Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-10-05
care you quite sure she asked
him .tI,t I do loyo van"

~ am to marry the princess the
youth cried jubilantly. for though l
am but a humble subject she loves me
royalty
"'Shc-lovcs-you: the prince re-
peated, and his words were like Il
signing breath.
Then dumbly he sat down to wait.
and later, when the princess found him
there. a great hunger came over her
to go and sit at his side, to fold her
little fingers up in the clasp of his
strong hand. to hear again the mes
sage of his music. Yet when he asked
abruptly, You are to marry the
youth" she remembered that the
prince had never really spoken love.
had never praised the beauty of her
eyes. And in that strange and sudden
perversity which his nearness seemed
to provoke the princess tossed her
head.
eyes, l am to marry the YOUTH
she tainted. I am to marry the youth
"She watched him pass through the
little gate in the hedge wondering how
soon, how very soon, he must come
back.
But the prince did not come. The
summer moon turned into Il round,
red harvest moon; the rides upon the
river grew tiresome; the water lilies
were all gone. pettishly the princess
turned II day from regarding the
youth.
81 am so tired of it ALL she said,
and I'm vastly tired of YOU
TO the heart of the wildwood then
she wandered that the youth might
not seek her there, md here half
buried by the brown leaves on the
ground reclined the figure of another
man.
"He was studiously intent, she no.
tlced, upon q book spread out before
him, and even the rustling of her
draperies failed to attract his atten-
ton. Interested, the princess came
nearer. pcerin@ ove his shoulder; still
the man remained absorbed. Willfully
she broke a branch above his head.
awaiting his startled glance.
"Abscntly the man looked up into
her face; then with Il frown of annoy-
ance resumed his study. In anger the
princess stamped her foot.
"'lou are my subject she cried.
and ignore nay presence. You pay no
homage to nay power
MS though reluctant tie man closed
his book.
II serve us a student, madam he
replied, and must therefore devote
every moment to study
Suddenly the princess leaned to-
ward him with an alluring smile.
You MS also She said. serve me-
SO piquel Ivy his indifference, she
came each day to charm the student
from his purpose. And us they strollcd
together through the shaded paths he
unfoldcd to her the secret of each leaf
and flower.
"'Nhon | have finished my curse,
said the student, YOU Shall love me
forever and ever
But HOW in the omen of her tri-
umph the princess turned coldly aside.
With thoughtful! brows she walked
back through the wood. To those
who appeared now and then and here
and thcle and would have walked at
her side she gravcly shook her head.
For she said. 4 would rather 20
my way alone
Just as the afternoon was drawing
to Il close and the sun was going down
gloriously beyond the old wall she slip
ped through the little gate into her
own home garden.
~ scarlet dropping vine, a haunting
sound of melody, seemed to recall
some vaguely pleasant recollection.
But the princess was now too tired to
remember: so. being quite alone and
among the nodling flowers
The voice of the speaker trailed off
drcamily. Yes prompted the girl.
"Thc princess fell asleep" the wo-
man went on-she smiled wistfully-
asleep. | think. for n hundred years."
when the prince returned to awak-
en- her heart" the girl added:
The woman smiled and sighed.
True. princes do not always come
back" she said.
Laughing, the girl jumped to her
feet. You arc in league With Billie!'
she accused.
Slowly the gate in the hedge swung
inward to admit a mans tall. soldierly
figure. With hat held we'll out from
his straight white forelock, he adj
vanccd toward Miss Eelice.
You have forgotten me perhaps?'
he asked slowly. But l should have
known YOU among all the world. Time
With you. as With the old garden,
seems to have stood still, vet many
years have passed, years with me alb
sorDed in music, its study and its tri'
umph. When l thought of you it was
alWays-as the wife of another man,
Last night only upon returning to my
own land I knew He paused abrupt,
ly to put forth supplicating hands
"Felice," he breathed. Still the WON,
an stood motionless, unmoved. as onc
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