Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-06-10

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dESeSS audience and presented to the
tSj king and queen. He was now
algible to all palace entertainments
and would probably have many invita-
lions, being favorite with both their
majest1es. AS to his standing with
Aary, who was really the most 1mpor-
liant figure socially about the court,
could not exactly say. She was such a
mixture of contradictory impulses and
rapid transitions, and was so full of
7whims and caprice, the inevitable out
growth of her blood, her rank and the
;adulation amid which she had always
lived, that 1 could not predict for a
day ahead her attitude toward any one.
She had never shown so great favor
to any man as to Brandon, but just
how much of her condescension was
a mere whim, growing out OF the i'm
pulse OF the moment and subject to
reaction, could not tell. believed,
however, that Brandon stood upon q
@rmer foundation with this changing,
8hifting quicksand Of a girl than with
'>dther of their majesties.
In fact thought he rested upon her
heart itself. But to guess correctly
what girl of that sort will do or think
nr feel would require inspiration.
OF course most of the entertainments
Sgiven by the king and queen included
IA guests nearly all the court, but
Mary often had little fetes and dane
ing parties which were smaller, more
'select and informal. These parties were
really with the consent and encourage
sment of the king, to avoid the respon-
Asibility Of not inviting everybody. The
larger affairs were very dull, and
smaller ones might give ofense to
those who were left out. The latter,
therefore, were turned over to Mary,
who cared very little who was Offend
ed or who was not, and invitations to
ahem were highly valued.
One afternoon day or two after
BrandOn's presentation q message ar
F1ved from Mary notifying me that she
would have little fete that evening
In one of the smaller halls and direct
,tng me to be there as master Of the
dance. Accompanying the message was
"a note from no less a person than the
princess herself, inviting Brandon.
This was an honor indeed-an auto
sgraph invitation from the hand Of Ma
ny! But the masterful rascal did not
foeem to consider it anything unusual,
sAnd when handed him the note upon
dis return from the hunt he simply
Tread it carelessly over once, tore it in
pdeces and tossed it away. l believe
the Duke of Buckingham would have
sgfven 10000 crowns to receive such a
note and would doubtless have shown
1t to half the court in triumphant con,
sddence before the middle Of the night
TO this great captain of the guard 1t
twas but scrap Of paper. He was glad
to have it, nevertheless and with all his
self restraint and stoicism could not
conceal his pleasure.
Brandon at once accepted the invita-
ton in personal note to the princess.
The holiness Of this actually took my
breath, and it seems at first to have
startled Mary a little also. AS you
must know by this time, her ''dignity
royal was subject to alarms and quite
her most troublesome attribute-very
apt to receive damage in her relations
with Brandon.
Mary did not destroy Brandon's note,
despite the fact that her sense of dig
nifty had been disturbed by it, but after
abe had read it slipped off into her pri-
waite room, read it again and put it on
her escritoire. Soon she picked it up.
Teread it and. after little hesitation.
sput 1t In her pocket. 1t remained in
the pocket for a moment or two, when
out 1t came for another perusal, and
then she unfastened her bodice and put
1T In her bosom. Mary had been SO in
tent upon what she was doing that she
had not seen Jane, who was sitting
quietly in the window, and when she
turned and saw her she swas so angry
she snatched the note from her bosom
and threw it upon the floor, stamping
ther foot in embarrassment and rage.
How dare you watch me, hussy ?"
abe cried. "You lurk around as still as
the grave, and have to look into every
nook and corner wherever l go or have
you spying on me-"
II did not spy upon you, Lady Mary"
said Jane quietly.
"Don't Answer me! know you did!
u want you to be less silent after this.
DO you hear? Cough or sing or stun
BILE; do something, anything. that /
may hear you"
Jane rose, picked up the note and Of
ifered it to her mistress, who snatched
1T with one hand while she gave her a
sharp slap with the other. Jane ran
*out, and Mary, full of anger and shame,
.,saammed the door and locked it. The
note, being the cause of all the trouble.
she impatiently threw to the floor
again and went over to the window
Fbench, where she threw herself down
to pout. In the course Of five minutes
she turned her head for one fleeting
instant and looked at the note. and
then, after a little hesitation, stole
%over to where she had thrown it and
spicked it up. Going back to the light
at the window she held it in her hand
- moment and then read it once, twice,
thrice. The third time brought the