The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-03-03

During the protectorate Of oliver
Cromwell there appeared ii one Of the
stalls (or shops, as we would call them
Ia the Royal Exchange, London. a
masked woman who sold small arti.
clos, 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.
lly's adherence to King Charles l., and
the marquis was IN sad straits for a
living. He stopped et 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
4 Sigh. he turned away. saying;
Il would fain buy Of your goods,
mistress, but I 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 70 the throne,
is recalled 70 assume his rights as SOW
ereign Of England"
Il see" said the marquis. "that you
are a royalist. Mayhap you are, like
myself, an impoverished noble"
4 am a royalist but am simply
the masked woman making an honest
living These gloves would. think,
fit you win you let me try them on
your handw
The marquis permitted her 70 try
the gloves on him, but not with the ex.
pectation Of buying them. He liked
to feel her fingers on bis own.
There" she said when she had I'm.
ished; "'tls a perfect st Take them
and pay. as I said. when Charlie
comes bone"
But the marquis stuhbornly refused /
to accept credit. especially from a
commoner, for the woman had said, /
Z am simply the masked woman"
and he went sway
But there was something IN the ig- I
ure. the voice, the carriage Of the /
masked woman that appealed 10 him
In q way be could not account for.
Wherever he went the masked woman
IN fancy went with him. Waking or
sleeping. he saw her moving about in
Der little booth and heard the sweet
sounds Of her voice
So II 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 sell you this morningr
she said.
Indeed. Mistress Masked Woman
II know not your name-I am loung-
ing today. and like to come here to
see you sell your wares would that
I could give you my custom; but
alas, I have none to give The Round
heads have taken my all
Mayhap they have apent II for
psalm books"
What they have spent It for know
not but this knowit Is hard for me,
who have always bad a suficiency, to
get on with nothing"
May I sell you the gloves todayY
"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
lay before and, making them into a
packet handed them to bin.
Would you give a poor woman
1Ieasure7" she asked softly.
Z would not rob poor woman" be
replied. drawing back.
II ask you 70 permit me to DO Won
hia faverr
There was that in Der tone which
TO him. he took the packet
ind kissed the hand that gave il.
The marquis was seen no more at