The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1911-01-28

said, mo, two crowns!"
II see two royal crowns" he went
on. "One is fatal and bloodstained,
the other leads to happiness and pow.
er. am hesitating for do not know
which of the two you should accept
the first or the second"
On the following day the strolline
soothsayer made bold to visit the pal
ace at Cettinje and demanded that he
see the Princess Xenia. The aston
ished turnkey at the gate would have
barred the old man, but he was so In
sistent that the news of his visit was
conveyed to the princess.
admit him at once" ordered Xenia
81 have come" said the soothsayer
slowly and solemnly, ito warn you tc
refuse the first crown offered to you,
no matter what It may be, because that
crown will fall with blood"
Prophecy Proved True.
The warning was not forgotten. Soon
afterward Xenia refused King Alexan.
der and his crown did fall in the blood
lest royal slaughter of modern times,
dragging his queen down to death with
him and setting up another dynasty.
HE was right, as I knew he would
be-" declared the princess when word
of Alexanders assassination came tc
Cettinje And her father, who had
been angered at her refusal of Q
throne, perforce had to agree with hef.
Xenia, of course, had more abiding
faith than ever In the soothsayer's
strange words.
II will take the second royal crown
when 1t is offered me" she said, calm
ly enough. 1T will be the crown OF
happiness, as the old man said, and
that is what most desire in this
world"
But the years sped on and no crown
was offered The lovely Xenia passed
twenty-five years and twenty-six and
twenty-seven. Her next birthday, April
10, will be her thirtieth. The people
of Montenegro think that it Is high
time their princess should find herself
husband So does Queen Helena of
Italy, her elder sister, who has already
tried several matches for her. only to
be met with the curt mot until | can
convince myself that the crown offered
to me is the Happy Crown"
The much discussed. much travelled
Duke of the Abruzzi has met the SUI
perb Xenia, and they say he has made
up his mind to marry her II she will
have him, for the reason that he rea-
Lies that he must marry, and If he can
not get Miss Elkins he must take some
one who has at once royal blood and
the good will of his autocratic family.
who are a power unto themselves.
Ouene Helena is delighted and the
Dowager Duchess diAosta--his step
mother. who was Princess Letitia
Bonaparte--is only too willing. for 1t
will get the impetuous and lovelorn
duke off Ler mind.
Hard Combination to Overcome.
No engagement has been formally
announced and perhaps none will be-
The duke may yet change his mind.
as he has before, and live out his life
true to the American girl. He may re-
main faithful to the pledge of lifelong
celibacy which. It Is said, he and Miss
Elkins mutually made, but Queen Dow
ager Margarita, Queen Helena, the
two Duchesses dAosta and the Count
ess OF Turin are feminine combina-
ton that might well succeed In over
riding the scruples Of the royal lover.
II they do 1t will not be the first royal
marriage in which the heart has been
in another place.
Not that the Princess xenia Is not
lovable. Far from It. Indeed, she IL
one Of the most attractive young wom-
en- in all Europe. despite the fact that
she comes from such backwoods
kingdom. Few Of her equals have her
charm Of manner. her tact and grace
! or her wondrous semi-o Oriental beauty.