The San Francisco call., 1905-08-13

dee of the greatest Catholic realm In all
the world" Standing in her proud beau
~ there upon the terrace she demonstrate
&c to him that a "maidens nay is, might
Ter than kings command =
She curtseyed low, then faced about and
ran swiftly from his detested presence -
AS fast she fed there was the glitter of
a bright object falling to the ground. II
was a jeweled buckle, and De Silva s
valet saw it and snatched it up An
other saw that snatch, namely Roger Co.
vert, serving man to William Shake
speare. He severely and roughly took II
from the thief and hurried to his master
with il. VIII was writing. Roger threw
the clasp upon the table, saying: Mas
ter VIII, you should be pleased at my
return, for bring you a token from your
lady"
You jest, Covert There is not one
fair damsel in this great court whose
heart beats faster at my approach"
WhereApon Roger informs him. that
my Lord Thomas Hatton was on the
verge OF successful suit Tor the Lady
Anne Hathaway's hand, but in the last
two weeks the tickle maid has blown cold
upon his advances, to the amusement of
the Queen and the discontinue of Sir
Thomas" Shakespeare felt his heart
giving a great leap of hope at the slow
progress of -chancellor's wooing" He
is all on fire 90 learn the history of the
garter which. when he. knows, he sug-
gests its return to its rightful owner.
'Master,--if you will hearken to your
humble squire, you will hold it in your
keeping until the maiden comes to you
herself as suppliant for it's return
Roger is summoned before Anne Hath
away and accused of having stolen the
jewel. IF any one is the thief, my lady,
it is Master Shakespeare, for gave it UP
willingly, while he does most admiringly
survey its beauties, turning 1t over and
over in his hand, and seeming 10th to
part with it for single instant"
Anne Hathaway's face was suffused with
a deep blush as she answered Covert in
attempted nonchalance: "Oh, we will not
bother our heads further about the trim
ket. I assure you the loss is a mere
trifie." 1t is to be remembered that the
mere trifie was diamond-studded, and was
a special love gift to the maid of honor
from her beloved sovereign. And Will
liam Shakespeare still believed that no.
body loved him.
'"The Poets Prize" is dramatically
pretty close to the romance. Shakespeare
IS in the tower condemned to death Anne
Hathaway pleads with Elizabeth for his
life He is summoned before the Queen
She tries to alarm him, and then makes
love to him: offers him pardon and her
love If he will accept her. He refuses,
protesting his love for Anne Hathaway
The Queen has been but playing to put
him to a crucial test. Anne Hathaway
has been hid behind the curtains and
heard all. She comes forth and con-
fesses her love for the poet. Elizabeth
insists on a sudden marriage, and the &C.
static pair are united before her immedi-
ately summoned court.
The descriptions of Queen Elizabeth and
of the Earl of Leicester and of their
love affair are the next best features in
the book to the tale of Shakespeares s
love Anne Hathaway was the clever,
fully trusted and only maid of honor who
helped Elizabeth arrange her secret love
trysts with Leicester. In one of the fin
est Of these secret love interviews the
Queen throws aside her royalty and let's
him call her "Bess." She says: 'Leices-
ter. 1 am but woman after ALL" Later
she tells him this: "Ah, Dudley, Dudley,
we are a pair. of fools. - Alas,
was romantic ever. and will be till
die" AT it's close Leicester begs her to
let him be the custodian of a key to
secret door to her apartments. my
Lord" she said, i've lost my heart, but
I will keep my honor"
"He bowed low at her rebuke and gen.
tly kissed her hand"
(Neale Publishing Company, New York
81 501