The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-05-06
VI.
A RARE RIDE TO WINDSOR,

brother. a man would re-
R5sSyTN ceive quicker reward for In
GzG0 venting an amusement or q
gaudy costume for the king than by
winning him n battle. Later In life the
highroad to his favor was I'm Kidding
him Of his wife and helping him to q
new one, u dangerous way, though, as
Wolsey found, to his sorrow, when he
sank his glory In poor Anne Boleyn.
Brandon took the hint and managed
to let 1t be known to his play loving
king that he knew the latest French
games. The French Due de Tongue
Vile had for some time been an honor
ed prisoner at the English court, held
as n hostage from Louis XII, but De
Longueville was a blockhead, who
could not keep his little black eyes off
our fair ladies, who hated him, long
enough to tell the deuce of spades from
the ace of hearts. So Brandon was
taken from his duties, such as they
were, II placed ut the card table.
This was fortunate at first, for, being
the best player, the king always chose
him as his partner, and, as in every
other game, the king always won. If
he lost, there would soon be no game,
and the man who won from him too
frequently was in danger Mt my mo-
ment of being rated guilty Of the very
highest sort Of treason. L think many
a mans fall under Henry VIII. was
owing to the fact that he did not al
ways allow the king to win in some
trivial matter Of game or joust. Under
these conditions everybody was anx-
ious to be the kings partner. 1t is true
he frequently forgot to divide his win
nings, but his partner n this advan-
tage at least-there was no danger Of
losing. That being the case, Brandon's
seat opposite the king was very likely
to excite envy, and the time soon came,
Henry having learned the play, when
Brandon had to face some one else, and
the seat was too costly for a man with.
out a treasury. 1t took but n few days
to put Brandon hors do combat inan-
cially, and he would have been in q
bad plight had not Wolsey come to his
relief. After that he played and paid
the king in his own coin.
This great game of "honor and ruff''
occupied Henry's mind day and night
during a fortnight. He toasted IDOL
1t to safety, as he did with everything
else, never having learned not to cloy
his appetite by overlooking. SO we
saw little of Brandon while the kings
fever lasted, and Mary said she wished
She had remained silent about the
cards. You see, she could enjoy this
new plaything as well as her brother,
but the king, Of course, must be aatis-
fled first. They both had enough even.
flIO1lU HnnrU IN ono xuou NFoxr H.
other.
One day the fancy struck the king
that he would rebuild a certain chapel
at Windsor, 80 he took a number of the
court, including Mary, Jane, Brandon
n myself, n went with us up to
London, where we lodged over night at
Bridewell House. The next morning
as bright and beautiful a June day as
ever %gladdened the heart Of a rose-we
took horse for Windsor, q delightful
seven league ride over a fair road.
Mary and Jane travelled side by side,
with an occasional companion or two,
as the road permitted. 1 was angry
with Jane, MS you know, so did not 70
near the girls, and Brandon, without
any apparent intention one way or the
other, allowed events to adjust them
selves and rode with Cavendish and
me.
We were perhaps forty yards behind
the girls, and l noticed after a time
that h Lady Mary kept looking back
ward In our direction, rs If fearing rain
from the east. / was in hopes that
Jane, too, would fear the rain, but you
would have sworn her neck was shn,
80 straight ahead did she keep her face.
We had ridden perhaps three leagues
when the princess stopped her horse
and turned in her saddle. / heard her
voice, but did not understand what she
said.
In n moment some one called out,
Master Brandon Is wantedi" SO that
gentleman rode forward, and I fol-
lowed him. When we came up with
the girls, Mary said, II fear my Rirth
Is loose"
Brandon at once dismounted to tight
en- 1t, nj the others of our immediate
party began to cluster around.
Brandon tried the girth.
MY lady, 1t is as tight as the horse
can well BEAR" he said.
1T is loose, I say" insisted the prin-
cess. with a little irritation. '@The sad
die feels like 1t. Try the other" Then,
turning impatientiy to the persons
gathered around: "Does 1t require all
Of you, standing there like gaping
pumpkins, to tighten my girth7 Ride
on. W. can manage this without 30
much help" Upon this broad hint ey-
erybody o ahead while I held the
horse for Brandon, WIG went on w..h
his search for the loose girth. While
he was looking for 1t Mary leaned over
her horses neck and asked: "Were you
and Cavendish settling all the philo-
sophical points now In dispute, that
you found him so Interestingly"
riot ali" answered sniiii-
ing,
You were so absorbed I supposed It
could be nothing short Of tha&.h
NO" replied Brandon again. "But
the girth is not loose"
Perhaps I only imagined It," re-
turned Mary carelessly, having lost
interest in the girth.
I looked toward Jane, whose eyes
were bright with a smile, and turned
Brandon's horse over to him. James
smile gradually Droadened into a laugh
and she said, Edwin, 1 fear my girth
is loose ALSO"
"As the Lady Mary's wasf" asked I,
unable to keep a straight face any