Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1907-03-14
The Fourth
Lady In Waiting.
BY EDITH J. HUBERT.
Copyright. 1905, by T.. c. EASEMENT.

"A herald from his imperial majesty
the car of Russia
There was Il Ldre of trumpets. an
ea.er swaying of the lines of court
iers, soft ripple of laughter and then
silence.
Before me stretched an interminaDle
path of red velvet. fanked on either
side by rows of smirklng, bowling crea-
lures clad in rainbow hued satins, vel
vets and glittering with jewels. AZ tho
farther end. on throne of ivory ana
gold. sat regal, white robed woman,
crowned and girdled with diamonds.
Behind her stood two dusky giants
maieStically waving fans OF peacock
feathers At her feet knelt two tiny
pages attred in blue and silver.
She was the queen of Bodalva and
one of the most beautiful women in the
world. | was a nobody. 1t was my
province to deliver into her royal hand
the scroll iutrusted TO my keeping by
nv gracious master. For weeks | had
been looking forward to this audience
with feverish eagerness But now, at
the crucial moment, when grace of
bearing and fuency of speech would
perhaps serve to win me smile from
those perfect lips stood gaping ike
a clown In the midst of her lackeys.
NV feet refused to move my knees
trembled. the scroll In my hand shook,
nv tongue Glove 10 the roof of my
mouth. There was a mutiled giggle on
my right Then Il clear, -cxquisltely
moduIated voice smote the air like the
notes of golden harp.
"Methinks," said the queen, flashing
laughter from her violet eyes, that the
messenger of our fair cousin, the car,
Is unduly overawed by our presence.
Re not afraid to approach, Sir Herald.
We are quite harmless"
Again came that subdued gggle, all
the more maddening that 1t had about
it battling familiarity, but ut frown
from the queen it was quickly sup
pressed.
Summonng all my will power, |
plunged desperately forward and in
moment was knecline NJ the foot of the
throne between the two PAGES.
"The humble as well as the great,
your majesty" faltercd, "arc over
come by the spell of beauty"
She smiled and, indicating by ges-
ture that I was to rise, took the scroll
and, unrollng It. hastily scanned its
contents.
A change swift and terrible. came
1,
ed Ter cheeks palcd. Her lips
Strengthened to Il scarlet line Tearing
tho parchment thrice across. she east
it at my feet and Kissed in low tone
of concentrated fury: THAT varlet is
my answer to your MASTER See that
YOU deliver IL to him with all possible
haste, out of my sight Begoner
Then again her wonderful voice rang
out in all its clearness.
Men of Bodalva," she said; never
while Sylvia lives shall you bend your
neck beneath the yoke of the Russian
tyrantv'
Long live Queen Sylvan shouted
the courtiers. And from somewhere in
the distance came the sounds of tu-
llhlihOuH hIl'INuH' NlhI'Hil3S' StbIiiPihS
and cries of Bravo, Brayar
Mechanically | backed down the red
velvet path, unheeding the Kisses and
black looks which beset me on either
side, and tresently found myself in
small anleroom, the walls of which
We're hung with doubletS, hose, cloaks.
plumed hats ana various articles of
4 lrnngt ftn,pn1intDl,, | VINE,
fronted by tall, thin, hashily dressed
man. who eyed me with an expression
of extreme diSfaVor
See here" he said I'VE don't want
supers in this company to forget their
cues and occupy the center of the stage
for ten minutes. ana we don't want
any lines thrown in either. The man
who wrote that play can attend to
that"
but" | stammered, the queen
Miss ElSWOrth-Said something to me
that wasn't in
What's That 10 youE he interrupted
sarC astically. You're not star lust
yet are you: Who are You, anyway
One Of them young chaps from the col
lege, amt yout'
| nodded.
First time onT
Again l nodded He shrugged his
shoulders
Well | won't report you if you look
sharp for the rest Of the performances
Luckily for. you the boss is away to-
night What are YOU dom. it for, any
WayE Stage struck or Ellsworth struck"
did not dcign to answer. ana, with
derisive guhaw. he went out. siam
ming the door behind him.
| had been alone scarcely minute
when that irritating giggle again fell
upon my ears
Who's there | cried 1ingng omen
the door and pecring into the dimly
lighted corridor.
Ssh. Go back" whispered feminine
voice. And rs | ohcycd its command
the doorway framed petite golden
haired damsel, rrsplendent in pink SAT.
IN and court train.
| seized her hands aud drew bar 70
the center of the room under the elec.
triC light