Year: 1871

being seen by anybody. Now we
are chatting so quietly together that
there is not one among the guests
suspects in the least what We are
about. Press the ring into
a morsel of bread and leave it Oh the
table; / will take the talisman, and
will notice it."


"This ring is really a talisman.'


II expected SO. May | hope to
hear its history"


"Why not: My first govemess
was a Swiss lady 10y the name OF
Wildermatt. Once she went to
in order to enter upon
an Inheritance Which had been be-
queathed to her by a distant rela-
tive. When she came back to Ber-
lin, a few weeks afterward, she
showed me quite a collection of
pretty and costly iewelry, which
formed a part Of the inheritance.
This is a curious old ring said |
to her, as l put this old-tashioned
little ring OH fny finger. Does it not
look queer and cunning? Perhaps
it is an old relic and talisman, and
may have been worn centuries ago
by pious lady who had received it
from her knight, starting for the
Holy Land ] tried to take the ring
from my finger again, but [ could
not get it off; for was little t1eshicr
than now,' said Charlotte slnilingly.


,"My governess insisted Oh my
keeping the ring as souvenir. |
accepted her present, and the ring
has been OH my finger ever since.
Sometime afterward, when | was
contemplating it's strange Workman
ship, l succeeded in pulling it from
my finger, and was much surprised
at seeing engraved on the inside
some words which, though nearly
rubbed out by the wear of time,
were still legible. Now, your Impe-
rial Highness, what do you think
were the words engraved upon it ? |
think when YOU hear them you will
take some interest in the ring


"Ah! and pray what were they ?"


''The words engraved upon the
inside were, Empress Of Ruysio.'
This ring has undoubtedly been pre-
sented by an Empress Of Russia to
the relative of Mrs. Wildermatt, for
[ was told that both this lady and
her mother had formerly belonged to
the household Of the Czarina, your
august grandmother"


"This is really remarkable" said
the Grand Duke, thoughtfully. ."I
am quite superstitious. and [ am
really inclined to regard this ring, if
[ should be happy enough to receive
it from YOU as a pledge Of your love,
as an omen Of very auspicious signi-
ficance."


In answer to this second and even
more direct appeal to her heart, the
Princess took small piece of bread,
played carelessly with it, and man
aged to press the ring into the soft
crumbs. Then she dropped it play
fully on the table quite close to the
plate of her neighbor. And after
this adroit exhibition of skill as an
actress she continued to eat as lln-
concerned as though she had per-
formed the most insignificant action
of her life.


With the same apparent GOODNESS
and Indifference the Grand Duke
picked up the bread enclosing the
ring, took the latter out of its in
genious envelope, and concealed it
in his breast, for it was too small to
fit any of his fingers. 1t was this
ring-both the pledge of Charlotte's
love and the anspicious omen of his
own elevation to the imperial digni,
ty-which Nicholas wore on a golden
chain around his neck to the very
last day of his life, and which, il
we are not mistaken, has even des
cended with him into the vault OF
his ancestors.


Three years after, in 1917, Prin
cess Charlotte, then only nineteen
years Of age, and in the full splendol
of beauty and happiness, made hel
entry into st. Petersburg by the side
of her husband, whose eye had never
looked prouder, and whose Olympiar
brow had never been more serene
than at this happiest moment of his
life. AS he looked down upon the
vast multitude who had f1ocked
together from all parts Of the vast
Empire to greet the young Princess
with shouts and reioicings, and ther
again upon his fair young bride
perhaps the inscription of the rims
rec1lrred to his mind; for, bending
his head quite close to Charlotte, ht
whispered, "Now Empress of the


hearts, and some day, perhaps, EN-
press of the realm"
At this moment the procession
reached the mai Il entrance of thu


Winter Palace, where Alexander ths


First, the Emperor, surrounded by ;


brilliant suite Of generals and cour
tiers, came to meet his beautiful


sister-in- law, and conducted her int,


the sumptuous drawing rooms of th'


magnificent palace of the Cars


Who would believe that eight shor


years afterward the brilliant youn.


Emperor had breathed his last, ant
that Nicholas and Charlotte Woult


succeed him on the throne of Rus
lsiag Truly the inscription of th


engagement-rin had proven pro


phetic!