The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-27

there In the sleepy garden, his violin
locked silent in its case.
az am to marry the princess the
youth cried jubilantly, for though |
am but humble subject she loves me
royalty
"'She-loves-youY the prince re
peated. and his words were like 2
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.
"'Yes, 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 a round.
red harvest moon; the rides upon the
river grew tireSome; the water lilies
were all gone. Pettishly the princess
turned one day from regarding the
youth.
az am so tired Of it ALL she said
and I'm vastly tired of you
ITO the heart of the wildwood then
she wandered that the youth might
not seek her there, and here half
buried by the brown leaves on the
ground reclined the figure of another
man.
He was studiously intent, she no.
ticed, upon a book spread out before
him, and even the rustling of her
draperies failed to attract his atten-
tion. Interested, the princess came
nearer, peering over his shoulder; still
the man remained absorbed. Willfully
she broke a branch above his head.
awaiting his startled glance.
"Absently the man looked up into
her face; then with a frown of annoy
ance resumed his study. In anger the
princess stamped her foot.
"'You are my subject she cried,
and ignore my presence. You pay no
homage to my power
"As though reluctant the man closed
his book.
~ serve as student, madam he
replied, and must therefore devote
every moment to study
Suddenly the princess leaned to.
ward him with an alluring smile.
You must also.' she said, serve me-
So piqued by his Indifference, she
came each day to charm the student
from his purpose. And as they strolled
together through the shaded paths he
unfolded to her the secret of each leaf
and flower.
when have finished my course
said the student, you shall love me
forever and ever
But now in the moment 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 there and would have walked at
her side she gravely shook her head.
"'For,' she said. 4 would rather go
my way alone
Just as the afternoon was drawing
to close and the sun was going down
gloriously beyond the old wall she slip
ped through the little gate into her
own home garden.
"a 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 nodding flowers
The voice Of the speaker trailed off
dreamily. YES" prompted the girl.
'"The princess fell asleep" the wo-
man went on-she smiled wistfully-
"asleep. think. for 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 are in league with Billie!
she accused.
Slowly the gate In the hedge swung
inward to admit mans tall, soldierly
figure. With hat held we'll out from
his straight white forelock. he ad-
vanced toward Miss Felice.
you have forgotten me perhapsi"
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, yet many
years have passed, years with me abb
sorbed in music, its study and its tri-
umph. When I thought Of you IL was
always-as the wife of another man.
Last night only upon returning to my
own land knew" He paused abrupt
" to put forth duplicating hands.
"Felice," he breathed. Still the wom-
an stood motionless, unmoved. as one
tn,