The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-12-20


me, my first thought was that, unseel
myself, should see Eleanor, so | wa:
| eager for it.
The others thought Cn the madcal
prank it was, and that their empt!
launches should soon be filed viii
Kings meat and drink. And for thi:
last | do not blame them. seeing tia
the gentlemen of the Irish regimen
more often than not went supperles!
10 bed, since glory was more plentiful
in the French Kings service thar
lo,:is dor; and arrears OF pay seemed
likely but 70 grow greater.
Terrence d'Esterre held a hat fol
t3e money, and we each cast in Wha
He could, he VINO had been lucky o
late at the gaming table more, NJ
who, Lad lost less. We kept no coun'
ot the sums, but. in the end, we ha1
enough to pay for one ticket OF ad
mission to the great Mask, and 1or {
yellow domino.
The thing that gave US our oppor
tunity was that that night the gen
tlemen of the Irish regiment were On
guard at the palace. The Mask was
given for a charity by the Queens
wishes; hence it was called the
Queens Mask, and all of fashion, OF
beatty, and of wealth in the capital
would pay for its admittsnce. and Sc
swell the Golfers OF st. Vincent de
Paul.
While roy comrades laughed and
joked abcut me, thought upon the
last timerl had seen Elearora. waen
she and I had Iitten down from our
horses in the Vale OF Arlo. and, While
the beasts cropped the swErd near us,
had taken her into my arms and her
golden head had lain upon my Eeart.
| remember how the blackbird sang
and the smell Of the whitethorn all IN
bloom close by that it seemed to in
toxicate me with ecstasy.
AT that time there was nothing
strange in Sir Maurice Desmond lit
ing his eyes to Lord Lahinch's daught-
er. Why, we had been brought up in
neighboring houses, ard our families
had always been friends and allies.
If the money dwindled at Eunclody
while Lahinch fattened, that was but
The fault Of the troubicus times, for |
gave with both hands, as my father
gave before me, to the cause of King
James and his son. Whereas Lord
Lahinch waited to see who should be
the winner before he flung UP his
cap for the Dutchman or the Stuart.
L have marveled often upon how Flea
nora came to be his daughter.
When we brought our tale to Lord
Lahineh, the first shadow of trouble
fell upon our love.
What, Sir Maurice" he said, "take
a wife when Sarsfeld has need Of
soldiers! l am an old man, not a
fighter, and I can protect my girl
When the blood and fire Of war burns
the country up, only an old man like
myself, who am out Of the fgh. and
have a stout castle to boot, can pro-
tect women. When King James is en-
the throne again. it will be time 10
talk of marriage"
The old fox proved better than his
word. for though he conveyed his
daughter and his money bags priviiy
from the country before the war
broke out and deposited them at the
French court. where. he had kins-
woman high in favor with the Queen,
yet he returned and held Laninch
castle for. King James against King
William, and had his head blown OF
by a cannon ball, for which 'forsave
him many things, believing that ne
was an honest man at last.
AS for me, when It was over was
the poorest man between the four seas
Of Ireland, for my house was in ashes,
my land seized and sequestratcd. ana
| had lost Eleanora. Rumor had it
hat she was a great heiress and be-
trothed to t;le son of the Due de Pic
ardy. But. she could rot be further
from me though she were welded,
md so l said, Of her to myself. yet
could not keep from being light-head-
ID with Joy when we came home from
he Low Countries to Paris, and all
because l might by chance happen to
SEQ the Lady Elearora. ,.f
We gentlemen of the Palace Guard
we're chosen for our height and size.
!. Maurice Desmond. am six-foot-feur.
md lean as hound. Hardships had
lold on me as well as love. But l
vas not the greatest Of the troop.
There was Andrew. MacMsnus two in
hes greater, and Laurence Mcguire
in inch. That night the Yellow Dom
no was higher than any gentleman at
he Mask, and it was not likely he
should pass unnoticed.
It was q matter Of honor with Hs
IA We sheIld eat and drink az fact