The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-04-29

~ don was commanded to an
.ss.S audience and presented to the
G1E&0 king and queen. He was now
eligible to all palace entertainments
and would probably have many invita-
tiors. being q favorite with both their
majesties. AS to his standing with
Mary. who was really the most impor-
tant 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
whims and caprice. the inevitable out
growth of her blood. her rank and the
adulation amid which she had always
lived. that | 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 within. growing out of the inn
pulse of the moment and subject to
reaction. | could not tell. | believed.
however. that Brandon stood upon a
firmer foundation with this changing.
shifting ~quicksand CT q girl than with
either of their majesties.
In fact, | thought he rested upon her
heart itself. But to guess correctly
what q girl of that sort will do or think
or feel would require inspiration.
OF course most of the entertainments
given by the king and queen included
as 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
ment of the king. to avoid the respon-
sibility of not inviting everybody. The
larger affairs We're very dull. and
smaller one might give offense 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
them were highly valued.
One afternoon a day or two after
Brandon's presentation a message ar
rived from Mary notifying me that she
would have a little fete that evening
in Il of the smaller halls and direct
ing me to be there as master Of the
Ounce. Accompanying the message was
q uott iloAl III tcSS u ptISJu ltltu Tue
princess herself. inviting Brandon.
This was IN honor indeed AN auto
graph invitation from the hand of Ma
ry! But the masterful rascal did not
seem to consider II anything unusual.
ard when ! handed him the tote upon
his return from the hunt he simply
read 1t carelessly over once. tore It in
ptaaao und toccrA IL ov-ar ,nl;nwo
the Duke of Buckingham would have
given 10000 crowns to receive such n
note and would doubtless have shown
1t to half the court in triumphant con
fidence before the middle of tile night.
To this great captain of the guard 1t
was but q scrap of paper. He was glad
iaA..e il. nevertheless, and with all MS
self restraint and stolcism could not
conceal his pleasure.
Brandon at once accepted the invita-
ton in q personal note to the princess.
fNhe boldness OF this actually took my
breath. ard it seems at first to have
startled Mary n 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
she had read ii slipped off into her pri-
vate room. read ii again ard put 1t OH
Ter e%scritoire. Soon she picked II up.
rereGd it and, after Il little hesitation.
put ii In her pocket. 1t remained In
tie pocket for Il moment or two. when
out it came for another perusal. and
then she %unfastened her bodice and put
it in her bosom. Mary had been so in