
else"
"And you have thought of him
you've cherished him, for years as ar
ideal. why, you never spoke of hin
particularly before"
That's because you never seriousl.
wanted me to take husband until thi:
prim, dull French Henri proposed him
self. My thoughts were my own.
. wouldn't have told you only-you se'
why"
"Of course. my precious child. How
extremely interesting and-and roman
tier Again the grand duchess lapset
into silence. yet her expression did no
suggest a stricken mind. She merel.
appeared astonished, with an astonish
: ment that might turn into an emotion
!, more agreeable.
!, Meanwhile 1t was left for virgini
!. to look vexed-vexed with herself. Sh
!. wished that she had not betrayed he
: poor little foolish secret-so shadowy
secret that 1t was hardly worthy OF tn
!, name. Yet 1t had been precious-prt
cious since childhood, precious as til
immediate jewel of her soul becaus
1t had been the jewel of her soul, an
. no one else had dreamed of its exis
: ence. Now she had shown 1t to othe
: eyes, almost Haunted 1t. Never agai
could 1t be joy to her.
In the little room, half study, hal
boudoir, which was her own there wa
= a desk, locked in her absence. wheT
souvenirs of the young emperor {
: Rhaetia had been accommodating fC
: years. There were photographs whic
e Virginia had contrived to buy secre
;, ly-portraits of Leopold from an earl
age up to the present, when he wa
shown as a tall, dark, cold eyed, war;
:" Tipped, firm chinned young man {
thirty. There were paragraphs CT
from newspapers telling of his geniU
;. as a soldier, his prowess as a moul
taineer and hunter of big game, wit
dramatic anecdotes of his Taught
courage In time of danger, his impu
Z
schemes for the welfare of his subjec
IN every walk of life.
There were black and white copiC
Of bold, clever pictures he had painte
There was martial music composed /
y him and plaintiye folk songs adapte
by him. which Virginia hal tried sol
= ly TO herself on her little piano whe
6 n his veins. but because her Virginia
,r mother had brought much gold TO Il
n Northumberland eXchequer. Afterwal
m he had freely spent such portion
10 that gold as had come to his Golfers
r trying TO keep his little estates intaC
J. But now It was all gone. and long az
q he had died of grief and bitter disa
n pOintment. The hereditary grand duct
of Baumenburg- Drippe was ruled
/" cousinhy understudy of the GermS
AZ Emperor William H.; the one son
n the marriage had been adopted as he
= to mis- crown by the chfldleSS king ,