Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-19
THE MASKED
WOMAN
ey ALICE T. SHERWlN
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association

lnuSkGu NOiliufi wiz SUN s'tss
Giles. snch as gloves. laces. neckwear
and other goods. called by the Britons
haberdashery.
one day the Marquis OF Lorenton.
who since the defeat OF the Cavaliers
had kept himself away from London,
passed that way The. estates OF his
father the Duke OF Ethelstone. had
been forfeited on account of the fam
ily's adherence to King Charles l.. and
the marquis was In sad straits Tor
living. He stopped at the stall OF the
MASKED woman" as she was univer-
sally known, and entered into CONVEX
sation with her, pricing such articles
as he saw on her counter. Then. with
a sigh. he turned away. saying:
u would fain buy Of your goods.
mistress, but am without means.
Select what you wish. sir. and pay
when Charlie comes home"
Now, the term when Charlie comes
home" meant In those days when
Charles, eldest son OF the beheaded
King and legitimate heir to the throne.
is recalled to assume his rights as SOW
ereign OF England"
~ see," said the marquis, that you
are a royalist. Mayhap you are. Ike
myself, an Impoverished noble"
81 am q royalist but ] am simply
the masked woman making an honest
living. These gloves would. think.
ft you. VIII you let me try them on
your hand?"
The marquis permitted her to try
the gloves on him. but not with the ex-
pectation of buying them. He liked
to feel her fingers on his own.
There" she said when she had I'm
ished: - tits perfect fit. Take them
and pay. as | said. when Charlie
comes home
But the marquis stubbornly refused
to accept credit. especially from a
commoner, for the woman had said,
II am simply the masked woman,
and he went away.
But there was something In the fg-
ure. the voice. the carriage OF the
masked woman that appealed TO him
In a way he could not account Tor.
Wherever he went the masked woman
In fancy went with him. Waking or
sleeping, he saw her moving about In
her little booth and heard the sweet
sounds Of her voice.
So 1t was not long before he again
found himself at her counter pretend
ing that he came to look over her
goods. though In reality he came to
get another glimpse Of her.
What can l sell you this morning.
she said.
Indeed. Mistress Masked Woman
i know not your name-I am loung-
ing today. and like to come here to
see you sell your wares. l would that
could give you my custom; but,
alas, / hove none to give. The Round
heads have taken my ALL"
"Mayhap they have spent II for
psalm books"
what they have spent It for ] know
not, but this know-it Is hard for me,
who have always Had suficiency, to
get on with nothing"
May | sell you the gloves today
ALAS, have no. more the where
withal to pay for them than when 1
was here before" --
The masked woman took up the
gloves the marquis had tried on the
day before and. making them into q
packet. handed them to him.
Would you give poor woman
pleasure;" she asked softly
II would not rob poor woman" he
replied, drawing back.
Il ask you to permit me to do you
this favor"
There was that In her tone which
appealed to him. He took the packet
and kissed the hand that gave IL.
The marquis was seen no more at
the masked woman's stall after that
for some time. Then one day be
drove up in his carriage and pur-
chased the whole stock Of the masked
woman. when she congratulated him
on coming % his own be told her that
a cousin had died and left him leg
acy.
When the marquis drove away he
did not take the stock with him. though
he left the money for II. That vas
his last visit TO the masked wRnan's
stall. for soon after Charlie came
home" There was great rejoicing
among the Cavaliers that after the
rule Of the Puritans the rightful king
had returned from France Then the
masked woman disappeared from the
exchange
But the marquis thought OF her by
day and dreamed 90 her by night. HIS
estates were restored TO him. bat be
was not satisfied. because he ioneel
for her ard knew not where 10 aDd
her.
One evening he drove to a. fete given
by the king. The young douager
Duchess Of AberglId. whose husband
had fallen In the late war. was pres
eut and approached the marquis.