Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-05-29
A DISGROWNED MAY-QUEEN.
BY MARIAN SERVES, IN "ARTHUR's HOME
l. MAGAZINE


from her hair, Ainging it underfoot,
trampling passionateiy upon it, as she
stood at bay before them all.
Anything so mean and abomlnable
and treacherous! Oh! and you think
that would stoop to be your queen,
and all of you like thatl' ...a
There was CONSERVATION among the
group; that was evident enough. Any
abdicting sovereign might be satisfied
with such dismsy at the proposed dis
crowning.
And any sovereign might have
been sorry to come down from such a
'flowery throne, in such golden fret.
ted audience hall as that park glade,
with such q bevy of fair maids and
gallant courtiers. t T'' ni "
In truth, there were tears in Queen
Roses flashing eyes; she had not dis
crowned herself indifferently. u.
She had been looking forward to
this garden party-hor birthday festi-
val and May-day in one-also her
coming out, for to-day she was but
seventeen. Among the boys and girls
of her own age she had been May
queen time and again, and ruled them
with an iron rod; but now, among
these 'grOwn-up' people, she had not
expected to be chosen queen, though
she had given the May.day fete. So
the unanimous eletion was q triumph
ant surprise to her. 'srmm
u 1t had been agreed 10 make the day
like those old time English ones, when
all the world, gentle and simple, went
o Maying. The costumes, silks and
velvets, lace and gliding and jewels
(though many of them were shams, in
deed), might have done credit to the
court Of the Merry Monarch. Tents
and marques for early strawberries
and ices and viands more substantial,
turf clipped for the stately minute,
and musicians cleverly hiden away in
bowers, and fine ladies and gay cava-
liers ready to dance to their playing
all was in excellent taste, except the
queen. ala.Is.r Hu.I .sl la.4.
No one could say it was in good
taste for Rose to be standing there at
the foot of the throne stamping her
foot (however pretty itlooked, peeping
out from the gold brocade folds Of her
train), stamping her foot at her whole
assembled court of guests. =" q
Anything 80 mean and abonimable
and treacherous! OIL you think that
would stoop to be you queen, and all
of you like thatp . a@U
There was CONSERVATION for q mo-
ment, and then the prettiest girl
among them-who might have ex-
pected to be queen, but was only first
maid of honor-remarked in an au-
diable aside to the court fool with his
'bauble, at he elbow:
After all, there is something to be
said in favor of republics. 2
Rose actually kicked the trembling
crown out Of her path, and marched
straight out from among them.
All! well, kingdoms go on, however
kings may totter from The throne.
And the court musicians in their leafy
bowers, ignorant Of any jar Or want of
harmony, striking in with the lively
measure of country dance, the whole
court fell to it, as one goes asMaying
only once q year. sss-,-sy.st.a,
The queen might come back and re-
sumo her throne, as soon as she re-
covered from her pretty little pet, as
the charming maid of honor whisper
ed to her fool. 4$5
Meantime, the poor little discrowned
queen swept on, her golden tram
catching in the briers. She cast not
one backward glance, nor made an
instant,s pause until q sudden dip of
the land thrust wooded shoulder be-
tween her and her foes.
Yes, her foes, she said to herself,
stoutly; although they we're only Max
Derings.
Indeed. they would none of them
have described themselves as even
that. 1t is one thing to be an enemy,
and quite another, each and every
one would have declared, to explain
carelessly that the reason Max Dering
absented himself from the fete-
since Rose insisted upon knowing
was that doubtless be felt he had for
feited his place among his old friends
by this cloud he was under, of o sus.
picion he was not able to disprove.
Cloudl Rose felt that this golden
day shut her in very blackly as she
clambored down into the woodland
hollow, where the deed, whatever it
was, had been committed.
Down yonder, in the brawling little
shallow brook, at the foot of this
ferny steep, John Dering had been
found, face downward, drowned.
He could hardly have laid himself
deliberately down in it, to die so.
And be could never have fallen into
it from the path, which. though mar
row under the abrupt hillside, was