, 1876-04-07

Il
The Queen smiled graciously and took
the paper, but said
"This is no time nor place to read pc
titions, child. Come to the castle to-
morrow at the hour of twelve, and we
will give thee an audience. But tell me,
who is thy brave young companioni By
my soul, he hath right gallant spiritw
81 do not know, your majesty, l never
saw him before" said Rosamond.
The boy of whom they spoke had gone
back among the spectators, but on hear
ing these words he stepped modestly for
ward. He was handsome lad, with
deep, dark, beaming eyes, and sort of
grand look about his forehead which
made him seem, for all his plain peasant
dress, nobler than any young lord or
duke in all that cavalcade.
The Queen smiled on him, and said ::
swell, young rash-hcad, what art thou
calledl"
civilian Shakespeare, may it please
your majesty"
"Marry, a good name, and an honest
and thou art brave lad-doubtless we
shall hear of thee when thou art man.
But now away with ye both, for it is late
for such chicks to be abroad"
Then she loosened the reins 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 an
other peal of music and discharge of ar
tillery, and such a terrific irruption of
rockets that some of the country women
shrieked with fright, thinking that the cas-
tie and all the great folks in it were being
blown into atoms, some even fancyiDg
that they saw the Queen on her white
horse riding straight up into the air.
Rosamond We're went away to Warwick,
with some friends, and William Shakes
peare went home to Stratford with his
father and mother. They drove in a
rough little wagon, for in those days
only kings and mobiles had carriages.
William sat on bag of wool behind his
parents. His head was full of the splendors
he had seen, and his heart beat high and
fast with pride because of the Queens
praise. He was greatly excited, but he
was tired also, and when they reached
home he was found fast asleep on the
wool-bag.
The next day when little Rosamond
presented herself at the castle, she was at
once admitted and conducted to an
ante-room, where she had few minutes
to wait She met there an elegant young
courtier, one Sir Walter Raleigh, who
kindly instructed her how to conduct
herself before the Queen. Above all
things he told her she must remember
never to turn her back on her majesty,
but when she was dismissed, to go out
backward. And Rosamond promised to do
as he bade her. Just at twelve she was
summoned by the Lord Chamberlain to
the great hall, where the Queen was
holding court. She was seated on throne
under a canopy of state. She wore her
crown, and a dress of rich velvet, soft
blue, like the sky, covered with white
lace, so fine that it looked like lighted
Clouds; it was looped up with great dia-
monds that shone like stars.
After having been conducted to the
foot of the throne, RCsamond knelt there,
and looked up timidly into her majesty's
face. Alasiit was clouded with frown.
sand so,n exclaimed the Queen, "thou
art daughter Of that Walter We're, who
lately conspired with other traitors to set
our prisoner, Mary Of Scotland, freel He
hath deserved death and death he shall
havels
"Oh, have mercy, gracious madame, "
cried Rosamond, my poor father hath q
tender heart and the Queen Of Scots
moved it by her tears and beauty. Oh,
she is so beautiful, If your grace would
see her, you would have pity on her also. I"
Queen Elizabeth blushed deeply, for
she knew in her heart that she was en-
vious of Mary Stuaft's beauty-and she
said more sternly than before: "Thy father
hath acted traitorously and must abide
his sentence. Go, child"
But Rosamond instead of rising took
from her bosom q small package, and
placed it in the Queens hand. 1t was a
paper containing ring. On the paper
was written the name of Walter We're, and
a verse of scripture, signed "Anna R."
On the ring was engraved crest, the
arms of Boleyns.
Queen Elizabeth turned pale as she ex-
amined these, and hastily added
"Where got you thisa And thisf
Speak, girl.n
"My father, " answered Rosamond, twas
an officer in the tower, at the time the
Queen, your mother, was imprisoned
there. He was good to her, and the night
before she was beheaded she gave him
these mementoes."
Elizabeth's face softened, and tear
shone for q moment In her cold, gray eye,
but did not fall--then she spoke
"For her memory's sake we grant thy
prayer. We forgive thy father, but let
him see to it how he again braves our ire. !"
She then wrote an order for the imme-
diate liberation of Walter We're, stating
that she had granted him full pardon.
This paper she was about to give into the
hands Of an officer to be conveyed to
London, but Rosamond begged that she
might carry it herself, and the Queen
kindly asserting placed her under the
charge of an officer, requesting him, with
her own lips, to be kind to the child.
She extended her beautiful hand to Rosa
mond, who kissed it feryently, but was
too much overcome with joy and thank
fulness to speak word more. She rose
up so bewildered, and in such haste to
set out on her journey, that she quite for
got Sir Walter Raleigh's injunctions. and
turning her back on the Queen, actually
ran out Of the hall, much to the merri-
ment Of the gay court.
The rest of ROsamond's. story is soon
told. She went to London and freed her
father, who never got into any trouble of
the kind again. She grew to a beauti-
ful woman, married country gentleman,
and lived for many years far from the
c,-aok .rorl1 R,,k bors,-- orI lolo.-<,1 II.