Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-11-26
A Secret
Marriage
1t Was Between a Prince and
a Girl In Wooden Shoes.
By F. A. mitchell

81 see in this proposal, your males
ty," said the prime minister, Van DEF
Donken, to King Hubert, "a scheme
to unite our kingdom of Lituria to that
Of Pomaria. Your majesty is well
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 as 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
accomplish our ends by diplomacy.
The princess has your son in thrall
To win him from her we must invei.
gle her into trap, and once she has
entered it we must exercise all our in.
genuity to prevent her getting out"
Have you a plan?"
Il have. 1t is this: Let us give out
that your majesty has been attacked
by a disease that must prove fatal
within a 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. l 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 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 a
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, Nenia, and that
the marriage should be celebrated at
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 obeyed his father. On re.
ceiving refusal to King Huberts
plans the willy Van der Donken pro.
posed to Carl and Catherine a com.
promise. He suggested that Carl mar
ry some girl of low degree. His ia.
Their, to withdraw him from such q
union, would consent to a divorce and
his marriage with Catherine. Again
the prince looked at the princess fol
instructions. She agreed to take the
matter under consideration and after
long reflection consented to the plan
making it a 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 hin
away from her
The prince returned to Lituria witt
Van der DOnken, it having been ar
ranged that the princess should follow
to inspect the girl he would marry a.
soon as one could be found to do so OF
receiving a price and giving her con
sent to subsequent divorce. In dut
time the princess was called for ant
introduced into the home of a poo
widow whose daughter had consented
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 covere,
with pimpes and her hair fiery red
Her appearance was that of a hal
witted person. As soon as f'atherin
saw her she gave her consent to tn
marriage which took place in ne
presence and that of Van der Donkel
and Annekes mother. Then Carl wen
back to Pomaria with Catherine.
Meanwhile King Hubert had KEEP
himself in Seclusion but as soon as hi
minister announced to him that his sol
had been married he appeared again il
public apparently as we'll as evel
Catherine. hearing of his recovery, wa
quite taken aback. fearing that sh
had been trlcked But rememberln
the wedding with the homely Dutc
girl, she took heart.
Then came Van der Donken to tn
prince with an order from his fathe
to appear at court and prepare to g
on a visit to the Princess Xenia, wit
whom a marriage for him had bee
contracted. The prince and Catherin
after consultation agreed that the tim
had come for making known to his fl