Evening star., 1908-01-12
spread IL out upon her knee. and began
reading solemniy:
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spread II out upon her knee. and began
reading solemniy:
Who could And such wight.
Her beauty twinkletk like q Stare
Within the frosty night.
Her ros~-nli color comes and goes
With such a comeiy grace.
More ruddtrr. too. than doth the rose,
Within her lively face"
And beneath this sonnet she
continued. "a drawing.--see,--a heart
pierced by a dagger His heart-my
beauty which twinkleth like a starre!'
Who could resist the joy and glad
ness. the freshness. the youth. the girl
ishness which emnnated from Ursula's
pressed closely round her. giggling like
school children at sight Of the rough.
sentimental device affixed to the love
poem.
The duchess vainly endeavored 20 keep
UP a semblance of sternness, but she
could not meet those laughing eyes. now
dark. now blue. now an ever-changing
gray. alive with irrepressibie misc nief.
yet full of loving tenderness She felt
that her wrath would soon melt In tho
sunshine OF that girlish smile.
Lady Ursula. this is most unseem-
ly" she said as coldly az she could:
how came you by this poem?"
Ursula threw her arms round the
feebly- resisting old dame.
..Husht" she whispered. '.in your dear
old ears. / found II, sweet duchess
beside my. stockings-yhen ! came out
Of my BATH"
"Horror!"
Now, duchess,--dear. sweet. darling.
beautiful duchess. tell me who. think
think you placed II near my stockingsT'
The duchess was almost speechlesss
partly. through genuine horror. but chief
ly because a sweet. fresh face was
pressed closely to her old cheek.
TWAS not the Earl Of Norfolk" con.
tinued Ursula meditatively. She seemed
quite unconscious OF the enormity OF her
offense. and sought the eyes OF her
young friends in confirmation OF these
verses. Nor could it be my Lord OF Over
clyrfe. for he would not know where to
find my stockings
The vanity OF the child" sighed her
grace: think you these great gentlemen
would write verses to a chit of a girl like
your
But her kind eyes. resting with obvious
pride on the dainty figure beside her. be-
lied the severity OF her words.
Yes" replied Ursula decisively. had
ones-not such beautiful verses as these"
Then she went on with her conjectures:
And there's my Lord Of Evertngham,
and the Marquis Of Taunton. and"
Alicia archly. despite the duchess warn
"Alas. nor sighed Ursula. ''for he has
never been allowed to see me-"
BILE protests from the old dowager.
But the young girl was wholly un-
abashed.
But he will see me-before tonight"
The others exchanged significant
glances
''Tonight?'
"Yes,Swhat have I sa'd' Why do you
Because your conduct. child. Is posi-
~ 1s.Ah
But Ursula only hugged the kind. old
soul all the more closely
"Now-now." she coaxed. don't be
angry. darling! There-look! she added:
with mock horror. your COLI u all awry.
With deft fingers she re-arransed the
delicate lace cap over her grace's white
curls.
$50" she said. now you look pretty
again-and your nice, fat cheeks nave
the sweetest Of dimples. Nay; ! VOW; al
for me because you frown on them SOL"
What q madcap!" sighed the duchess.
you won't be angry with meT'' ausried
the girl earnestly.
pranks you have been after.
"Sh! sh! sh! lis deadly secret. Bar
bara, Alicia. come q little closer.
She paused moment. whilst AL tniee
of them crowded round Her Grace OF LIN
coins chair
Then Ursula said solemniy:
"The queen IS In love with my future
husband!' -,
backward in a faint,
"Crsula!" she gasped.
NAY! that's not the secret" continued
Ursula quite unperturbed. for that 10
town talk. and every one at court knows
that she won't let him see me. for fear
he should fall In love with me. And my
Lord Cardinal is furious because he wants
the queen to marry Philip Of Spain. and
he is wishing His Grace of Wessex down
there. where all naughty cardinals co.
but the days are slipping by. darling"
added the young GIRL with just shade
Of seriousness In her eyes All these IN
triguers may fight as much as they lke'
but IL I do not wed His Grace OF Wes-
sex, If he should be inveigied into mar
rying the queen. ] must to the conyent.
My dear father made me swear IL on ms
deathbed. when / was beside myself with
grief. and scarce knew what did. Iners
would trust my child he said TO me;
swear to me. Ursula, that II Wessex
claims you not. that you will never marry
any one else. but spend your days IN
happy singleness In a convent Swear u,
little one He was so Ill. SO dear swore
"The convent is the proper place for
such feather brain as yourself, con.
cluded the duchess with as gruh q Fo'ce
as she could command.
But do not wish to be num-. pro-
tested Urusla, as tears began to gather IN
her eyes, land ] do want to wed Wessex.
who is handsome-and gallant-and Witty
and-and," she added coquettishly, when
he sees mel VOW he'll not let me go TO q
convent either. So"
She leant closer to the kind dowager and
once more whispered confidentially In her
ear.
$50. as the queen is engaged in prayers
for at least half an hour. I've sent nus
grace word by one Of the pages that the
Duchess Of Lincoln desired his presence
In this chamber-here!"
But this was really past bearing.
"I?" exclaimed the duchess In horror.
his presence? Merciful heavens!
what will his grace think?'
Once more Ursula, like the veritabIe
child that she was, was dancing like mad
round the room, now alone, clapping her
tiny hands together. then seizing one or
her companions by the waist. she whir!ed
with her, round and round, until she fell
back breathless against the duchess
chair And all the while her tongue went
prattling on, now talking at top speed.
anon singing out the words in the mad
ness of her glee.
And he is coming. dear duchess" she
said. Hell attend upon her grace at
once! these were his words to that pet OF
Now she paused. kneeling beside her
old friend, putting c0axing arms round the
bulky figure of the kind soul.
But don't tell him my name all at once.
duchess, darling" she whispered en-
treatingly; "let him fall in love with mo
without knowing that am his affianced
bride-for that might prejudice him