Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-12-11
with whom she usually associated

| whenever Sne tnOuSnt OF II, tnaC Sne
was In duty bound to Chamber back, at
least part Of the way, to her dignity,
however pleasant 1t was personally
down below in the denser atmosphere
Of informality.
In her heart the princess preferred,
upon proper occasions, such as this, to
abate her dignity, and often requested
others to dispense with ceremony, as In
fact she had done with us earlier In the
evening. But Brandon's easy manner,
although perfectly respectful and ele-
gantly polite, was very different from
anything she had ever known. She
enjoyed 1t. but every now and then the
sense Of her importance and dignity
for you must remember she was the
first princess of the blood royal-would
supersede even her love Of enjoyment,
| and the girl went down and the prin-
cess came up. Besides. she half feared
that Brandon was amusing himself at
her expense, and that In fact this was
| q new sort of masculine worm. Really
she sometimes doubted If 1t were
worm at all, and did not know what to
expect nor what she ought to do.
She was far more girl than princess,
and would have preferred to remain
merely girl and let events take the
course they were going, for she liked
1t. hut there was the other part Of
her which was princess. and which
kept saying. Remember who you are"
so she was plainly at loss between
natural and artificial inclinations con-
tending unconsciously within her.
Replying to Mary's remark over
James shoulder, Brandon said:
"Your highness asked US to lay aside
ceremony for the evening, and If have
offended can but make for my excuse
my desire to please you. Be sure /
shall offend no more" This was said
so seriously that his meaning could not
be misunderstood. He did not care
whether he pleased so capricious per-
son or not
Mary made no reply. and it looked as
| II Brandon had the worst Of It
We sat few minutes talking, Mary
wearing an air of Lightly. Cards were
proposed, and rs the game progressed
she gradually unrent again and be-
came affable and familiar as earlier In
the evening. Brandon, however, was
frozen. He was polite, dignifed and
deferential to the ladies, but the spirit
Of the evening was gone since he had
furnished it all with his free, offhand
l;manner, full of life and brightness.
z After a short time, Mary's warming
mood failing to thaw our frozen fun
maker, and in her heart infinitely pre-
ferring pleasure to dignity, she said:
"oh, this is wearisome! Your game is
far less entertaining than your new
dance. Do something to make me
laugh, Master Brandon"
81 fear you must call In Will Som
tsmers," he replied, If you wish to laugh.
Ii cannot please you in both ways, so
will hold to the one which seems to
suit the princess"
Marys eyes flashed, and she said
ironically:
"That sounds very much as though
you cared to please me In any way"
Her lips parted, and she evidently had
something unhnd ready to say. but she
held the breath she had taken to speak
It with and after one or two false starts
In rs many different lines continued:
"But perhaps / deserve it. I ask you
to forgive me, and hereafter desire you
three, upon oil proper occasions, when
we are by ourselves, to treat me as one
Of you as q woman, q girl, I mean.
Where Is the virtue of royalty II 1t only
means being put upon a pinnacle above
all the real pleasures Of life, like fool,
Ish old Stylites on his column? The
queen Is always preaching to me about
the strict maintenance Of my dignity
royal as she calls 1t, and perhaps she
is right. But out upon dignity royal
say I! It is q terrible nuisance. Oh
you don't know how difficult it Is to bc
a princess and not fool. There" An"
she sighed In apparent relief.
Then, turning to Brandon: "fou have
taught me another good lesson. sir.
and from this hour you are my friend,
| II you will be, so long as you are
worthy-no, l do not mean that; l
know you will always be worthy-but
forever. Now we are ut rights again.
Let US try to remain so-that is, !
WILL" and she laughinsly gave him her
hand, which he, rising to bis feet,
| l.
vently and lingeringly, I thought.
Hand kissing was new to us in Eng
land, excepting in case Of the king ana
queen at public homage. 1t was lit
tie startling to Mary, though she per-
mitted him to hold her hand mucn
longer than there was any sort of need
"a fact she recognized, as l could
easily see from her telltale cheeks,
which were rosy with the thought or
It.
So it is when q woman goes on the
defensive prematurely and without
cause. It makes it harder to apply the
check when the real need comes.
After a little card playing express
ed regret to Jane that could not have
q dance with her for lack Of music.
II will play, if the ladies permit
said Brandon. and he took Lady James
lutte and played and sang some very
pretty little love songs and some comic
ones, too, in a style not often heard In
England. so far away from the home
of the troubadour and lutte. He was
full Of surprises. this splendid fellow,
with his accomplishments and graces.
When we had danced as long as we
wished-that is, as Jane wished; as for
myself, would have been dancing yet
Mary again asked us to be seated.
Jane having rested, Brandon offered to
teach her the new dance. saying he
could whistle an air we'll enough to
give her the step. l at once grew un-
easy with jealous suspense. for ] did
not wish Brandon to dance in that
fashion with Jane. but to my great
relief she replied:
| aNo fbonk vol1. not tonight" 1hen,