The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1915-12-08
"A Secret
! Marriage
: 1t Was Between a Prince and
: a Girl In Wooden Shoes.
By F. A. mitchell

to unite our kingdom of Lituria to that
of Pomaria. Your majesty is we'll
aware that the area of Pomaria is
three times that of Lituria. If the
Princess Catherine marries your son it
will result in the annexation Of your
dominions to those of your hereditary
enemies"
"That shall never be-" said King HUI
bert, grinding his teeth.
Unfortunately, the prince has met
the princess, and she has captivated
him.
"What sort Of woman is she?'
Unfortunately ambitious. She is de-
scribed by those of her suit us being
avaricious, selfish and cruel
What can we do to turn the prince
from her? l fear that to attack her
Will only enlist him in her defense
Your majesty is right. We must
acc omrlish our ends by diplomacy.
The princess Las your son in thrall.
To win him from her we must invei-
g'e her into trap, and once she has
entered it we must exercise all our in
genuity to prevent her getting out"
Have you plan?"
81 have. 1t is this: Let us give out
that your majesty has been attacked
by a disease that must prove fatal
within few months; that you desire
the prince, who will inherit the throne
after you, to marry at once on pain of
your naming his cousin, Oscar, to sue
coed you in his stead. Catherine will
not marry him without his inheritance.
But she will not hesitate to permit him
to sacrifice it for revenge upon your
majesty for not consenting to the
match. I shall endeavor to make some
compromise with her by which we may
rescue the prince from her."
Van der Donken was a marvel of
astuteness, being regarded as equal
In chicanery even to a woman. The
king gave him carte blanche to do
as he liked, and he set out at once
for the capital of Pomaria, where he
found Prince Carl in dalliance with the
Princess Catherine. The minister an
nounced to the young man that his
father had not long to live, that ii
proposal had been made by King Otto
of the neighboring kingdom Of Bren-
tino that the two Kingdoms should be
united by the marriage of Carl and
King Otto's daughter, Xenia, and that
the marriage should be celebrated al
once. If the prince refused the crown
should pass at his fathers death to his
cousin.
This interview between Van der Don
ken and Carl took place in the pres
ence of Catherine. The prince looked
at her for instructions as to his reply.
She replied for him by stating that he
was betrothed to her and would marry
her. If any usurper took her place at
his fathers death the king of Pomaria
would send an armed force to Lituria
to seat its rightful sovereign on the
throne.
Now, the kingdom of Brentino was
even more powerful than that of
Pomaria. The hand of the Princess
Xenia had indeed been offered to Carl.
and doubtless If Carl had seen her he
would have obeved his father. On re-
ceiving a refusal to King Hubert's
plans. the willy Van der Donken pro.
promise. He suggested that Carl mar
ry some girl of low degree. His ia
Their, to withdraw him from such a
union, would consent to a divorce and
his marriage with Catherine. Again
the prince looked at the princess for
instructions. She agreed to take the
matter under consideration and after
long reflection consented to the plan.
making it condition that she should
approve of the girl the prince married.
Van der DOnken agreed to this, though
he well knew that Catherine would
not consent to the prince marrying any
girl who was capable of drawing him
away from her.
The prince returned to Lituria with
Van der Donken, it having been ar
ranged that the princess should follow
to inspect the girl he would marry as
soon as one could be found to do so on
receiving price and giving her con-
sent to subsequent divorce. In due
time the princess was called for and
introduced into the home of a poor
to the terms.
Anneke was the name of the bride,
little Dutch girl in a number of petit
coats and wooden shoes. Her COM
pleXiOn was brown. her face covered
with pinples and her hair fiery red.
Her appearance was that of a half
witted person. AS soon as Catherine
saw her she gave her consent to the
marriage. which took place in her
presence and that of Van der Donker
and Anneke's mother. Then Carl went
back to Pomaria with Catherine.
Meanwhile Kin. Hubert had Kept
himself in seclusion. but as soon as his
minister announced to him that his son
had been married Ire appeared again in
public apparently as well as ever.
Catherine hearing of his recovery, was
quite taken aback. fearing that she
had been tricked. But, remembering
the wedding with the homely Dutch
girl. she took heart. ~a- .s...-....s
Then came Van der Donken to the
prince with an order from his father
TO appear at court and prepare to go
on q visit to the Princess Xenia, with
whom a marriage for him had been
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 he were permitted to
marry Catherine and inherit the crown
as well. But Van der Donken said that
King Hubert's mind was set on the
Princess Xenia, and he believed thar
If she could be persuaded to decline
Prince Carl the matter would be sim
plified. He suggested that Carl pay
the visit to Xenia, but so made up that
he 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
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