The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-11-13

TY IPON our return to England I
IN left Jnne down in Suffolk
|3zSSz5 with her uncle. Lord Boiling
g9 broke, having determined
never to permit her to come within
sight OF King Henry again II I could
prevent 1t. i then went up to London
with the twofold purpose of seeing
Brandon and resigning my place as
master Of the dance.
When presented myself to the king
and told him of my marriage, he flew
into a great passion because we had
not asked his consent. One of his
whims was that every one must ask
his permission to do anything-to eat
or sleep or say ones prayers, especially
to marry, IL the lady was Of degree
entitled to be kings ward. Jane,
fortunately, had no estate, the kings
father having stolen 1t from her when
she was an infant; 80 oil the king could
do about our marriage was to grumble,
which let him do to his hearts con.
tent.
81 wish also to thank your majesty
for the thousand kindnesses you have
shown me-" said. "and, although it
grieves me to the heart to separate
from you, circumstances compel me to
tender my resignation as your master
OF dance" Upon this he was kind
enough to express regret and ask me
to reconsider, but stood my ground
firmly, and then and there ended my
official relations with Henry Tudor for
ever.
Upon taking my leave Of the king
sought Brandon, whom found COM
fortably ensconced in our old quarters,
he preferring them to much more pre-
tentious apartments offered him In an
other part OF the palace. The king had
given him some new furnishings for
them, and, as i was to remain n few
days to attend to some matters OF bust
ness. he invited me to share his COM
fort with him, and I gladly did SO.
Those few days with Brandon were
my farewell to individuality. There
after / was to be so mysteriously in
termingled with Jane that was only
part and small part at that, fear
-of two. did not, of course, regret
the change, since 1t was the one thing
In life most longed for, yet the period
was tinged with faint sentiment Of
pathos at parting from the old life that
had been 80 kind to me and which ]
was leaving forever. l say l did not
regret It, and, though was leaving
my old haunts and companions and
friends so dear to me, was finding
them all again In Jane, who was friend
as we'll as wife.
Mary's letter was In one OF my boxes
which had been delayed, and Jane was
to forward 1t to me when 1t should
come. When told Brandon of it,
dweit with emphasis upon its bulk,
and he, Of course, was delighted and
impatient to have 1t. I had put the
letter In the box, but there was some
thing else which Mary had sent to him
that had carried with me-. 1t was
sum of money sufficient to pay the debt
against his fathers estate and, in ad-
dition, to buy some large tracts of land
adjoining. Brandon did not hesitate
to accept the money and seemed glad
that 1t had come from Mary, she, doubt
less, being the only person from whom
he would have taken 1t.
One of Brandon's sisters had mar
ried rich merchant Mt Ipswich, and
another was soon to marry Scotch
gentleman. The brother would prob.
ably never marry, so Brandon would
eventually have to take charge of the
estates. In fact, he afterward lived
there many years, and, as Jane and
had purchased a little estate near by,
which had been generously added 70
by James uncle, we saw great deal
Of him. But am getting ahead of my
story again.
The DAngouleme complication trou-
bled me greatly, notwithstanding my
faith In Mary, and although had re-
solved to say nothing to Brandon about
1t, soon told him plainly what
thought and feared.
He replied with q low, contented lit
tie laugh.
"Do not fear for Mary. do not.
That young fellow is Of different stuff,
1 know, from the old king, but have
all faith in her purity and ability to
take care OF herself. Before she left
she promised to be true to me, what
ever befell, and ! trust her entirely.
am not 80 unhappy by any means az
one would expect. Am i? And was
compelled to admit that he certainly
was not.
So It seems they had met, as Jane
and suspected, but how Mary manag-
ed It I am sure I cannot tell. She beat
the very deuce for having her owl.
way, by hook or by crook. Then came
the bulky letter, which Brandon pounc-
ed upon and eagerly devoured. leave
out most Of the sentimental passages.