The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-03-26

Il
queen? She would simply swoon with
horror It is del ghtful, though Then,
| with more confusion in her manner
than had ever before seen, sThat is.
1t is delightful if one chooses her part.
ner.'' .a s5z55
This only made matters worse and
! gave Brandon an opportunity.
dare hope?" he asked, with a def
erenttal bow.
ooh, yes; you may hope l tell you
frankly it was delightful with you.
Now, are you satisfied, my modest one?
4 Jane, / see we have forward BODY
here. No telling what he will be at
next" said Mary, with evident impa-
hence, rapidly swaying her fan. She
spoke almost sharply, for Brandon's
attitude was more that of an equal
than she was accustomed to, and her
royal dignity, which was the artificial
part Of her, rebelled against it now and
then in spite of her real inclinations.
The habit of receiving only adulation
and living on pinnacle above every-
body else was SO strong from continued
practice that it appealed to her as a
duty to maintain that elevation. She
had never before been called upon to
exert herself in that direction, and the
situation was new. The servile ones
| with whom she usually associated
maintained it for her; so she now felt,
whenever she thought of it, that she
was in duty bound to Chamber back, at
least part of the way, to her dignity,
however pleasant it was personally
down below in the denser atmosphere
of informality.
In her heart the princess preferred,
upon proper occasions, such as this, to
abate her dignity, and often requested
| others to dispense with ceremony, as in
fact she had done with us earlier in the
evening. But Brandon's easy manner,
| although perfectly respectful and ele-
gantly polite, was very different from
| anything she had ever known. She
enjoyed it, 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 prin-
cess came up. Besides, she half feared
that Brandon was amusing himself at
her expense, and that in fact this was
new sort Of masculine worm. Really
she sometimes doubted if it were
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
1t. But there was the other part Of
her which was princess, and which
kept saying, Remember who you are"
so she was plainly at loss between
natural and artificial inelinations 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 I have
offended can but make for my excuse
my desire to please you. Be sure I
shall offend no more" This was said
SO seriously that his meaning could not
be misunderstood. He did not care
| whether he pleased so capricious per-
| son or not. a., d, &.,-....s:--, @@::sgG
Mary made no reply, and it looked as
If Brandon had the worst of it.
| We sat few minutes talking, Mary
wearing an air of dignity. Cards were
proposed, and as the game progressed
she gradually unhent again and be-
came affable and familiar as earlier in
the evening. Brandon, however, was
frozen. He was polite, dignifed and
deferential to the ladies, but the spirit
Of the evening was gone since he had
furnished it all with his free; offhand
manner, full Of life and Brightness.
After short time Mary's warming
mood failing to thaw our frozen fun
maker, and in her heart infinitely pre-
ferring pleasure to dignity, she said:
''Oh: this is wearisome! Your game is
far less entertaining than your new
dance. Do something to make me
laugh, Master Brandon
II fear you must call in Will Som
mers," he replied, IF you wish to laugh.
I 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 one or two false starts
in as many different lines continued:
"But perhaps 1 deserve it. 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, mean.
Where is the virtue of royalty if it only
means being put upon a pinnacle above
all the real pleasures of life, like fool
lsh 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 she
is right. But out upon dignity royal
say I! 1t is terrible nuisance. Oh,
you don't know how difficult it is to be