Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-10-11

who art thou! and what
would'st thou with me 2"
"My name is Rosamond Vere,"
answered the child "and l came
to put this petition in your own
hands, and beseech your majesty
to grant the prayer of a poor, moth
erless little girl, who will pray to
God for you every night and morn
ing 80 long as she lives"
The Queen smiled graciously and
took the paper, but said:
"This is no time nor place to read
petitions, child. Come to the cas-
tie tomorrow at the hour of twelve,
and we will give thee audience
But tell me, who is thy brave young
companion! BY my soul, he has a
right gallant spirit !"
81 do not know, your majesty, !
never saw him BEFORE" said Rosa
mond.
The boy of whom they spoke
had gone back among the specta-
tors, but on hearing these words
he stepped modestly forward. He
was handsome lad, with deep,
dark, beeming eyes, and sort of
grand look about his forehead which
made him seem, for all his plain
pleasant dress, nobler than any
young lord or duke in all that cav
alcadc.
The Queen smiled on him and
said:
"Well, young rash-head, what
art thou called 2"
"William Shakespeare, may it
please your majesty"
"Marry, a good name, and an
honest, and thou art a brave lad
doubtless we shall hear of thee
when thou art a 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 to Lei
cester, 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 irruption of
rockets that some of the country
women shrieked with fright, think
ing that the castle and all the great
folks in it were being blown into
atoms, some even fancying 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 Shakespeare went home to
Stratford with his father and moth
er. They drove in a rough little
wagon, for in these days only kings
and mobiles had carriages. William
sat on a bag of wool behind his
parents. His head was full of
splendors he had seen, and his heart
beat high and fast with pride be-
cause 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 Rosa
mond presented herself at the cas-
tie, 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 to 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 SUNNI oned by the Lord Cham
berlain to the great hall, where the
Queen was holding Court. She
was seated on a throne under
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 IL look
ed like lighted clouds 1t was loop
ed up like great diamonds that shone
like stars.
After having been conducted to
the foot Of the throne, Rosamond
knelt there, and looked up timidly
into her majesty's face ! it was
clouded with q frown.
"And So" exclaimed the Queen,