The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1903-11-13

the thread of his life is like rotten nay
and when he dies thou must come with.
out delay, since shall be in deadly peril.
nave messenger waiting at all hours
notice, and when he comes waste not n
precious instant 1t may mean all to thee
and me. could write on and on forever
but 1t would he only to tell thee DER and
Ger that my heart is full of thee to over
moving. l thank thee that thou hast
never doubted me. and will see that thou
faith. MARY Paoina
"Regina" That was all. Only q
queen! Surely no one could charge
Brandon with possessing too modest
tastes.
1t was, l think, during the second
week In December that gave this let
ter to Brandon, and about fortnight
later there came to him q messenger
from Paris, bringing another from
Mary, as follows:
Master Charles Brandon:
Sir and Dear Friend Greeting-I have
out time TO write that the king is SO i'll he
cannot but die ere morning. Thou know
est that which last w15Ae to thee. and In
addition thereto 1 would say that al
though 1 have, thou likewise knowest.
my brothers permission to marry whom
wish, yet as have his one consent 1t Is
safer that we act upon that rather than
De so scrupulous as to ask for another
So 1t were better that thou take me to
wife upon the old one rather than risk
the necessity OF having to do it without
any. l say no more, but come with all
the speed thou knowest MARY
1t is needless to say that Brandon
started in haste for Paris. He left
court for the ostensible purpose of
paying me visit, and came to Ipswich,
whence we sailed.
The French king was dead before
Mary's message reached London, and
when we arrived ut Paris Francis I.
reiSned on the throne OF his fathrr-in.
law. l had guessed only too accurate
ly. AS soon as the restraint of tie old
kings presence, light as it had been,
was removed, the young king opened
his attack upon Mary in dreadful ear
nest He begged and pleaded and
Swore his love, which was surely
manifest enough, and within three days
after the old kings death offered to
divorce Claude and make Mary his
queen. When she refused this flatter-
ing offer, his surprise was genuine
"Do you know what you refuseT' he
asked in temper. II offer to make
you my wife-queen of 100000 of the
greatest subjects on earth--and arc You
such fool as to refuse gift like that.
and man like me for husband?"
THAT am, your majesty, and with
good grace. l am queen of France
without your help and care not so much
as one penny for the honor. 1t is great
cr to be n princess of England AS for
this love you avow, would make so
bold as to suggest that you have
good true wife, to whom you would do
we'll to give it all. To me it is moth
Ing, even were you thousand times
the king you are. My heart is anoth
er's, and l have my brothers permis,
sion to marry him."
"Another's? Gods soul! Tell me
who this fellow is that / may spit him
on my swOrdr'
"No, no! You would not Even were
you as valiant and grand as you think
yourself, you would be but child in
his hands"
Francis was furious, and had Mary's
apartments guarded to prevent her es-
cape, swearing he would have his way.
L
I'm Paris we took private lodgings, and
well it was that we did. 1 at once
went out to rcconnoiter, and found the
widowed queen prisoner In the old
Palace des Tournelles. With the help
OF Queen Claude secretly obtained an
interview and learned the true state
of affairs.
Had Brandon been recognized and
his mission known In Paris he would
certainly have been assassinated by
order of Francis.
When saw the whole situation, with
Mary nothing less than prisoner in
the palace, was ready to give up
without struggle, but not so Mary.
Her brain was worth having, so fer.
tile was 1t I'm eXpedients, and, while
was ready to despair, she was only
getting herself I'm good fighting order.
After Mary's refusal of Francis, and
after he had learned that the sacrifice
Of Claude would not help him, he grew
desperate and determined to keep the
English girl I'm his court at any price
and by any means. So he hit upon the
scheme OF marrying her to his weak
minded cousin, the Count of Savoy.
To that end he sent hurried embassy
to Henry WILL, Offering, In case of the
Savoy marriage, to pay back Mary's
dover OF 100000 crowns. He offered to
help Henry In the matter of the impe-
rial crown In case of Maximilian's
death. Eelp much greater than any