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lp _*?. .. V ' ,: ? IN THE TOWN OF UNION ^ p-^ 1 |W" -" - m < * ?* ' fM ? ar-p-^ -p- ?pa ap -p?^ r-sj OUTSIDE OF THE CITY It/ve Cotton Mills, one KnUth'f} I C8erk o? Oo?rt ^ -j ^ I ^ B. ^LL I I I I M IM I I L 1 Thrcj Cotton Mills, one Knitting Jmi MdOye plaut, one UllMiU, ? ?_ Ml 1 .*i M / Ml Mill, another building, Gold M IntE$ig^sSE??'VSi I II lii | 1 I If I | vl Til t ?* ,T? ma"al Sprin?Otaded Schools, Water Works and | II I J | J | | 1 v | H VI I 4 L /* Taxable value in and out of town Mlectric Ugbts, Population 7,000, -?- ? ^ ^^ $5,000,000. '?* VOL. ill I. NO 21). UNION, SOUTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, JULY 17. 1903. 8,41 nn 4 v,:"n '1 " 1 ti??f ???fr3H0NMH8 I WHEN KNI I WAS IN Or, Tie Lore Story of Charles Brsndoi i Ty Happening In the Reign of His Au, ! if > Rewritten and Rendered Into 1 . CtLjkodcrv B* EDWIN CASKODE Tflp Copi/rft/ht, 1898 auil 1901, l>u I -J####**##*##* CIIA PTE It III. j' THE rniXCESS 1IAHV. fljjlOW. nt tlint tlmo, A^nry. the I 1^1 J king's sister, wns Just ripen MMMH ins into her greatest worannViill lj perfection. Iler skin was like velvet, n rleli, clear, rosy snow, with the hot young; blood glowing through it like the faint rod tinge wo sometimes see on the inner side of n white rose leaf. Her hair was a very light brown, almost golden, and fluffy, soft nnd One as a skein of Arras silk. Uhc was of mcdinni height, with a figore that Venus might have envied. Her feet and hands were small and apparently . made for the solo purpose of drivlug mankind distrnctcd. In fact, that seemed to be the paramount object In her creation, for slio had the world of men at her feet. Iler greatest beauty was her glowing dark brown eyes, which shone with an ever changing luster from beneath the shade of the longest, blackest upcurvlng lashes ever seen. Her voice was soft nnd full nnd, except when angry, which, alas, was not i Infrequent, had a low and coaxing little note that made it irresistible. She was a most adroit coaxer and knew her power full well, although she did not always plead, having the Tudor ?vt?f|rvt auu mils IV LUIUUiUUU? .when she could. As before hinted, she bad coaxed, her royal brother out of event 1 proposed mnrringes for ber .which -ftould bnvo been greatly to his advantage, and If you had only known Henry Tudor, with his vnln, boisterous, stubborn violence, you could form i some Iden of Mary's powers by that achievement alone. Sueli was the roynl maid to whose tender mercies, I now tell you frankly, my friend Brandon was soon to be turned over. He, however, was a 1 |blade of very different temper from any she had known, and when I first saw sign*'of a growing Intimacy be- 1 tween tliem I felt, from what little I , had seen of Brandon, that the tables . were very likely to lie turned upon hoy j ladyship. Then thought I, "God help | her," for in a nature like hers, charged with' latent force, strong nnd hot and fiery as the sun's stored rays, it needed but n flnHli to make It patent when damage was sure to follow for somebody?probably Brandon. Mary did not come home with us from Westminster the ' morning nfter the joust lugs, as we had expected, but followed some four or five days Inter, and Brandon had fairly settled himself at court before her arrival. As neither bis duties nor mine were onerous, wo bail a great ileal or time on our nanus, which we employed walking nml l-Idhig or sitting In our common room rending and talking. Of course, as with most young men, that very attractive branch of natural history, woman, was a favorite topic, nnil we accordingly discussed it a great deal?that Is, to tell the e:;?et truth, I did. Although Brandon had seen many an adventure during his life on the continent which would not do to write down here, he was us little of a boaster as any man 1 ever met, and, while I am In the truth telling business, I was as great a braggart of my inches -1 ?- 4?.~ IIma nn CVIT urr^ 1UU lUii^uu^?in III.U nur, I menu. Oods, I flush up liot oven now when I think of It! -So I talked a Brent deal and found myself infinitely pleased with Brandon's conversational powers, which were rare, being no less than the capacity for saying nothing and listening tyolitely to nn infinite deal of the same tiling. In another form, from me. I remember tlint I told him I had known the Princess Mary from n tlmo when site was twelve years old, and how I bad made a fool of inysolf about her. I fear I tried to convoy the Impression that it was her^exaltod rank only which made her look unfavorably upon my passion and suppressed the , fact Hint she had laughed at inc good humorcdly and put ine off as she would have tlirust a poodle from her lap. The truth is she had always been kind and courteous to tnc and had admitted mc 1 to a degree of intimacy much greater than I deserved. This, partly at least, grew out of the fact that I helped her long the thorny patli to knowledge, a road she truvcled at un eager gallop, for she dearly loved to leprp?from curiosity perhaps. I am sure she held me in iter light, , jfcutle hearl an u aonr friend; hut, wluic ~%er henrt was Qlled with this mild ^vnnnth for me, tnlfie began to burn with the flame tl>nt discolors everything, nnd I saw her friendliness in a very distorting light. She was much kinder to mc than to most men, but I did not see that It was by reason of my .Absolute harmlessncss, nnd, I suppose," dy-enuM! I was a vain fool I gradually Began to gather hope?which goes with IGHTHOOD ? FLOWER | i ?nd MtryThdor, the King's Sister, and gust Majesty King Henry tbe Eighth iodern Engliih From Sir Edwin j, 'a Memoir y ;N [CHARLES MAJOR] ? he Un\ctn-2Ic)Till Comport}! S #$##$##?*$*## every vnln man's love?and, what Is more, actually climbed to the very apex of idiocy and declared myself. I well know the luttnitc distance between us; but, like every other man who came within the circle of this charming loadstone, I lost my head and, in short, made a greater fool of myself than I naturally was, which is saying a good deal for that time In my life, God knows! I knew vaguely, but did not fairly realize, how utterly beyond my reach in every way she was until J opened the floodgates of tny passion, as I thought i, ?it.v ui-r sumo nnu try to cncek the coming laugh. Then came n look of offended dignity, followed by a quick, softening glance. "Leave mo one friend, I pray you, Edwin. I value you too highly to lose, and esteem you too much to torment. Do not make of yourself one of those fools who feel, or pretend to feel, I care not which, such preference for me. You cnuuot know in what contempt a wornan holds a man who follows her though she despises him. No man can beg a woman's love; he must command it. Do not join their ranks, but let us be good friends. I will tell you the plain truth. It would be no different were Ave both of the same degree. Even then I could not feel toward you as you think you wish, but I can be your friend and will promise to be that always if you will promise never again to sppak of this to me." I liroipised solemnly and have always kept my AA'ord, as this true, anicioua woman, so full of faults and beauties, virtues and fulliugs, has ever since that day and moment kept hers. It seemed that my love, oy what I supposed avos love, left my heart at once, frozen in the cold glint of her eyes as she smiled upon my lirst uvoAval, somcAvhat as disonse may leaAo the sickened body upon a great shock. And in its place came the restful flame of a friend's love, which so softly warms without burning. But the burning! There is nothing in life worth having comp.T*ed with It fov all its pains and agonies. Ik there? "Now, if you must love somebody," continued the princess, "there Is Lady Jane Bollngbroke, who is beautiful and good and admires you and, I think, could learn to"? But here the lady In question ran out from behind the draperies, where, I belic.ve, she had been listening to it all, and put her hand over her mistress* mouth to silence her. "Don't believe one word she says, Sir Edwin," cried Lady Jane. '"If you do, T never will like you." The emphasis on the "will" held out sueli Involuntary promise in case I did not believe the princess that I at once protested total want of faith In a single syllable she had said about "her and vowed that I knew it could not he true; that 1 dared not hope for such happiness. You see, I had begun to make love to Jane almost before I was off my knees to Mary, and therefore I had not been pinch hurt in Mary's case. I had suffered merely a touch of the general epidemic, not the lingering, chronic disease that kills. Then I knew that the best cure for the sting which lies in a luckless love is to love elsewhere, and Jane, as she stood there, so petite, so blushing and so fair, struck me as quite the most pleasing antidote I could jiossibly Und, on T <> ...in., self the delightful counter Irritant. It wih u happy thought for me, one of those which come to u itiuu now and then nnd for which lie thanks his wit# in every hour of his after life. But the winning of Jane was not so easy a matter as my vanity lind prompted mo to think. I started with a handicap, since Jane had heard my declaration to Mary, and I had to undo all that before I could do anything else. Try the same thing yourself with a spirited girl, naturally laughter loving nnd coy, if you think It a simple easy undertaking. I began to fear 1 should need another antidote long be fore 1 hoard her sweet soul-sntlsfyinf "yes." 1 do not believe, however, 1 could have found in the whole work an antidote to my love for Jane. In the course of my talk with Bran don I had, as I have said, told him tlx story of Mary, with some slight vnria tions and coloring, or, rather, discolor ing, to make it appear n little less t< my discredit than tlic barefaced trutl would have been. I told bim also abou Jane, and,-I grieve and blush to say expressed a confidence In that direc tfon I little felt. It had boon perhaps n year since inj adventure with Mary, liml I had tnkei nil that time trying to convince Jam that I did not menu a word I had saW to her mistress and that I was Verj earnest In everything I said to her " I .1 , Hut Jane's ears would bnve heard Just ' as mucli liml they, been the pair of . . beautiful little shells they so much re- I , acinblod. This troubled me a greut deal, and the best I could hope was tluit she held me on probation. Ou the evening of the day Mary cauie houie to Greenwich, lirnmlon asked: "Who and what on earth Is this wonderful Mary 1 hear so much about? They say she Is coming home today, -nud the court seems to have A(ne mad about it. I hear nothing but 'Mary , Is coming! Mary Is coming! Mary! Mary!' from morning until night.* They say Buckingham is heside hlmselX^for love of her. lie has a wife at home, If I am right, and is old enough to be her father.. Is he not?" I nssented, and Brandon continued: "A man who will make such a fool of himself about "a woman is woefully weak. The men of the court must he poor creatures." lie had much to learn about the power of womanhood. There Is nothing on earth?but you know as much about it as I do. "Wait until you see her," I answered, "and you will be one of them also. I flatter you by giving you one hour with her to be lieels over bend in love. With an ordinary man it takes ohe-slxtletli of that time. So you see I pay a eoinplliuout to your strength of mind." "Nonsense!" broke in Brandon. "Do you think I loft all my wits down in Suffolk? Why. man, she is the sister of the king and is sought by kings and emperors. I might as well fall in love with a twinkling star. Then, besides, my heart is not on my sleeve. You must think me a fool?a poor, enervated. simpering fool like?like?well, like one of those nobles of ICuglund. Don't | put me down wltb them, Caskoden, If I von twAiilil f ??i ?? ??v/?i *?vuiu ciiiuiu iuj ineiiu. " We both la nulled at this sort of tnlk, which was a little in advance of the time for a noble, though an Idiot to the most of England was a noble still, CJod created and to be adored. Now, when Mary returned the whole court rejoiced, and I was anxious for Brandon to meet her and that they should became friends. There would be no trouble in bringing this meeting about, since, as you know, i wn? .ifll'Uis of intimate friendship with Mary and was the avowed and, as I thought, at least hoped, all but accepted lover of l;er first i.. ... -n ,, . ? dearest friend, Lady Jane Bolingbroke. Brandon, it is true, was not noble, not even an English knight, while I was both knighted and noble, but'he was of as old a family as England boasted and near of kin to some of tlic best blood of tlie land. The meeting came about sooner than I expected and was very near a failure. It was 011 the second morning after Mary's arrival at (Jrcenwicb. Brandon and I were walking in the palace park when we met Jane, and I took the opportunity to make these, niy two best loved friends acquainted. "How do you do. Master Brandon?" said Lady Jane, holding out her plump little hand, so white and soft and dear to me. "I have heard something of you the last day or so from Sir Edwin, hut had begun to fear lie was not going to give me the pleasure of knowing you.* I hope I may see you often now and that I may present you to my- uiistress.*' With this her eyes, bright as overgrown dewdrops, twinkled with a mischievous little .smile, as if to say, "Ah, another large handsome fellow to make a fool of himself." Brandon acquiesced it) the wish she bad imide. ami :ifter the tnterelinniro of a few words Juno said her mistress was waiting at the other side of the grounds and that she must go. She then ran off with a laugh and a courtesy and was soon lost to sight behind the shrubbery at the turning of the walk. In a short time we came to a summer house near the marble boat landing, where we found the queen and some of her ladies awaiting the rest of their party for a trip down the river which had been planned the day before. Urn lido 11 was known to the queen and several of the ladies, although he had not been formally presented at an audience. Many of the king's friends enJoyed a considerable Intimacy with the whole court without ever receiving the public stamp of recognition socially wldeh goes with n formal presentation. The queen, seeing us, sent me off to bring tiro king. After I had gone she asked If any one had seen the Princess Mary, and Brandon told her Lady .lane had said she was at the other side of | the grounds. Thereupon her-majesty ' asked Brandon to llnd the princess and ' | to say that she was wanted. ? | Brandon started off ami soon found a bevy of girls sitting on some benches ' under a spreading oak, weaving spring I tlowers. He had never seen the princess, so could not positively know her, * As a matter of fact he did know her as soon as his eyes rested on her, for she could not he mistaken among a thou* sand. There was no one like licr or anyj thing near it. Homo stubborn spirit of opposition, however, prompted him to ? pretend ignorance. All that ho had heard of her wonderful power over ' men and the servile manner in which 1 they fell before her hlfd aroused in 1 him a spirit of antagonism and had begotten a kind of distaste beforehand. Ilo w?h wroiifj In tlila, boonnse Mary | was not n coquette in any nense of the word and did absolutely nothlnc to at* tract men except to l?c so beautiful, sweet and. jrtiuiing that they could not let her niqafctv for all of which surely the prince of fault lliulers himself i-ould In no way blame her. Slie could not help that God had seen lit to muKo her the fairest being on earth, and" the responsibility would have to lie where It lielongod?with God. Mary would have none of it. Her attractiveness was not a matter of rolUlot) ok Intention on her part. She was too jfhung for deliberate snare setting, tfcmitli it often begins very early In life, and made no efTort to attract men. plan's love was too cheap n thing for her to strlve./or, and I am sure in her heart she would Infinitely have preferred to live without It?that is, until the jrlglit one should come. The right one is always on his way and, lirst or last, is sure to come to every woman?sometimes, alas, too late?and when he comes, be it late or early, she Crowns him, even though he be a long tared ass. Blessed crown, and thrice blessed blindness?else tliere were fewer coronations. So Brandon (stirred this antagonism and determine^ not to see lier manifold perfections, which lie felt sure were exaggerated, but to treat her as lie would the queen, who was black and leathery enough to frighten a satyr, with all respect duo to her rank, but with his own opinion of her nevertheless safely stored away in the back of his head. Coining up to the group, Brandon took off his hat mid, with a graceful , little bow that let the curls fall arouud I Ills face, asked. "Have 1 the honor to find the Prinopss Mary among these Indies*/" v * Mary, who r know you will at once say was thoroughly spoiled, without turning her faee toward him replied: "Is the Prim-ess Mary a person of so little consequence about the court that she is not known to a mighty captain of Ihc guard?" lie wore bis guardsman's doublet, and she knew his rank by his uniform. She had not noticed his face. <iui<-'k as a flash came the answer: "I cannot say of what consequence the Princess "STary is ul>out the court. It is not my place *<^letcrmlne such mathem t0cll$S** ?,ot she would lnmT prvetr a gentler answer to a message from the queen. I shall continue my search." With this lie turned to leave, and the ladles, Including Jane, who i was there and saw it all and told nie ] of it, nwaited tlie bolt they knew would coino, for tliey saw the lightning gathering in Mary's eyes. Mary sprang to her foot with an angry llusli in her face, exclaiming: "Insolent fellow, I am the Princess Mary. If you have a message, deliver It and be gone." You may be sure this sort of treatment was such as the cool headed, during Brandon would repay with usury; so, turning upon his lieel and almost presenting his hack to Mary, he spoke to Lady Jane: "Will your ladyship say to her highness that her majesty the queen awaits her coming at the marble landing?" "No need to repeat the message, Jane," cried Mary. "I have ears and can hear for myself." Then, turning to Braudon, "If your Insolence will permit you to receive a message from so insignificant a person as the king's sister, I lwg you to say to the queen that I shall lie with her presently." He did not turn his face toward f\ but bowed again to Jane. "May I ask your ladyship further to say for me that If I have been guilty of any discourtesy I greatly regret It. My failure to recognise the Princess Marv grew out of my misfortune iu never having been allowed to bask In the light of her countenance. I cannot believe the fault lies at my door, and I hope for her own sake that her highness on second thought will realize how ungentle and unkind some our else has been." And with a sweeping courtesy he walked quickly down the path. "The insolent wretch!" cried one. "He ought to hold papers on the pillory," said another. "Nothing of the sort," broke In sensible, fearless little Jane. "I think the I.ady Mary was wrong. lie could not have known her by Inspiration." "June Is right," exclaimed Mary, whose temper, If short, was also short lived and whose kindly heart always set her right if she but gave-It a little time. Her faults were rather those of education than of nature. "Jane Is right. It was what I deserved. I did not think when I spoke and did not really mean It as It sounded. He acted like a man and looked like one, too, when he defended himself. I warrant tlio pope at Koine eon Id not run over liiiu with Impunity. For onro I have found a ran I live man, full of manliness. 1 saw hint In tho lists at Windsor a week ajto, hut the klnj; said his name was a secret. and I could not learn it. Ho seemed to know you, Jane. Who is he? Now tell us all you know. The queen can wait." And her majesty waited on a rIiTb curiosity. I had told Jane all I knew about Brandon, so she was prepared with full information ami gave it. She told the princess who he was,, of ids terrible duel with Judsou, his bravery and adventures in the wars, Ids Reneroua frlft to Ids brother and sisters, and, lastly, "Sir Kdwln says he is the best reud man lit tbe^ourt and the bravest. I I truest heart in Christendom." After Jane's account of Brandon they nil started by n rouudahout way for the liinrhle landing. In a few moments whom did they see coming toward them down the path hut Brandon, who hud delivered his message and continued his walk. When he saw whom he was about to meet, lie quickly turned in another direction. . The Lady Mary had seen him. however, and told Jane to run forward and bring him to her. Site soon overtook him and said: I i "Master Brandon, the princes* wishes to see you." then maliciously: i , "You will suffer tills time. 1 assure you she is not used to such treatment, j It was glorious, though, to see you re- j sent such an affront. Men usually j smirk and smile foolishly and thank Inr when she smites them." Brandon was disinclined to return, j "I am not in her highness' com- ; ma ltd," he answered, "and do not care to go hack for a reprimand when 1 am In no way to blame." "Oh, but you must come. Perhaps she will not scold this time." And she put her hand upon his arm and laugh- j llfjily drew him a loin? course 11:i< 1 to submit when 1< <1 by so sweet a captor?anybody would. So ! fres'it and fair and lovable was Jane that I am sure anything masculine must have given way. Coming up to the princess and her ladhs, who were waiting, Jane said, "j'.ady Mary, let me present Master r?randon, who. It ho Uivh ufl'cmled in any way, humltly sites for pardon." That was the one thing Hrandon had no notion on earth of doing, hut he let it go as Jane had put it. and this was his reward: 'It is not Master Hrandoit who should sue for pardon." responded the i princess. "It is I who was wrong. I t hlnsh for what I did and said, l'orgive j me. sir. and let us start anew." At this . she stepped up to Itrandon and offered him her hand, which he. dropping to his knee, kissed most gallantly. "Your highness, yon can well afford to offend when you have jo sweet and gracious a talent for making amends. | 'A wrong acknowledged,'' as soitlo one "Four hiyhncxs, you ran will afford to othud." has said, 'becomes an obligation."' lie looked straight into tin- girl's eyes as be said this, and his gaze was altogether too strong for her, so the lashes fell. She Unshed and said, with a smile that brought the dimples: "I thank you. That is a real compliment." Then laughingly: "Much better than extravagant comments on one's skin and eyes and hair. We are going to the queen at the marble landing. Will you walk with us. sir':" And they strolled away together, while the other girls followed in a whispering, laughing group. Was there ever so glorious a calm after sueli a storm? "Then those mythological compliments," continued Mary. "Don't you dislike them':"' "I can't say that I have ever tevolved tinny, none that I recall," replied Itraudon, with a perfectly straight face, hut with a smile trvimr its host to break out. "Oil. you lmvo not? Well, how would you like to have somebody always tailing you that Apollo was humpbacked niul misshapen compared with you; that Endyiuion would have covered his face had he but seen yours, and so on?" "I don't know, but I think I should like it from some persons," ho replied, looking ever so innocent. This savored of familiarity after so brief an acquaintance and caused the princess to glance tip in slight surprise, hut only for the instant, for his innocent look disarmed her. "I have a mind to see," she returned, laughing and throwing her head back as she looked up at him out of the corner of her lustrous eyes. "Rut I will j pay you a better compliment. I posi: tively thank you for the rebuke. I do many things like that, for which I am always-sorry. Oh, you don't know how ditlicult it Is to be a good princess!" t And she shook her head with a gather| ing of little trouble wrinkles in her . i t?n in nil, 11111 * it iin iw | A. ill 11' UO getting away from It, though." Then ' alio breathed a soft little sigh of trlbuj lation As they walked on. "I know it inapt be a task to be Rood when everybo<ly tlattei"H even oue'a shortcomings," said ltrundou and then n I FiAH. I continued in n way tlmt, I am free to confess, was something priggish: "It is almost impossible for us to see our own faults even when others are kind enough to point tltem out, for they are right ugly tilings and unpleasant to look upon. Hut, lacking those outside monitors, o:<> must all the more cultivate the habit of constant inlooking and self examination. If we are only bravo enough to confront our Aiults and look tliem in the face, ugly as they arc, we shall lie sure to overcome the worst of them. A striving toward good will achieve at least a part of it." "Oli!" returned the princess. "But what is good and what is wrong? So often we cannot tell them apart until wo look hack at what wo have done, and then it is all too late. I truly wish to he good more than I desire anything else in the world. I am so ignorant and helpless and have such strong inclinations to do wrong that sometimes I seeiu to he almost all wrong. The priests say so much, hut tell us so little. 'PI * -- 11117 liiui jiuniu m. retor and St. l'ntil and a host of other saints and lioly fathers and what nuts, hut fail to toll us what wo need every moment of our lives; that is, how to know the right when we see it, and how to do It; niul how to l.now the wrong and how to avoid it. Th".v ask us to holiove so inueh and insist that faith Is the sum of virtu - a ml the l.jok of it the sum of sin. tlsat to faith all thdfcgs are added, hut we might holiove every syllable of their whole disturbing ereed and then spoil it all through blind ignorance of what is right and what is wrong." "As to knowing right and wrong," replied llriuidon, "l think I can give you a rule which, although It may not cover the whole ground. Is excellent for everyday use. It is (Ids. Whatever makes others unhappy is wrong, whatever makes the world happier is good. A t-> how we are always to do this I cant,"! tell you. One has to learn that by trying. We can hut try, and if we fr.il altogether there is still virtue in every futile effort toward the right." Mary bent her head as she walked along in thought. "What you have said is the only apptoach to a rule for knowing and doing the right 1 have ever hoard- x??* ill.l "11* u 111 \\\f it\t in- niiu in i*? ? 1110 tod strong. If always does Itself l>eforo 1 ran apply any rule or cvon realise wliat is coming." Ami again alio shook her head, with a bewitching llttlo look of trouble. 'Pardon lue, your highness, but there is no bad in you. It has been put on you by others and is all on the outside. There is none of it in your heart at all. That evil which you think conies out of you simply falls from you. Your heart is all right or I have greatly misjudged you." lie was treating her almost as if she were a child. I fear. Master Itrandou. you are the most adroit (latterer of all," said Mary, shaking her head and looking up at him with a side glance. "People have deluged uie with all kinds of (lattery? I have different sorts listed and labeled ?but no one has ever gone to the extravagant length of calling me good. Perhaps they think I do not care for that, but I like it best. I don't like the others at all. If I am beautiful or not, it is as <5od made me, and I have 110th ing to ilo with it ami desire no credit, Init if I could only be good it might be my own doing perhaps, and I ought to have praise. I wonder if there is really and truly any good in me and if you have read me aright." Then, looking up at him with a touch of consternation, "Or are you laughing at me?" Brandon wisely let the last suggestion pass unnoticed. "I am sure that I am right. You have glorious capacities for good, but, alas, corresponding possibilities for evil. It will eventually all depend upon the man you marry, lie can make out of you a perfect woman or the reverse." Again there was the surprised expression in Mary's face, but llraiulon's sert- ' ous look disarmed her. "1 fear you are right, as to the reverse at any rate, and the worst of it is I shall never be able to choose a man to help me, but shall sooner or later be compelled to marry the creature who will pay the greatest price." "(Sod forbid!" said Brandon reverently. ^ They were growing rather serious, so Mary turned the conversation again into the laughing mood and said, with a half sigh: "Oh, I hope you are right about the possibilities for good, but you do not know. Wait until you have seen more of me." "I certainly hope I shall not have j long to wait."' The surprised eyes again glanced quickly up to tho serious face, but the answer on me: "That you shall not. Hut here is the queen, and I suppose we must have the benediction." Hrnndon understood her hint, that the preaching was over, and, taking it for ids dismissal. playfully lifted Ids hands In Indta* tion of the old bishop of Canterbury and murmured the first line of the Ijit!n benediction. Then they both laughed and courtesied, and Hrnndon walked away. ] [TO UK CONTTTtUKD.1 ] Between a babbling friend and a silent foe there is small choice.?As* trim. I ....