Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-16

deal, and the best I could hope was that she held me on probation.
 On the evening of the day Mary came home to Greenwich, Brandon asked: 'sWho and what on earth is this won derful Mary hear so much about? They say she is coming home today, and the court seems to have gone mad about 1t. I hear nothing but Mary is coming! Mary is coming! Mary! Maryv from morning until night. They say Buckingham is beside himself for love of her. He has a wife at home, if am right, and is old enough to be her father. Is he not?" I assented, and Brandon continued: "A man who will make such a fool of himself about a woman is woefully weak. The men of the court must be poor creatures
 He had much to learn about the power of womanhood. There is noth- ing on earth-but you know as much about it as I do.
 'tWait until you see her, answered, "and you will be one of them also. datter you by giving you one hour with her to be heels over head in love. With an ordinary man it takes one-sixtieth of that time. So you see pay com pliment to your strength of mind."
 '.Nonsensev' broke in Brandon. Do you think left all my wits down in Suffolk? Why, man, she is the sister of the king and is sought by kings and emperors. I might as we'll fall in love with twlnkling star. Then, besides, my heart Is not on my sleeve. You must think me a fool-a poor, enervat- ed, simpering fool like-like-well like one of those nobles of England. Don't put me. down with them, Caskoden, if you would remain my friend.'
 We both laughed at this sort of talk, which was a little in advance of the time for noble, thoughsan idiot to the most of England was noble still, God created and to be adored.
 Now, when Mary returned the whole court rejoiced, and 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 upon terms of intimate friendship with Ma " and was the avowed and, as I thought, at least hoped, all but accept ed lover of her first lady in waiting and dearest friend, Lady Jane Bolingbroke. Brandon, 1t is true, was. not noble, not even an English knight, while was both knighted and noble, but he was of as old family as England boasted and near of kin to some of the best blood of the land. The meeting came Cc very near 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 I took the opportunity to make these, my two best loved friends,
 afow do you do, Master Brandon T' said Lady Jane, holding out her plump little hand, so white and soft and dear to me. "I have heard something of you the 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 I may see you oftelAsnow and that may present you to my mis- tress."
 With this her eyes, bright as over grown dewdrops, twinkled with a mis- chievous little smile, as if to say, "Ah, another large handsome fellow to make n fool of himself"
 Brandon acquiesced in the wish she had made, and after the interchange of few words Jane said her mistress was waiting at the other side of the grounds and that she must go. She then ran off with a laugh and a cour- tesy and was soon lost to sight behind the shrubbery at the turning of the walk
 In short time we came to 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 al of the ladies, although he had not been formally presented at an audi ence. 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 if 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 a bevy of girls sitting on some benches under a spreading oak, weaving spring flowers. He had never seen the prin- cess, so could not positively know her. As a matter of fact he did know her as soon as his eyes rested on her, for she could not be mistaken among thou sand. There was no one like her or any thing near it. Some stubborn spirit of opposition, however, prompted him to pretend ignorance. All that he had heard of her wonderful power over men and the servile manner in which they fell before her had aroused in him spirit of antagonism and had be- gotten a kind of distaste beforehand. He was wrong in this, because Mary was not coquette in any sense of the | Is <1 1rI~e koI, %r