The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1915-12-08
and thought they might repel the prin:

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 smile, for
she offered her hand to him most cor
diallv. He bowed and kissed it, then
looked up at a 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
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 it 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 q
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
lfeved to be true, for when sitting by
Xenia she pulled off his wig and ap
him for coming to court disguised.
On the fourth day Carl wrote Cath
crime that something especial had hap
pened; he would write her a full ac
count of it soon. This is what he re
ferred to:
When he joined the Princess Nenia
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but he repealed her.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 all this mean?' he asked
ct 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
other woman devised by his prime
minister he hoped all would be we'll
1 assented and was married to you as
a homely simpleton."
The princess kicked off her wooden
shoes and displayed a pair of tiny
feet incased in kid shoes. She I'M
fastened her petticoats and appeared
in morning gown of silk and lace
Next her bodice came off and showed
a corsage to match her other apparel
Then the prince folded her in his arms
The prince at once sent for Van del
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 sc
pleased with his management Of the
problem that he at once created him a
duke.
An announcement made that the
kingdoms Of Lituria and BrentinO
Prince Carl and the Princess Xenia
filled the people of both kingdoms with
delight. A few weeks later a public
marriage took place at the capital OF
BrentinO at which there was great re-
joicing. For many years Queen Xenia
preserved the red wig and wooden
shoes in which she had been private
ly married to King Carl, and after her
death they were removed to the royal
museum.
AS for the Princess Catherine, she
was so cut up by being tricked that
she never married, and after her IA
sher's death the crown of Pomaria
passed to another branch of the royal
family.