The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-08-11
MARY STUARTvS GRAVE.

There is in this city, don't know
whether it extends into the country
a body known as the Legitimist Lea
que. They look upon her majesty as
an usurper, and will admit no legal
claims to the crown but those of the
direct and legitimate descendants of
the Stuarts-if there be any, which is
doubtful. They devote themselves to
honoring in various harmless ways,
the memory of the Stuarts, including
both the old and young pretender
Well, Monday of this week was the
anniversary of the death of Mary
Stuart, the Queen of Scots, and these
mild maniacs determined to have
some sort of demonstration at her
grave. That grave is in Westminster
Abbey, and 50, with the praiseworthy
regard for law which the name of
their society suggests, they first asked
permission for the proposed function.
They wanted to have solemn process
sion in the abbey for one thing, and
also to place upon the grave cross
and crown of flowers. But the can
on in charge declined to grant per
mission. He had no objection, really.
But such thing was without preced-
ent, and the only man authorized to
establish new precedent was the
dean, and the dean was on the Riviera.
Nevertheless. at the appointed hour
the procession formed. l can only as
certain that there were members of
the Legitimist League present. Per-
league has only three members. do
not know. But the three were there
The Marquis de Ruvigny, Stuart
Meade, and Clifford Mellor. One car
ried the cross, one the crown and the
other wreath. Behind them came a
considerable number of sightseers.
They marched solemnly into the alb
hey and up to the entrance of the
chapel in which the dust of Mary
Stuart lies. But the gates were clos
ed and fastened, as they might have
known they would be after what the
canon told them. There was nothing
to do, there fore, but to leave the flow
ers with a verger, with the re-
quest that they be laid on the grave,
and then to march away again. They
left the cross and crown, but not the
wreath. That they kept.
But no sooner had the dauntless
three got outside the abbey, in the
cold, binding rain, than they deter
mined not to be thus baked by the
base minions of the usurper. So back
they marched with the wreath, and
hung it upon the iron gates, in mute
protest against the lock and key.
Forthwith up hustled verger.
Gentlemen, l must request you to
remove those flowers"
eve will not remove them -.
Then the verger hurried to the can
on.
They've hung the wreath on the
gates and won't take it off. What
shall do? Take it off myself p
"Yes-or, wait NO, let it stay. 1t
is nearly time for evening prayers,
and we don't want row. Let it stay
and get them away quietly as soon as
you can"
So back went the verger and told
the league that he wouldn't touch the
wreath, if only they would go away
and disperse the crowd that had
gathered.
1--WE will not go at your bidding J"
replied Stuart Meade, defantly.
LET us march in solemn procession
to the canon and protest against the
outrage suggested Clifford Mellor.
st we're not careful, said the world
wise Marquis de Ruvigny, 1--WE may
get locked up for brawling J"
And at this the league folded its
mackintoshes about it and silently
stole away.