The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-02-17
THE FIREsIDE.
The Queens Love.

The Queens Love.
Few, if any, readers of English history
have doubted that Elizabeth, the maiden
oueen,n loved the Earl of Essex. Hers was
wild, infatuated love, such as the 'glo-
rious sorceress of the Nile" bore for Mark
Anthony. She, queen, upon whose brow
the crown of England sat nohly, made love
to one of her courtiers-a fayorite.
-.e One night Elizabeth sat in her royal
chamber, her head bowed upon the richly
carved table, AMI the folds of her gorgeous
night erapery hanging Loosely around her
A light rap startled the queen from her rev.
erie She raised her head, brushed back her
silver threaded hair. and asked who wished
admittance at such an hour.
Annette" was the reply.
''Ali, my chambermaid! !" said the queen,
as she opened the door, and u huxom lass,
with bright eyes, rosy cheeks and raven
tresses, entered and curtsied most grace
fully
"Thou art welcome, good Annette" said
Elizabeth, "but me thinkest thou contest
late"
"There is man at the wicket. my lady,"
replied the girl.
Annette! man."
"Yes, my lady"
"'Tis an unreasonable hour for visit;
but, did he state his business 2"
" He said he wished to see the queen"
"Knowest thou his name, Annette ?" and
the queen gazed into her maids face search
ingly.
"Yes my mistress, it is Essex"
" Then admit him at once"
Into the reception room, mistress 2"
"No, here"
Annette was dumbfounded, for never be-
fore had a man entered the private chamber
of her queen.
Elizabeth Looked at the wondering girl
moment, when, seeming to guess the cause
for her wonderment, said:
Thou need'st not wonder, Annette He
comes on business pertaining to the king
dom. Admit him"
The maid curtsied and withdrew. The
queen now dressed herself hastily, and sat
down to await her visitor Soon the door
was pushed open. and handsome, gallant
Essex entered He approached the queen
and grasped her extended hands. An
nette now prudently withdrew, and En-
glands mighty sovereign and her lover were
alone.
They talked for long time, and words
which breathed of love were spoken. All,
little thought Essex then that the hand he
was covering with kisses would, before
many months, sign his death warrant.
= As the clock struck the hour of midnight,
the courtier rose to depart. The queen
drew costly ring from her finger, and
placed it in his hand, saying,
Noble Essex, if troubles of State en-
yelope thee, return this ring to the giver,
and thou shalt not be forgotten"
: The earl again raised her hand to his
lips and took his departure. Annette ap-
pearing to conduct him to the street. As
the door closed upon Essex's stately form,
Elizabeth threw herself upon the rich couch,
and sobhed aloud
=, Oh, what a love 1 have for thee, noble Es-
sex; but never can call thee mine"
And while she yet lay there sobbing, the
loving earl was travelling the moonlt street
gazing upon the ring, the queens talisman.
Reader, is it not great to be the favorite
of queen9
different scene was not long afterwards
enacted in the same room. A dozen courtiers
, stood around the same queen-Essex's lover
= las she sat before a table to affix her royal
signature TO document that lay before her.
Her eyes wandered uneasily over it, and her
. bosom rose and fell with emotion. The
b document before her was the death warrant
-iot Essex. He had been drawn into plot
g. by some mobiles and his .rGshness, and was
now lying in prison. Why did she not sign
the death warrant2 She was thinking of
the ring she had given Essex, and every mo-
a ment she expected to see the royal talisman
brought to her The mobiles grew impatient
and one asked
y. why does the queen not sign 2"
ia That broke the stiffness, aroused the
queen, and with an unsteady hand she sign
L ed the death warrant. The deed was done.
her lover must die
After the execution of Essex, the Queen
grew peevish and retiring, and was often
heard sobbing in her apartments. The
missing ring was mystery. She had dis
z Patcned trusty person to examine the
body of Essex, but the ring was not found
thereon. But at last it came to light One
Gay messenger arrived, In great haste, at
the palace, with the tldings that the Coun-
tess of Nottingham was dying, and desired
10 see the queen. The queen fastened to
her. As she approached the death couch.
the Countess drew ring from her bosom.
and held it up. The queen sprang forward,
y tore the well-known bauble from the tremb.
ling hand, and in loud voice demanded
how 1t came into possession of the Countess.
Then the dying woman told her. Poor
& Essex, when arrested, remembering the in
junction Of his royal love- gave the ring to
|" the countess, begging her to convey # to
queen. But her husband, bitter enemy of
9n the Earfs, persuaded her to keepit. Had SHE
,D obeyed the imprisoned Eearl, in all proba-
: bility ne would have been saved. e.g
ii The countess implored the queen to for.
give her, but with the fury Of an enraped
tigress, the queen sprang forward and yio-
lently giasped the dying woman, saving:
May God forgive you. I never cans and
Immediately left the ROOM From that mo-
3 ment the queen sank rapidly, and died at
Richmond in 1903, just two years after
Essex. asl@ - 49, si. 81 :
Rich ORES Samuel Taylor showed to
US few days since specimens from a mine
lately opened on his plantation few miles