The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-08-09
A PRINCESS
CHOICE
By RUTH CRAHAN

{ al so rich and was so powerful
that an alliance with his family was
considered desirable by ali the other
pctcntatcs. The King had one chilli. O.
daughter. who was Of marr.agcable
age, but up 90 the time she was jWoH-
ty years of age she had been Rep.
away from the outside world shut ~
in wing OF the palace. No one had
even seen her excepting her family
and a limited suit of attendants.
On her twentieth birthday her IA
Their sent letter 10 several ncighbcr-
ing monarchs stating that his daugh-
ter would correspond with any man Of
royal blood suitable 10 become her hus.
band and that she would marry some
one Of these correspondents. provided
he was willing to marry her. He was
not to see her till after he had been
selected for her consOrt, and II after
seeing her he was not minded to mar
~ her he would be excused from do
ing so.
number Of princes entered the lists
and wrote letters to the princess. Most
OF them expatiated upon her beauty,
which they had never seen, comparing
b the full moon, to fountain
G. ne in the sunlight. TO the fairest
e that had ever grown upon the
re was one correspondent, sign
ing himself Carolus, who did not refer
TO any physical beauty that the prin-
cess might possess or to other attri-
butcs. such as modesty, good sense or
kind heart. He wrote of such
traits as he would value in wife.
"If you possess these" he added, you
are treasure to any man, but no man
is worthy Of you"
The princess threw the letters from
those who fiattered without having
seen her into the wastebasket, but she
was touched by the one from this man
who valued mental rather than phys
zeal traits. She replied to his epistle,
stating that she was most affected by
his placing a high value OH a sympa-
thetic heart. she desired husband
who would be sympathetic with her
as she would sympathize with him.
prince Carolus believed he had
g. * the chord that would win him
q rincess So he wrote her second
e. @ expatiating upon tenderness
OF hrt, exalting II above all other
VII. q. He was sure that II he mar
ried her be would feel for her in all
her troubles-for even royal persons
have them-and he had no doubt that
she would respond in kind.
The princess was about to invite
Prince Carolus 10 an interview when
a letter came from another royal per-
sonage who signed himself Alanthus.
Alanthus said that, while he would
gladly become the husband of a prin-
cess who would inherit kingdom, he
must know before he entered the lists
for her hand what drawbacks there
might be concerning her. He suspect
ed from the fact that a sutton would
not be permitted to see her that there
was some physical blemish about her
Should such be the case any man Wild
should meet her as sutton would be |
placed In an embarrassing position. |
A refusal to marry her after seeing |
her would put slight upon her Alan |
thus would not care to be placed In |
such position. II she would assure |
him that there was no physical blight |
ur"" her he would then write her
az This letter caused the princess
e. itate.
after Carolus had sent his let
e. the princess he received por-
tr... Of young woman, one-half of |
whose face was covered with mark
ell Disagreement. 1t was red and
inferred that II was likeness of the
princess. 1t ended the correspondence
between them, for he never wrote
her again. That sympathy for the I'M
fortunate which he had spoken OF SO
= 'sivcly did not stand the test TO
oh IL had been put.
anthus also received a portrait. 1t
resented woman neither beautiful
D, homely. though the face was not
jcvoid of character lie, too, inferred
that he had been sent likeness of the
princess. When he had made up his
mind what to do In the matter he
wrote her letter stating that he had
received portrait which he presumed
to he hers, that he had been fayorably
impressed with II and suggested that
they meet and get acquainted
The princess replied that they would
better correspond for awhile before
meeting In order TO learn of each 9th
er's GOOD, bad or Indifferent qualities,
For several months they wrote each
othrr, and then the princess sent IA
bricf note stating that she had learned
2 thing about her sultCr. lie
; Iwn himself II true man in de-
cf 20 put himself in a position TO
O. To marry woman because ma
e. ID laid upon her IA physical
lle: ST. She appointed a time for the
meeting.
Alanthus went TO the palace expect
I'M To see the woman whose likeness
had been sent him. He met different
,,arsnp Nvhaf, tho prinnacS AMMAN rod