Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-12-12
THE PRINCESS
IRENE
BY EVELYN SAYBROOKE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

/ II
The king was troubled. The crown
prince had come to Il marriageable
age. and it seemed quite probable that
there was no one coming within the
! law of the land for him to marry. He
must unite if at all with one Of royal
blood. and it so happened that among
all the unmarried daughters of SOW
ereigns there was scarcely one Of suit
able age for the heir to the throne.
Some of these girls had died in infan
cy. some had retired to converts and
| some had grown to be old maids.
The prince was a fine fellow. the
idol of the people and a distinguished
soldier at the time of his coming or
age he was in the army on the from
tier fighting the battles of his cOun-
| try. He had given himself no concern
at taking a wife. preferring the tented
| field to "capering .nimbly in lady's
chamber" His father, not knowing
the condition of the royal matrimonial
market. instructed one of his minis
| tiers to find a wife for his son. The
minister looked the field over and was
astonished to find that among all the
| royal families there was but one
| princess a suitable match for the
| crown prince. and she was not of
royal blood on her mothers side. a
proposition for an alliance was dis
patched to her father. and the king.
not dreaming of refusal, wrote his
son informing him that wife had
been provided for him.
What was the kings establishment
and disappointment to receive a reply
daughter declined the alliance. since
she was bent on devoting her life to
the poor and would not marry. The
king sent several embassies to en-
deavor to alter the princess determi-
| nation, but each and every one of
them came back fOiled. Finally his
majesty was obliged to write his son
that the intended marriage had fallen
through
The princess-Irene was her name
was really devoted woman. Every
morning she visited the poor and the
sick. ministering to both, and every
afternoon she held reception Of those
who were able to come to her to ask
for assistance At one of these recep-
tons young man appeared. his arm
- ola xuith a
crutch. his face pale and emaciated,
his dark eyes forming marked con-
trast with his white cheeks.
What can l do for you?" asked the
princess.
"Nothing-that is. nothing more than
what you are doing in permitting me
to gaze on you. | am a soldier who
has been grievously wounded and, hav
ing also contracted disease by ex-
posture. am rapidly going down to my
grave have heard of your charities
and have seen your portrait. 1t oc-
Cured to me that if could look upon
your face | might recover"
If a mere trifie like that will cure
YOU" said the princess. you are quite
welcome to come here every day at
my reception hour and gaze upon me
TO your hearts content"
Then In short time ] shall be
strong again" said the soldier.
He remained till the audience was
over, then withdrew. The next day
he came again and the neXt-indeed.
every day when the princess entered
the audience chamber there was the
young soldier sitting among the sup
plants. his large, luStrOus eyes turned
always upon her. The pallor gradual
~ left his face. he Invested himself of
his sling, threw away his crutch and
in time stood erect Then suddenly he
appeared TO lose all he had gained, and
while his wounds had healed his health
seemed to have suffered q rela pse that
would likely soon put him in his grave.
The princess noticed the change and
asked him If there was anything she
could do to restore him.
You can make me we'll he said
but you could not do that without
making a great sacrifice. and that
even if you should consent, | would
not permit
The princess urged him TO tell her
what was this sacrifice. but he would
not. Nevertheless he grew weaker and
weaker every day and at last could
only drag himself to the audience.
Farewell" he said This is the
last visit | shall ever be able to make
you. have not enough strength left
20 come again"
II implore YOU" replied the princess.
ito tell me Of the sacrifice that will
save your life"
II will tell you" said the invalid.
"but it will make no difference. am
dying of desire to possess your love
as love you"
The blood came slowly into the
princess face. for she had discovered
the young mans malady before he had
spoken it. Their eyes met, and they
understood each other.
One day the king. who had proposed
to the princess for his sons wife. re-
ceived letter from the prince He
told his father he had been wounded
and had been ILL., His life had been
despaired of. but he had been saved
by a woman who had promised to mar
ry him. He enjoined his father to pre-
mare for the wedding