Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1854-05-11

grasped her robe, crying
"A boon grest queen, boon J"
A rude soldier strobe forward and lifted
Ibis broads word over the head Of the chile
when, quick as flash, boy scarcely lar
ger than the girl eaped out Of the crowd
and snatched the sword from the soldier:
hand, saying boldly
"Thou AT cowardly knave"
The man turned upon him in rage
caught back the sword, and might have Kill
led him with i, had no. the queen cried
"HoId william By my faith, think the
lad is right! Woulds. butcher babes like
these? Then art thou one of King Herod's
men and none of ours. Stand back!'
Then turning her eyes on the little girl,
who stood trembling at her side, she look
I'd at her momen, in silent surprise
And we'll she might for the child was as
beautiful as an angel. She could scarcely
have been more than ten years Of age-she
was very fair and delicate, with a tender
face, and voice swee, but mournlUl, like
the sound of wind harp. She had large
dark eyes with long heavy lashes, but her
eyebrows were shade lighter, and her hair.
|
golden hue Now tears were flashing in
her eyes-her red lips were quivering, ber
check was brightly flushed, her hair gently
lifted from her l,rehead, by The evening
wind and in her simple white frock, she
| looked there, under the torch light, 50 like
radiant little sersph, that The stern queen
spoke softly to her, almost as lhoug b in fear.
saying
"Who art though and what woulds. thou
with me'?''
"My name is Rosamond Vere," enswer-
ed the child ''snd come to pu, this pc
ti,on in your own hands, and 10 bcseech
your majesty to grant the prayer Of a poor
motherless Iisle gil who will pray to God
for you every night and morning, as long
as she Iives''
The queen smiled gfaciously and took
The paper, bu, said
"This is no time, nor place TO read petit
tions, child. Come to The castle lo-mor-
row st the hour of twelve and we will
give thee audience Bat tell me who is thy
brave young champion BY my soul, he
hath right gallsn. spirll!'
81 do no. know, your majesty ! never
saw him before" said Rosamond.
The boy Of whom they spoke had gone
back among the spectators, bu! hearing
these words be stepped modesty forward
! He was handsome lad, with deep dark,
beaming eyes. and sort Of grand look a.
bou, his forehead, which made him seem.
for ali his plain peasant dress, nobler than
any young lord or duke in all that cavsl-
cade
The queen smiled on him, and said
"Nell young ash-head, what art thou
called -
"W!Iism Shakespeare, may i! please your
majes,y.'
"Marry,a good name, and an honest-and
hear Of thee when thou art man. But
now away with ye both. for ii is late for
such chicks TO be abroad"
Then she loosened ,be reips of her horse
and rode forward with Leicester, and all
the procession moved on again. They
passed through the tower, over the bridge.
and entered the castle, with another peal
Of music and discharge of artillery, and
such a terrific Eruption Of rockets thai
fright, thinking lha. the castle and all the
great folk in it were being blown into atoms
some even fancying that they saw the
queen, on her white horse, riding straigh
up into the air.
Rosamond We're went sway to Warwick
with some friends, and William Shakespeare
went home to S,ra,ford with his father anC
mother. They drove in rough little wa
gon, for in those days only kings and no.
of wool behind his parents. His head wa:
full of the spIendors he had seen, and hi.
heart beat high and fast with pride because
of the queens praise. He was greatly ex
cited, but he was tired also, and when they
reached home, he was found fast asleep or
The woolbag.
The next day when little Rosamond pre-
sented herself at the castle, she was a. once
admitted and conducted TO an an,e-room
where she had few minutes to wait Sb,
met there an elegant young courlier, on,
Sir Walter Raleigh, who kindly instructed
her how TO conduct herself before tn
queen. Above al things he told her sh
must remember never to turn her back o,
her majesty, but when she was dismissed
10 do as he babe her. Just at twelve, sh
was summoned by the Lord Chamberlain
to the grea. hall, where the queen was hold
ing court. She was seated on q throne, un
der canopy Of state. She wore her crow
and dress of rich velvet, soft, blue
like the sky, covered with white lace s.
fine the. it looked like Iigb. clouds, and
was looped up with great diamonds, ,ba
shone like stars.
After having been conducted to the foo
of the throne, Rosamond knel. there, an
, looked up iinidIy into her majesty's face
Alas i, was clouded with (rown.
7, "And so," exclaimed the queen, "lho