The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-21
THE MAID OF HONOR.
A Story from the Memoirs OF Minister OF France.
By Stanley ]. Weyman.

my privilege as master of the mint
to present to the king on New Years
Day, and. which consisted this year
of medals of gold, silver, and copper,
bearing Inscriptions of my own com
position, together with small bags OF
new coins for the king, the queen, ana
their attendants.
These 1 alwa avs made it a point to
offer before the king; nor was this year
an exception, for L found his majesty
still in bed. the queen occupying
couch in the same chamber. But
whereas it generally fell to me TO
arouse them from sleep, and be the
first to offer those compliments which
befitted the day. / found them on this
occasion fully reused, the king lazily
toying with his watch, the queen talk
ing fast and angrily, and at the edge
fnoiselle D'Oyley in deep disgrace. The
queen, indeed was so taken up with
scolding her that she had forgotten
what day it was, and even after my
entrance, continued to rate the poor
girl so fiercely that I thought her pres
ent violence little less unseemly than
her condescension of the night before.
Perhaps some trace of this feeling
appeared in my countenance; for, pres
emily, the king, who seldom failed to
read my thoughts, tried to check her
in a good-natured fashion. Come, my
dear. ne SAID, let ludI
mouse go. And do your hear what our
good friend Sully has brought you?
I'll be bound"
How your majesty talksr the
queen answered, pettishly. LAS if
few paltry coins could make UP for my
Jar! I'll be bound, for my part, that
this idle wretch was romping and play
ing with"
"Come, come; you have made her
cry enoughr' the king interrupted
and indeed. the girl was sobbing so
passionately that man could not
listen without pain. ''Let her go, 1
say, and do you attend to Sully. You
have forgotten that It is New Years
day"
"a Jar of majolica," the queen cried.
utterly disregarding him, worth your
body and soul, you little slutr'
Pooh! POOH the king said.
do you think that brought it from
'.Nightcap," the king muttered.
There. there, sweetheart" he con-
tinued, aloud, ''let the girl go,''
"Of course! She is a girl" the
queen cried, with sheer. THAT Is
enough for your'
well, madam, she is not the only
one in the ROOM" I ventured.
"Oh, Of course. you abe the kings
echor'
run away, little one" Henry said,
Wlnktng to me to be silent.
and consider yourself lucky" the
to be whipped: and if I had you in my
country, I would have you whipped for
all your airsl San Giacomo, if you
cross me, I will see to itr'
This was a parting thrust; for the
girl, catching at the kings permission,
had turned and was hurrying. in pas
sion of tears to the door. Still, the
queen had not done. Mademoiselle had
broken a jar; and there were other
misdemeanors which her majesty con-
tinued to expound. But In the end I
had my say, and presented the medals.
which We're accepted by the king with
his usual kindness, and by the queen,
when her feelsings had found express
sion, with sufficient complafsance.
Both were good enough to compliment
me on my entertainment; but observ-
ing that the queen quickly buried her
self again in her pillows and was in
cIined to be peeViSh, [ cut short nv
attendance on the plea Of fatigue. and
left them at liberty to receive the very
numerous company who on this day
pay their court.
Of these. a great number came on
afterwards, to wait on me: so that for
some hours the large hall at +he Ar
senal was thronged with my friends.
or those who called themselves by that
name. But towards noon the stream
began TO fail; and when I sat down to
dinner at that hour. I had reason to
suppose that I should be left in peace
I had not more than begun my meal,
however. when I was called from the
table by messenger from the queen.
What is it?'' said. when had gone
to him. Had he come from the king. I
could have understood it more easily
Her Majesty desires to know. your
excellency. whether you have seen any
thing Of Mademoiselle D'Ogley."
"T?"
Eyes. NJ. lie Due"
NO. Certainly not. How should II"
replied.
And she is not here?" the man per-
sisted
Nor I answered angrily. God
bless the queen. know nothing of her.
1 am sitting at meat and
The man interrupted me with pro-
testations of regret. and. Fastening to
| express himself thoroughly satisfied.
retired with a crestfallen air. I Won
dered what the message meant, and
what had come over the queen, and
whittier the girl had gone. But as I
made it a rule throughout my term of