Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-08
THEG@SE GIRL
IT. A Romantic StOryby N .
SHAPOLD r1AGGPATH Na
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Copyright 1909 The BobasMerH Company

| pea SAINT her confidante. What whim!
"Highness. that could not be-
NO. Gretchen: she had nothing to do
wit, it" Her highness leveled her gaze
al the flowers. but her eyes saw only the
garnet or the barnlke Loneliness of the
opera during rehearsals.
Gretchen did not move. She saw that
her highness was dreaming, and she her.
self had dreams.
DO YOU like music"
"Highness. 7 am always singing"
'La-la-la." sang the princess, capric-
iously.
"La-Ia-la,' sang Gretchen. smiling.
Her voice was not purer or sweeter; II
was merely stronger. having been accus-
TONED TO the open air.
'Rrava cried the princess. dropping
book aud whip and folding the note in
side the book. Who taught you TO
sing?
Nobody. highness
What do you do"
II am a goose girl: In tine fall and win
tor work AT odd times in the Black
Eagle"
The BLACK Eagle? A tavern
Yes. highness
Tel me all aboul Yourself
This was easy fer Gretchen; there was
so little.
Neither mother nor father. Our lives
are something alike. A handsome girl
liks vi must have sweetheart"
CTS; chen hlushed. Yes. htghness-
am to be married soon- He IL q vintner
would not trade him for your king,
highness. with spice of holiness.
Her highness cid not take offense:
rathe- she liked this frankness. In truth.
she liked any one who spoke to her on
equal footing: il vas taste of tho old
DAYS = hen she herself could have chosen
a vint,ier and married him. with none to
say her nay. Now she was only pretty
whenever she did she Numbered pain
fully against the bright wires. If there
was any envy between these two. 1t ex-
listed in the heart OF the princess only.
To be free like this. to come and go at
will. to love where the heart spoke: She
surrendered TO another vagrant impulse.
Gretchen, 7 do not think shall marry
the King of Jugendheit.
Gretchen grew red with pride. Her
highness was telling her state secrets.
You love some one else, highness?"
How should goose girl know that such
a question was indicate?
Her highness did not blush: the color
in her cheeks receaed. She fondled ,the
heart-shaped iockst which she invariably
wore round her throat. That this peasant
girl should thus boldly put question she
herself had never dared to press!
You must not ask questions like that,
Gretchen
Pardon. highncss: ] did not think
Gretchen was disturbed.
But tho princess c"F1forted her with:
II know 1t. The.e are some questions
heart
This was not understandable to Gretchen.
but the Iocket pleased her eye. Her high
ness, observing her interest. slipped the
trinket from her neck and laid II in
Gretchen's hand.
open it, she said. 1T is a picture
of my mother. whom I do not recollect
having ever seen Wait" as Gretchen
turned II about heiplessly. Il will open
il for you. Click.
Gretchen sighed deeply. To have had
a mother so fair and pretty, She hadn't
an idea how her own mother had looked:
indeed. being sensible and not given much
TO conjuring she had rarely bothered her
head about it. still, as she gazed at this
loneliness drew down upon her. and she
in her turn sought the flowers and saw
them not After a while she closed the
locket and returned II.
so you love music?' picking up the
safer thread.
"Ah, yes. highness-
DO you ever go to the opera"
las often as I can AFFORD. ! am very
poor.
Il will give you a ticket for the sea-
son. How can / reward you for bringing
this MESSAGE Don't have any false
pride Ask for something" q
well. then. highness. give me an order
on the grand dukes head vintner for 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
TO Herr Ernst. He is the director Of the
opera. He rehearses In the court theater
this morning.
(To be continued tomorrow