The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-04-22

evening. hut Brandon's easy manner
although perfectly respectful and ele-
candy polite, was very different from
anything h 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 prln-
cess came up. Besides, she half feared
that Brandon was amusing himself Mt
her expense, and that in fact this was
a new sort Of masculine worm. Really
she sometimes doubted If 1t were q
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
it. But there was the other part of
her which was princess, and which
kept saying, Remember who you are"
so she was plainly at a 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 1 have
offended 1 can but make for my excuse
my desire to please you. Be sure 1
shall offend no more" This was said
SO seriously that his meaning could not
be misunderstood. He did not care
whether he pleased 80 capricious n per-
son or not.
Mary made NJ reply, and 1t looked as
If Brandon had the worst of 1t.
We sat a few minutes talking, Mary
wearing nm air OF dignity. Cards were
proposed, and as the game progressed
she gradually unbent again and be-
came afable and familiar as earlier in
the evening. Brandon, however, Msas
frozen. He was polite, digniHed and
deferent1al to the ladies, but the spirit
Of the evening was gone since he had
furnished 1t all with bis free, offhand
manner, full of life and brightness.
After g short time, Mary's warming
mood falling to thaw our frozen fun
maker, II in her heart infinitely pre-
ferring pleasure to dignity, she said;
"Oh, this is ~wearisome! Your game is
far less entertaining than our new
dance. Do something to make me
laugh, Master Brandon"
IL fear you must call in VIII Som
mers," he replied, III you wish to laugh.
l cannot please you in both ways, so
will hold to the one which seems to
suit the princess"
Mary's 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 unkind ready to say, but she
held the breath she had taken to speak
it with and after II or two false starts
in Is many different lines continued:
"But perhaps / deserve 1t. 1 ask you
to forgive me-, and hereafter desire you
three, upon all proper occasions, when
we are by ourselves, to treat me as one
Of you as a woman, a girl. I mean
Where Is the virtue of royalty If 1t only
means being put upon n 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 che
Is right. But out upon dignity royal
say II 1t t a terrible nuisance. Oh,
you don't know how difficult 1t is TO be
a princess and not a fool. ThereF' And
che sighed In apparent relief.
Then, turning to Brandon: "You have
taught me another good lesson, sir,
and from this hour you are my friend,
If you will be, so long as you are
worthy-no, 1 do not mean that; I
know you will always be worthy-but
forever. Now we are at rights again.
Let us try TO remain so-that is, I
WILL" and she la%ughingly gave min her
hand, which he, rising to his feet,
bowed low over and kissed, rather fer
vently and lingeringly, I thought.
Hand kissing was new 10 us In Eng
land, excepting in case OF the king and
queen at public homage. 1t was q lit
tie startling to Mary, though she per-
mitted him to hold her hand much
longer than there was any sort Of need
"a fact she recognized, as I could
easily see from her telltale cheeks,
which were rosy with the thought of
1t.
So 1t Is when a woman goes on the
defensive prematurely and without
cause. 1t makes 1t harder to apply the
check when the real need comes.
After q little card playing I express
ed regret to Jane that / could not have
a 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
or the t~roubadour ana 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 IS 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. I at once grew I'M
easy with jealous suspense, for I did
not wish Brandon t dance In that
fashion with Jane, but to my great
relief she replied:
mo, thank you; not tonight" Then,
shyly glancing toward me: perhaps
Sir Edwin will teach me when he
learns. 1t Is his business, you know"
Would II II a month, night and day,
would conquer II, the new dance was
as good as done for already. That was
the first real mark of favor I ever had
from Jane.
We now had some songs from Mary
and lime. then I vaya ono md prop.