The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-03-12

pQs always plead, having the Tudor
temper and preferring to command
when she could. As before hlnted. she
had coaxed her royal brother out of
several proposed marriages for her
which would have been greatly to his
advantage, and if you had only known
Henry Tudor, with his vain, boiste.-
Gus, stubborn violence, you could form
some idea Of Mary's powers by that
achievement alone.
Such was the royal maid to whose
tender mercies, now tell you frankly.
my friend Brandon was soon to be
turned over He, however, was a.
blade of very different temper from
any she had known, and when I first.
saw signs of growing intimacy be-.
tween them felt, from what little I.
had seen of Brandon, that the tables
were very likely to be turned upon her
ladyship. Then thought 1, God help,
her, for in nature like hers, charged
with latent force, strong and hot and
fiery as the suns stored rays, it need
ed but flash to make it patent when
damage was sure to follow for some
body-probably Brandon. =
Mary did not come home with ns
from Westminster the morning after
the joustings, as we had expected, but
followed some four or five days later,
and Brandon had fairly settled himself
at court before her arrival AS neither
his duties nor mine were onerous, we
mad great deal Of time on our hands,
Which we employed walking and riding.
or sitting in our COMMON room reading
and talking. Of course, as with most
young men, that very attract branchf
OF natural history, woman, was favor
tie topic, and we accordingly discussed
It q great deal-that is, to tell the exact
truth, I did. Although Brandon had
seen many an adventure during his life
on the continent which would not do,
to write down here, he was as little of
a boaster as any man I ever met, and.
while am in the truth telling business,
I was as great braggart of my inches.
as ever drew the longhow-in that line,
l mean. Gods, flush up hot even now
when think Of it! So talked great
deal and found myself infinitely pleased
with Brandon's conversational powers:
which were rare, being no less than the
capacity for saying nothing and listen
ing politely to an infinite deal of the
same thing, in another form, from me-
remember that told him I had
known the Princess Mary from a time
when she was twelve years old, and
how had made fool of myself about
her. l fear tried to convey the i'm
preston that it was her exalted rank
only which made her look unfavorablN
upon my passion and suppressed the
fact that she had laughed at me good
humoredly and put me off as she would
have thrust a poodle from her lap. The
truth is she had always been kind and
courteous to me and had admitted me
to degree of intimacy much greater,
than deserved. This, partly at least,
grew out of the fact that I helped her,
along the thorny path to knowledge, a
road she Travelled at an eager gallop,
for she dearly loved to learn-from Gu
riosity perhaps.
am sure she held me in her light,
gentle heart as dear friend; but, while
her heart was filled with this mild
warmth for me, mine began to burn
with the fame that discolors every
thing, and saw her friendliness in a
very distorting light. She was much
kinder to me than to most men, but
did not see that it was by reason of my
absolute harmlessness, and, suppose,
because I was vain fool gradually
began to gather hope-which goes with
every vain mans love-and, what is
more, actually climbed to the very apex
Of idiocy and declared myself. I we'll
knew the infinite distance between us;
but, like every other man who came
within the circle of this charming load
stone, I lost my head and, in short,
made a greater fool of myself than
naturally was, which is saying good
deal for that time in my life, God
knows!
knew vaguely, but did not fairly re-,
aliZe, how utterly beyond my reach in
every way she was until I opened the
dOodgates of my passion, as thought
it, and saw her smile and try to check
the coming laugh. Then came a look
Of offended dignity, followed by a
quick, softening glance.
leave me one friend, l pray you,
Edwin. value you too highly to lose,t
and esteem you too much to torment!
Do not make of yourself one Of those
fools who feel, or pretend to feel, care
not which, such preference for me. You
cannot know in what contempt wom-
an holds man who follows her though
she despises him. No man can beg a
woman's love; he must command it. Do
not join their ranks, but let us be good
friends. will tell you the plain truth.
It would be no different were we both
Of the same degree. Even then could
not feel toward you as you think you
wish, but can be your friend and will
promise to be that always if you Will
promise never again to speak of this to
me-" -.-.
promised solemnly and have always
kent nv word as thiS true gra ciOuS