Evening journal., 1910-03-18
THE MASKED
WOMAN
By ALICE 7. sHERwIN
Copyright, 1910. by American Press
Association.

In the Royal Exchange, London, a
masked woman who sold small arti-
cles, such 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 strS1ts for a
living. He stopped at the stall of the
masked woman" as she was unlver-
sally known, and entered into conver-
sation with her. pricing such articles
as he saw on her counter. Then, with
a sigh, he turned away, saying:
II would fain buy of your goods,
mistress, but l 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"
81 see," said the marquis, that you
are a royalist. Mayhap you are, like
myself, an impoverished noble"
II am royalist, but I am simply
the masked woman making an honest
living. These gloves would, think,
fit you. VIII you let me try them on
your handW
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 fin
ished: "'tis a 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,
Il am simply the masked woman"
and he went away.
But there was something in the fig
ure, the voice, the carriage of the
masked woman that appealed TO him
in a way he could not account for.
Wherever he went the maszed 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 it 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 I sell you this morningT
she said.
Indeed, Mistress Masked Woman
Il know not your name-I am loung-
ing today, and like to come here {
see you sell your wares. would that
I could give you my custom; but,
alas. have none to give. The Round
heads have taken my ALL"
''AIayhap they have spent it for
psalm books"
''what they have spent It for I know
not, but this know-it is hard for me,
who have always had a suficiency, to
get on with nothing"
MAY 1 sell you the gloves todayg
"Alas, have no more the where
withal to pay for them than when !
was here before"
The masked woman took up the
gloves the marquis had tried on the
day before and, making them into a
packet, handed them to him..
"Would you give poor woman
pleasure" she asked softly.
Il would not rob poor woman" he
replied. drawing back.
Il ask you to permit me to do yor
this favor"
There was that in her tone which
appealed to him. He took the packef
and kissed the hand that gave It.
The marquis was seen no more al
the masked woman's stall after that
for some time. Then one day ht
drove up in his carriage and pur
chased the whole stock Of the maske,
woman. When she congratulated hin
ON coming 10 his own he told her tha
a cousin had died and left him a leg
acy.
When the marquis drove away h,
did not take the stock with him, thougl
he left the money for it. That wal
his last visit to the masked woman'i
stall, for soon after "Charlie cam'
home" There was great rejoicing
among the Cavaliers that after tn
rule Of the Purltans the rightful kini
had returned from France. Then tn
masked woman disappeared from tn
exchange.
But the marquis thought OF her b.
day and dreamed OF her by night. Hi
estates were restored to him, but h
was not satisfied, because he longei
FOR her and knew not where TO fin
her.
One evening he drove TO a fete give
b by the king. The young dowage
Duchess Of Abergild, whose husban
had fallen in the late war, was pre-:
ent and approached the marquis.
Have you still the gloves| she asl
ed archly.
The marquis recognized her voice a
soon as she spoke. II have" he II
piled, "but have never worn them.
hold them too precious to be used"
The duchess, having been cut o.
from her income during the protects
p rate, had the choice of emigrating I