The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-12-10

L u.
whom a marriage for him had heen
contracted. The prince and Catherine
after consultation agreed that the time
had come for making known to his IA
Their his marriage and refusing to be
| divorced unless lie were permitted TO
marry Catherine and inherit the crown
~ well. But Van der Donken said that
King uuberts mind was set OIL the
| Princess Xenia. and he believed that
| If she could be persuaded to decline
Prince Carl the matter would be SIM
pliled. He suggested that Carl pay
| the visit to Xenia. but so made up that
ne would appear unattractive to her,
and he could treat her so indifferently
or even rudely that she would refuse
TO marry him.
The minister finally persuaded Cath
| crime to agree to this. and the prince
| went back to Lituria with Van der
Donken. Then, having made his prep
arations for the journey, taking with
| him only two friends who were in his
secret, he set out for the capital of
Brentino. On the way he darkened
his complexion. One Of his friends. an
artist. painted little pimples all over
his face, and the prince put on a red
wig. He had been much repealed by
these features on the part of Anneke
and thought they might repel the Prin-
cess Xenia.
When the formal introduction took
place the princess raised her fan to
her face-what for no one knew. but
Prince Carl presumed that it was to
conceal her disgust for him. But it
seemed rather to conceal q smile, for
she offered her hand to him most cor
daily. He bowed and kissed it. then
looked up at very beautiful girl
There was that in her appearance to
remind him Of some one he had seen
before, but he could not place the per-
son. He tried to say something dis
agreeable, but the words stuck in his
throat. The princess slipped her hand
on his arm and drew him away from
the others into an apartment where
they would be alone together.
From the moment the prince saw the
Princess Xenia he was attracted to
her, and 1t was not long before he re-
GREETED having disobeyed his father in
refusing to marry her. The saying
Absence makes the heart grow fond
err" did not pertain to him. The Prin-
cess Catherine being out Of sight was
out of mind. Nevertheless he had been
so long dominated by her superior will
that the idea of being unfaithful to her
filed him with terror. At the same
time the influence of the woman pres
ent became steadily stronger. The
Princess Xenia did everything needful
to concentrate his mind upon herself.
She gave fetes In her honor, and In
each her costume was designed to en-
nance her beauty.
Prince Carl had promised Catherine
that every day he would send her
message telling her how he was getting
on in repelling the Princess Xenia. The
day after his arrival at Brentino he
wrote that he was acting as brutally
as possible. But those about him no.
ticed that his pimples had suddenly
been healed. The second day he wrote
that he had offended the princess. But
while dressing In the morning he wash.
ed off his dark complexion. The third
day he wrote that he was very near
being sent away. This he really be-
heved to be true. for when sitting by
Xenia she pulled Off his wig and ap-
peared to be very much displeased with
him for coming to court disguised.
On the fourth day Carl wrote Cath
crime that something especial had hap.
pened; he would write her full &C.
count Of 1t soon. This is what he re.
ferred to:
When he Joined the Princess Xenia
he found in her stead his wife, Anneke.
She threw her arms around his neck,
but he repealed her. Then she pulled
Off his red wig and. turning to foun-
tain. washed her face. Turning to him.
he recognized the Princess Xenia.
What does oil this mean?" he asked.
1T means that your father. King
Hubert. having received from my ia
Their an offer Of my hand for you, In
formed us that so far as he was con-
cerned the offer was accepted. but I'M
fortunately you had fallen under the
spell Of another woman. If. however,
l would agree to plan to defeat this
other woman devised by his prime
minister he hoped all would be well
l assented and was married TO you as
homely simpcton."
The princess kicked off her wooden
shoes and displayed pair of tiny
feet incased in kid shoes. She un-
fastened her petticoats and appeared
in morning gown Of silk and lace.
Next her bodice came off AMI showed
corsagc to match her other apparel.
Then the prince folded her in his arms.
The prince at once sent for Van der
Donken. who came posthaste and was
Informed that Prince Carl and Prin-
cess Xenia. having been married Sc
cretly. desired that preparations for
their public wedding should be made
with as little delay as possible. The
prince never wrote Catherine what had
happened, having forgotten all about
her. Van der Donken returned to
King Hubert. and the king was so
pleased with his management of the
problem that he at once created him a
duke
An announcement made that the
kingdoms Of Lituria and Brentlno
Il