Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-22


over her neck and mounted higher and
higher. Very quietly, mother she
said.
Naturally. 1t is always quiet here.
But how"
~ rode"
"where?"
At the riding school, with Otto"
"Only with Otto?"
Captain Larisch was there
"Of course Then you have virtually
spent the day with him.
II have spent most Of the day with
Otto"
This devotion TO Otto--N is new. I
think You were eager to get out of the
nursery. Now, 1t appears, you must fly
back to the schoolroom teas and other
absurdities. / should like to know
why"
~ think Otto IL lonely. mother"
81 have something TO say that will put
an end TO this sentimental nonsense of
yours, Hedwig. | should forbid your
seeing this boy. this young Larisch, II
| felt IL necessary. ! do not You would
probably see him, anyhow, for that mat.
ter. Which, as I observed this after.
noon. also reminds me unpieasantly of
! YOUR father" She rose and threw her
bolt out Of a clear sky. She had had, as
| a matter Of fact, no previous intention
of launching any bolt 1t was wholly a
rt->'t of irritation. "It Is unnecessary
to remind you not TO make a fool Of
yourself But 1t may not be out OF place
to say that your grandfather has certain
plans for you that will take your mind
away from this-this silly boy. soon
enough"
Hedwig had risen, and was standing,
very white, with ter hands on the table.
| What plans mother?"
He will tell you
| Mott am not to be married.
| The Archduchess Annunciata was not
at all hard She could never forgive her
children their father. They reminded
| her daily of part of her life that she
would have put behind her But they
| were her children. and Hedwig was all
that she was not, gentle and round and
young. Suddenly something almost like
, regret stirred In her,
Don't look like that child she said
| 1T is not settled. And, after all, one
marriage or another-wEat difference
does IT make. Men are men. If one
does not care. it makes the things they
| do unmportant."
But surely" Hedwig gasped, surely
I shall be Consulted?"
Annuncata shook her head. They had
all risen and Hilda was standing, the
peach forgotten, her mouth little open.
As for Olga Loschek. she was very still.
but ter eyes burned. The Archduchess
remembered her presence no more than
that of the flowers Oh the table.
Mother. you cannot look back. and
and remember your own life, and allow
me to be wretched. You cannot ~
Hilda picked up her peach. lt was
all very exciting but Eedwig was being
rather silly. Besides, why was she so
distracted when she did not know who
the man was? 1t might be some quite
handsome person. For Hilda was also at
the age when men were handsome or not
handsome. and nothing else.
Unexpectedly Hedwig began to cry.
This Hilda considered going much too
far. and bad taste INTO the bargain
She slipped the peach. into the waist of
her frock
The Archduchess hated tears, and her
softer moments were only moments.
DRY your eyes. and don't be silly" she
said coldly you have always known
that something of the sort'w inev-
table"
She moved toward the door. The two
princesses and her lady III waiting re-
aimed still until she had left the tabie'
Then they fell in behind her, and the
little procession moved to the stuffy bou-
dor for coffee. But Hilda slipped her
arm around her sisters waist, and the
touch comforted Hedwig.
"He may be very nice" IIilda volun-
tcered cautiously. "Perhaps II is Karl.
I am quite mad about Karl myself"
Uedwig, however, was beyond listen
ing. She went slowly to window and
stood gazing out. Looming against the
sIIyline, in the very center of the palace
was tie heroic figure of her dead grand
mother She fell to wondering about
these royal women who had preceded
her, Her mother. frankly unhappy III
her marriage. permanently embittered ;
| her grandmother. Hedwig had never
seen the King young, She could not pic
ture him as "A lover To her lie was a
fine and lonely figure. But romantic!
Had he ever been romanticE
WHILE ANNUNCIATA DozED
He had made her mothers marriage,
and had lived to regret II. lie would
: make hers But what about the time
when he himself lad taken wife9
Hedwig gazed at the statue, Had she,
too. come with unwilling arms? And
~ she had, was It true that after all, in
a year or a lifetime 1t made no differ
ence?
She slipped out on to the balcony and
closed the curtains behind her. As her
ewes grew accustomed to the darkness
size saw that there was some one below,
under the trees. Her heart beat rapidly.
In a moment she was certain. II was
, Milky down there, Milky gazing up at
her as a child may look at star. With
a quick gesture Hedwg drew the curtain
back. A thin ray Of light fell on her,
on her slim bare arms, on her light
draperies, on her young face. He had
wanted to see her. and he should see her,
Then she dropped the curtain and
twisted her hands together lest, In spite
of her, they reach out toward him
Did she fancy it, or did the figure
| salute her? Then came the quick ring
of heels on the old stone pavement. She
! knew lis footsteps, even as she knew
J every vibrant. eager infection of his
voice. He went away, across the square,
like one who, having bent his knee to
a saint, turns back to the business of the
world
In the boudoir the Archduchess had
picked up some knitting to soothe her
tangled nerves You may play now.
Hilda," she said.
Into Hilda's care-free young life came
two bad hours each day. One was the
dinner hour. when she ate under her
mothers pitiless eyes. The other was
the hour after dinner, when, alone in
the white drawing room beyond the
boudoir, with the sliding doors open,
she sat at the grand piano, which was
white and gold. like the room, and as
cold, and played to her mothers pitiless
ears,
She went slowly into the drawing
ROOM Empty, Il was dreary place.
The heavy chandeliers Of gold and cut
glass were unlighted. The crimson and
Gilt chairs were covered with white