The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-07-17

But James ears would have heard just
as much had. they been the pair of
beautiful little shells they so much re-
.semb'ed. This troubled me n great
dead. and the best could hope was
that she held me on probation.
On the evening of the day Mary came
home to Greenwich. Brandon asked: !:
WHO and what on earth is this won
derful Mary l hear SO much about?
,fhey say she is coming home today,
land the court seems to have gSne mad
about 1t. l hear nothing but Mary
Is coming! Mary is coming! Mary!
Mary" from morning until night. They
say buckingham is beside himself for
love of her. He has wife at home. if
l am right. aud is old enough to be her
father. Is he notI" I assented, and
Brandon continued: "a man who will
make such II fool Of himself about a
woman is woefully weak. The men Of
the court must be poor creatures"
lie had much to learn about the
power of womanhood. There is moth
Ing on carth-but you know as much
about it as l do.
| wait until you sec her" answered,
land YOU will be one OF them also.
fatter you by giving you one hour with
| her to be heels over head in love. With
| an ordinary man it takes one-sixtleth
OF that time. SO you see pay n COM
plimcnt to your strength Of mind.r
| "Nonscnse!' broke in Brandon. "Do
yon think l left all my wits down i'm
/ Suffolk? Why, man, she is the sister
| or the king and is sought by kings and
cmpcrors. | might rs well fall i'm love
| with twinkling star. Then besides.
| my Eeart is not on my sleeve. You
must think me n fool-a poor, enervat-
cd. slmperirg fool like--likc-well, like
one of those mobiles OF England. Don't
put me down with them, Caskodefi, IL
you would remain my friend"
We both laughed at this sort Of talk,
which was II little I'm advance Of the
time for noble, though an idiot to the
most OF England was Il noble still, God
created and to be adorcd
Now. when Mary returned the whole
court rcjoiccd, and I was anxious for
Brandon to meet her and that they
Should become friends There would
be no trouble in bringing this meeting
about. since, as you know, was- urpon.
terms of intimate friendship with Ma
ry ana was the avowcd and, rs !
thought. at least hoped, all but accept
cd lover or iicr Grst
dearest friend, Lady Jane Bolingbroke.
Brandon. II is true, was not noble, not
even an English knight. while I was
both knightcd and noble, but >le was
Of as old a family as England boosted
and near of kin to some Of the best
blood of the land. The meeting came
about sooner than expected and was
very near Il failure. 1t was on the sec
ond morning after Mary's arrival at
Greenwich. Brandon and were walk
ing in the palace park when we met
Jane. and | took the opportunity to
make these. my two best loved friends;
acquainted.
"IIow do YOU do. Master BrandonT
said Lady Jane holding out her plump
little hand, so white and soft ana dear
| to me. Il have heard something of you
| tho last day or so from Sir Edwin, but
| had begun to fear he was not going to
| give me the pleasure OF knowing you.
/ hope l may sec YOU often now and
| that / may present you to my. mis-
| trcss.'
With this her eyes. bright as over
| grown dcwdrops, twinklcd with Il mis-
| chicvous little smile, as If to say, "Ab,
another large handsome fellow to make
| fool of himself"
| Brandon acquicsccd In the wish she
had made, and after the interchange
| Of n few words Jane said her mistress
was waiting ut the other side of the
| grounds and that she must go. She
then ran off with laugh and cour-
tesy and was soon lost to sight behind
the shrubbery Mt the turning of the
walk.
III q short time we came TO q summer
house near the marble boat landing,
where we found the queen and some
Of her ladies awaiting the rest of their
party for a trip down the river which
had been planned the day before Bran
don was known to the queen and sever
nj of the ladies, although he had not
been formally presented at an audi
cnce. Many of the kings friends en-
joyed considerable intimacy with the
whole court without ever receiving the
public stamp of recognition socially
which goes with a formal presentation.
The queen, seeing us, sent me off to
bring the king. After had gone she
asked IL any one had seen the Princess
Mary, and Brandon told her Lady Jane
had said she was at the other side of
the grounds. Thereupon her majesty
asked Brandon to find the princess and
to say that she was wanted.
Brandon started off and soon found
q bevy Of girls sitting OIL some benches
under n spreading oak, weaving spring
flowers. He had never seen the prln
cess, so could not positively know her
AS matter OF fact he did know her as
soon as his eyes rested on her, for she
could not be mistaken among n thou