The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-28
When Charlie
Came Home
BY ELlNOR MARSH

e"e Nosdi EAcnange, London
masked woman who sold small arti-
eies' such as gloves, laces, neckwear
ana other goods, called by the Britons
haberdashery.
ohe DAY the Marquis Of Lorenton.
VINO since the defeat Of the Cavaliers
mad 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.
ny adherence to King Charles l., and
tue marquis was in sad straits for
hVlng 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 ne saw on her counter Then. with
sigh he turned away, saying:
4 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
cparies, eldest son Of the beheaded
King and legitimate heir to the throne,
is recalled 10 assume his rights as SOW
erelgn Of England"
II see" said the marquis, that you
are royalist Mayhap you are, like
myself, an impoverished noble"
Il am royalist, but l am simply
the masked woman making an honest
living. These gloves would. think.
fit you. Will 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 fin
ished . 'tis a perfect tit. Take them
and pay. as said, when Charlie
comes home"
But the marquis stubbornly refused
to accept credit. especially from com
mOner, for the woman had said, II 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 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 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 sell you this morning."
she said.
Indeed, Mistress Masked Woman
know not your name-l am lOunging
today, and like to come here to see
you sell your wares. ! would that
could give you my custom; but. alas, !
have none to give. The Roundheads
have taken my all"
"Mayhap they have spent 1t for psalm
books"
What they have spent it for l know
not, but this know-it Is hard for me.
who have always had sufficiency, to
get on with nothing"
MAY | sell you the gloves today?
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 Oh 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.
II 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 it.
The marquis was seen no more at the
masked womans stall after that for
some time Then one day he drove
mn I'm his carriage and purchased the
whole stock of the masked woman.
When she congratulated him on com
ing to his own he told her that cousin
had died and left him legacy.
When the marquis drove away he dld
not take the stock with him, though he
left the money for it. That was his
last visit to the masked woman'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 return
ed from France. Then the masked wo-
man disappeared from the exchange.
But the marquis thought OF her by
day and dreamed of her by night. His
estates were restored to him, but be
was not satisfied, because he longed
for her and knew not where to md
her
One evening he drove to fete given
by the king The young dowager
Duchess Of Abergild, whose husband
had fallen in the late war, was pres
ent and approached the marquis.
Have you still the gloves?" she ask
ed archly.
The marquis recognized her voice as
coon as She smoke. Il have" he re