Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-01-14
The Advantage of
Royal Blood
By EUNICE BLAKE

the queen who was on the throne of
England when the place was settled,
A natural son of King Charles II. fit
ted out the expedition that made q
village On what was then an uninhab-
tied ocean shore. He came out him.
self, and his progeny now mingled
with that Of the other settlers. The
consequence was that at the middle OF
the nineteenth century every inhabi-
tant of Queen Anne could boast that
he had royal blood in his veins.
Notwithstanding the aristocratic at
mosphere Of the place, nearly all the
men as soon as they became old
enough to strike out for themselves
left for more active regions, leaving
the women behind them. Occasionally
some persons who desired a reStful
place to live would settle in Queen
Anne, but after staying there some
time, finding that none Of the residents
called on them, moved away. The
consequence Of this considerable going
and inconsiderable coming was that, in
time, the village was reduced to sew
eral hundred maiden ladies'. all Of roy
al blood.
One Of those persons who had at
tempted to make a home in Queen
Anne was a lady named Rutledge, from
the state Of Alabama. She was an in
valid, and her physician recommended
her to change her residence to the sea
shore. Her husband was obliged to
make a trip to Europe and left home
the day his wife started for Queen
Anne, he going to New York for the
purpose Of crossing the ocean.
Mrs. Rutledge, who was ladyiike
woman, alone and needing attention
was dismayed to find that, not having
royal blood in her veins like the others,
she was left out in the cold by the
citizens Of Queen Anne. She remained
there, however, till her husband re-
turned to America, then Joined him at
their old home in Alabama, where she
died only a few weeks after their re
union.
One day a gentleman aged forty.
well bred and apparently having plen-
ty Of money, went to Queen Anne, look
ed over the place, expressed himself
pleased with it and gave out that he
intended to settle there. The ladies Of
the place soon learned that the new
conner was a widower. In a place di-
vested of men the matter of royal
blood when an unmarried man was
considered suddenly ceased to be Of
en- of manageable age was in flut-
ter Every maiden dived into old
chests to get out finery that had been
brought from England long before that
she might modernize it and make use
of it to catch the widower.
The stranger had not been in Queen
Anne a week before it was learned
that he was indisposed. Miss Chal-
mondelay, who lived opposite his
house, first became aware of this fact
and FASTENED to send over delicacies.
The news spread down the broad
street on either side of which the vii
lage was built, and everybody, even to
the uttermost end Of the town, sent
broth or jelly or fruit or some other
delicacy to the invalid
Had he consumed all he received he
would have soon died of overeating.
but it is questionable if he ate any Of
it. His servants certainly had such a
feast as never before. The invalid re-
covered and found an accumulation of
cards bearing the names of the donors
of the delicacies that had been sent
him, which filed q stable wicker baS
ket. AS soon as he was able he began
him and did not cease till he had
thanked every one of them in person.
This required time, but when finish
ed the stranger had calling acquaint
ance with every lady in Queen Anne.
Some were very old and some very
young These he favored but once.
Those of manageable age he made
a list of, and there was not a day or
an evening that he did not make as
many calls as the hours would admit
1t was evident to every woman in the
village that he was looking for a wife.
and every unmarried woman was hope
full.
What the stranger said to these la
dies, what hopes he excited in each
heart, never became common property.
though there was a good deal of spec
ulation as to what fortunate spinster
would secure the prize At one time
it would appear after the bee had been
buzzing for awhile on q single flower
that he was about to alight. but the
very next day he would be seen seek
ing honey from different source.
One morning Miss Chalmondelay on
rising looked between the Stats at the
house opposite. The doors and win.
dows were closed. and the premises
seemed deserted. That day each and
every manageable woman received
note, which read as follows:
have decided that since there is no
royal blood in my veins it is not seemly
I should unite with the descendant of q
king