Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-09-10

Ia. Ia. La" sang Gretchen. smiling.
Her voice was not purer or sweeter.
Il was merely stronger. having been
! accustomed 20 the open air.
"Brsvar' cried the princess. who
| taught you 90 singT'
| Nobody. highneSs."
what do you doT'
II am goose girl In the fan and
winter work az odd times in the
Black Eagle"
! Tell me all about yourself"
This was easy for Gretchen; there
| was so little.
Neither mother nor father. Our
| lives are something alike. a handsome
girl like YOU must have a sweetheart -
Gretchen blushed. Yes. highncss.
] am 60 be married soon. He is a vint-
| uer 7 would not trade him for your
! king, hichness." with a spice OF bold.
/ ness.
Her hiehness did not take oGenSe
/ Rather she liked this frankness. II
was a taste OF the old days when she
herself could have chosen q winner
and married him with none TO say her
| nay She surrendered 10 impulse.
/ Gretchen, I do not think I shall
/ marry the king Of Jugendheit"
/ Gretchen grew red with pride
You love some one else. highuessE"
! Her highness did not blush.
You must not ask questions like
| that Gretchen"
This was not understandable TO
| Gretchen. but a locSet the princess
r.r d
observing her interest. slipped the trim
kct from her neck and laid &c i'm Crotch
ems hand
open it, she said. 1T is a picture
| ~ my mother, whom do not recollect
having ever seen. will open 10 for
you" Click,
Gretchen sighed deeply. To have had
mother SO fair and pretty. Sue
hadn't an idea how her own mother
I had looked Indeed. being sensible
and not given much 90 coujuring. she
bad rarely bothered her head about IT,
sun. as she Eazcd nc this portrait the
sense OF her isolation and loneliness
drew down upon her, and she In her
turn sought the flowers and saw them
not After awhile she closed the lock
! q and returned IT,
$50 you love musicT picking up the
safer thread
"Ah. yes. highness"
u will give YOU an opera ticket for
the season. How can ! reward YOU for
bringing this mcsSageE Don't have
any false pride. Ask for something"
We'll, then. highuess, give me an
order on the grand dukes head viutner
/ Tor a place"
"For the man who is TO become your
husband:"
Yes. highness"
You shall have it tomorrow. Now.
come with me. am going to take you
90 Herr Ernst. lie is the dIrektor Of
the opera. He rehearscs ia the court
theater this morning"
Gretchen followed the princess. As
her highncss entered the Bijou thea
. ter the herr direkJor stopped the rnu-
sic. In the little gallery which served
IS the royal box sat several ladies and
gentlemen Of the court. the grand duke
being among them.
Il have brought you C prima donna.
I Herr Direktor." pointing 20 Gretchen.
Herr Direktor showed his teeth.
| What shall she sing in your high
ness We are rehearsing The Bohe-
milan Girl" he jested
The chorus and singers on the little
stage exchanged smiles.
Il want your first violin" said her
highneSs.
Anton
4 youth stood up in the orchestral
pit
Now. your highness." said the herr
direktor.
Try her voice"
And the herr direktor saw that she
was not smiling He babe the violin
ist 70 draw his bow over a single note
Initiate IL. Gretchen" commanded
her highness, "and don't be afraid
Gretchen lifted her voice 1t was
sweeter and mellower than the violin.
Again" the herr direktor cried.
Without apparent effort Gretchen
passed from one note TO another. now
| high. now low. or strong or soft: a
trill. a run. The viOlinist Of his own
accord began the jewel song from
Faust" GretcheR did not know the
words. but she carried the melody
without mishap. Aud then Il Dreamt
l Dwell In Marble Halls" This song
she knew word for word. and. ah. she
sang IL with strange and haunting ten
derness. One by one the musicians
dropped their Instruments TO their
knees. All realized that a great voice
was being tried before them. The herr
direktor struck his music stand sharp
iy.
Your highnesS has played a fine jest
this day. Where does madame your
guest sing-in Rerlin or NicnnaT'
In neither" answered her highness.
"She lives in Dreiberg. and till this
morning | never saw her before"
The herr direktor stared blaukly
from her highness 10 Gretchen and
back to her highness again. Then he
grasped II. Here was one OF those
moments when the gods make gifts 10
mOrtals.
You have a great voice. fraulein. I
4