Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-02-03

II see a crown, royal crown, ne
said, mo, two crownsi"
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 strolling
soothsayer made bold to visit the pal
ace at Cettinje and demanded that he
see the Princess Xenia. The aston
ished fiunkey at the gate would have
barred the old man, but he was 80 IN
sistent that the news Of his visit was
conveyed to the princess.
admit him at once" ordered Xenia-
sI have come" said the soothsayer,
slowly and solemnly, ito warn you to
refuse the first crown offered to you,
no matter what 1t may be. because that
crown win 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 moderns times.
dragging his queen down to death with
BIN and setting up another dynasty.
HE was right, as knew he would
be-" declared the princess when word
of Alexander's assassination came to
Cettinje. And her father, who had
been angered at her refusal OF a
throne. perforce had to agree with her.
Xenia. of course, had more abiding
faith than ever in the soothsayer's
strange words.
II will take the second royal crown
when It is offered me-" she said, calm
ly enough. at 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 higf
time their princess should find hersel
a husband. So does Queen Helena o.
italy. her elder sister, who has already
tried several matches for her, only Il
he met with the curt mot until car
convince myself that the crown offered
to me is the Happy Crowni'"
The much discussed. much Travelled
Duke of the Abruzzi has met the su
perb Xenia, and they say he has made
: mn his mind to marry her If she will
have him, for the reason that he res
uzes that he must marry, and IL he can
not get Miss Elkins he must take SOM
} one who has at once royal blood ant
: the good will of his autocratic family
who are a power unto themselves
) oueue Helena is delighted and tn
, Dovager Duchess d'Aosta-his steI
mother. who was Princess Letiti
, Ronaparte-is only too willing, for
win get the impetuous and lovelori
l duke of her mind.
Hard Combination to Overcome.
No engagement has been formal
+ announced and perhaps none win bt
The duke may yet change his mint
as he has before, and live out his III
true to the American girl He may n
main faithful to the pledge of lifelon
celibacy which, It is said. he and Mis-
Elkins mutually made, but Queen Dow
ager Margarita, Queen Helena, tn
S two Duchesses d'Aosta and the Coun
o ess of Turin are feminine combini
IS ton that might well succeed in owe
q riding the scruples of the royal love
5, II they do It will not be the first roy'
It marriage in which the heart has bee
n- in another place.
Not that the Princess Xenia Is NJ
!" loyable. Far from It. Indeed, she
" one of the most attractive young wor
d en- in all Europe, despite the fact TN
she comes from such backwoot
ID kingdom. Few of her equals have h
ID charm Of manner, her tact and gra'
or her wondrous semi-orien.al beant