South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-06-20
Oh n

a German court a king stately
az bearing and Of good report a
queen sweet and beautiful but abb
horring those who l1 the least d.
Eress from the straight and narrow
path. and intent above all else in
preserving her own Immaculate
purity.
The lady OF the bedchamber.
Countess 1rma Won WIdenort.
daughter OF a noble sire who spent
his life Ga improviuE his domains
and serving his nelghbors. but who
lived alone and self-Ceutored. leaV-
ing his children 20 grow up with
little Of his advice and not too much
expression Of his affection. DIT Gun
them. physician 10 the queen. man
straizhtforvard and truthful whose
wife and daughters never appeared
IN court
These. with Countess Brinkiusteiu,
the high -priestess Of etiquette and
decorum Bruno. Countess Irma' IS
brother. and others who appear less
prominently, we're the characters the
intermingiing OF whose lives furnish
IS 4 story OF the expiaung Of sin.
full OF warning 90 those who are ON
the brink Of wrOngdoinE and replcte
with suggestion 20 The scIf-sauCtited.
The story opens with the birth of
a prince ia the royal household. A
nurse from the Highlands is found
in Walpurga, wife Of Hansai AN
humble peasant. whom the queen
kissed upon her arrival. and this
being so contrary 90 the etiquette
Of the court. IS taken up by the
scaudal-mongers and recorded in the
newspapers, offending the king aud
awakening his thought that the
queen is weak and sentimental
Countess ITma. because OF her Of
hclal position, has access at all times
TO the young princes apartments
and IL is soon apparent that she IS
fast attaining royal favor. One day
the king lays his hand upon hers
and looks at her in such a manner
that Walpurga tells her 10 is i'm
proper. but IS advised TO attend to
her own affairs. and the countess
writing 10 a friend. boasts hat the
king prefers her above All others
and that he has given her feather
from an eagle that he shot.
Later. when they are alone to-
gether. the kings asks the countess,
II when they are by themselves. he
may call her his true COmrade'
and makes remarks implying that
the queen and her are not IN closest
harmony.
The devotion Of his wife however.
is abundantIy attested by q mighty
struggle through which she passes.
She was "a Protestant and the king
a Catholic and out of love 10 him
she resolves 20 give up her religion.
but instead Of pleasing his majesty,
this only makes him angry because
he takes 70 TO be another token OF
her weakness. and he gets DIR. Gun
ther 20 disSuade her from such q
course. He also sends flowers every
day 20 Countess Irma who rs flat
tered. but away down I'm her heart
she is offended. and She writes her
friend that she feels herself alto
gether alone i'm the world. Soon
after this the king goes on "a hunt
ing trip and he asks the queen TO
have the countess write 20 him about
the baby prince. The queen begins
10 be suspicious OF her husband and
the scandal concerning the relations
of the king and IrmJ increases.
In the midst OF the turmoil the
countess Is called home TO her father.
but he and she did not understand
each other. and when-after a while
"a letter signed by the king and
the ladies of the court requests that
she return 10 them. Irma after some
hesitation complies and one day
near a statue or liberty for which
the countess was the model, the
king clasps her In his arms and i'm
prints the kiss of eternity" upon
her lips Later at bali ne tells
her that she is beautiful and that
ne loves he~. and she consoles her
self with the thought that "the
priest gave him TO the queen but
nature gave him 20 her
At an opportUne moment her
brother Bruno tells Irma that her
action are the talll of the town
and the hest way out Of the matter
is for her to get married. Col Won
Bronnen. a noble Courtier. proposes
TO her but is rejected and the
countess begins 10 realize that. 1T
is hell 20 be conscious of guilt and
yet remain beside a pure and happy
creature"
In the meantime. Walpurga COM
pletes her term of service. and be-
fore leaving for home calls upon
Irma, who gives her "a bag Of gold
won at the gaming table the night
before
In the little village fin the High
lands. every one ar first patronized
WalpurEa and Hansai. but receiving