Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1909-12-23

A schoolgirl and mere boy, who
loved her, were once used as pawns
in the merciless game of politics.
They suffered the usual fate Of pawns.
And that fate forms one of the saddest
little love stories in all history.
The girl was Lady Jane Grey, daugh-
ter of the duke of Suffolk. She was
wonderfully we'll educated. but had the
innocent charm and simplicity Of a
child. She was a cousin of England's
boy king, Edward W., son of Henry
VIII. and Jane Seymour. Edward was
a sickly lad; quite under the influence
Of his chief councillor, the duke of
Northumberland. The duke was willy
politician, and sketched out decided
ly clear plan for his own family's ad-
vancement. He bullied Edward into
bequeathing the English crown to
Lady Jane. Then he married Jane to
his own son, Lord Guilford Dudley.
The young couple were very much in
love with each other and were unusu-
ally happy in their brief married life.
But their love and happiness did not
greatly interest Northumberland He
rad other matters to think Of
Soon after making Lady Jane his
heir the boy king pinned away and
died. 1t was whis-
the Crown pered that North
'"e '''0""' cumberland was
more or less responsible for his fatal
illness. At Edwards death the duke
forced the royal council to proclaim
Jane queen of England. This was
rank injustice. For the two daughters
of Henry VIII.-Mary and Elizabeth
were still living. The crown belonged
by right to Mary, the daughter of
Catherine Of Aragon, and elder of the
two half-sisters. Jane realized this
and tried to refuse the unwelcome
honor Of becoming queen. On her
knees she begged to be allowed to re.
main in private life. But Northumber.
land explained away her scruples. He
persuaded her young husband that
Jane was the rightful heir to the
throne; and Dudley added his argu.
ments to the dukes. So it was that
Lady Jane unwilIingly consented to
her husbands plea. She tearfully left
her country home and permitted her
self to he crowned queen. Gentle and
obedient in all things, she thought that
40 ntVHlnxy rn,toh Cd kn knlyn p1V0h q
step it could not be wrong.
On July 10, 1863, the girl began her
reign-a reign that lasted just ten
WYgs. She was Is years old and had
hos knowledge of statecraft. North
cumberland did the actual ruling. Jane
and Dudley were mere figureheads.
While the two lovers played at royal
I ty, the old duke and his council ran af-
fairs to suit themselves. Meantime,
Mary collected a large army and
marched upon London to claim her
rights. Northumberland could raise no
sufficient force to oppose her. He was
captured and executed, leaving Jane
+ and Dudley to bear the consequences
OF his treason. Mary entered IN trl-
umph and was crowned queen o. Eng
land.
Jane was overjoyed at being able to
lay aside the crown and scepter she
hated. She rejoiced at the idea Of re-
firing to her country home with the
young husband she adored, and set
thing down as a quiet rustic matron.
But Mary ~would not allow this. She
felt so insecure upon her new throne
that she dared not leave Lady Jane
and her husband at liberty. So the
girl and Dudley were arrested and cast
into prison. There for months they
remained.
1t is possible that Mary-merciless
as she afterwnrd proved herself to be
might have spared these two inno-