SKETCHER. A KISS FROM THE QUEEN

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3100, 19 September 1899, Page 6

SKETCHER. A KISS FROM THE QUEEN

' ' ' '' '~'toire : thi»t*ny*«rii , j jrfrC^Qrft^i^v^*' ' -■' -Bdw/WTd ten T {.yeara "» iv^W^lff^te^l 1 ' " : -'-' J ' ; he"* I'httt >p*ob'j j^^rfl 7™' '*k ' : s.aWybeistill molded c *^~ - i ' unaltered ciicunaas f m m fi^^'i^ijiii^^'^oreaße; -- ! 'flbisfshow it Weft :'f wa^ridioisoußlyta»e'n:Ub '^n-^J^r'lce^wt^k m^-fcWsay • /19 ywiriFbf^agl. 't>nW afternooi^cbVrmeaby .tlitf baKums »bd warinth'bf the early «pi»ng lit and pushed forward uudoubtedlj; by,an anltind r^te, Jjbstoqk, ; m;se!f:jt» th* sheltered eUtle^ of , ille rojal park,t)aat;l nught. muae, uadjist^irbed, MneatUtiegioripuiiindea tr«s« whoiw brauo&e« -tfalßtWgotiic-li^e arcnes SO feet abovefcy'heiii; ■'■• 11 sW^'myselFon a miis-cdvered log bytbß" ritar, "wb^r«4t™mdeD : 8 irito 'a miniature lake, /» «d froth whence a fine View of the ptlsos arose in gtey cloodlika : spleodour before me. - The . ptrfumo t pf i^hejonquils at my. feel filled th« air . ° Wit b fragraiice, and, boiog a sensitive jouth, I must' admit tfiat tbe " tout essembie ''went to my bt>ad like Wine, and I felt my heart beat a trifle ' faster' J tbah ita woat, while I ' rather enjoyed the sensation. - ••'• Tbe dip of out, languidly drawn through the water, , aioused, , me , fiom my day dream. I 1 1?» iied forward curiously, woadcriug who, the intruders might be, tvben the sound' ceased n br aptly, ' and in the. stniness a enmmer duck wiili -'purple' throat end bronzed wingrdrifted by o*iling g»atly to its mato. Then tbu dip of oars souuded again, while in tbe gathering dusk I disctrued the prow of a small boat rounding tbe ourye, and, hidden among the bushes I wutcht d the oooupants as they approaoked. \A youHg woman wielded the oara. She was io all t he glory of early youth and beauty. Slim ami sl.opely she looked as she pulled the little craft "with '"'easy strength through the placid t»nUsr, ht r bare arms gleaming like eatin in the wauiug light, Holding my breath I studied tier fine, proud features, the beautiful eyes, the delicate curve of tbe dirino mouth. Pitted with eostßcy tnd rapture, I wanted to fall om my kneos and: pray. It was the queen I I had loved her secretly for a y«ar « more, and it was of h*r that I bad come to dream ia Rolitudo through tbe long soft hours of this Bpriug afternoon, which •eemed, in tooth, an emanation from bar gracious person. In the cterm of the boat sat b*r majesty's pretty little nephew, Prince Louis, lightly holding (ho silken cords of the tiller. Absorbed ia rtv»rie, the queen, with her small bead thrown bxck and her awanlike throat exposed to my adui ing gaze, continued to row iv the gold*n ligUt of tbe setting sun. Was e*er goddess of the sea sa rapturously fair, so ideatly perfect P A Bud<Jt n shrill cry rent the air, awskeaing me from my beatitude, and. to my horror. I gavr tbn little pnnce tip over tbe cranky boat and (all iuto the water, while the queen caught at tie branches of a tree and clung affrightedly tlieieto. la leas time than it tak« to tell I was swimming in the river after tbe child, whom I seized and brought to shore, then I turned the boat over aud started to reecue the queen. I took her lovely form, which had been made for kings alone, into my arms, seated her ia the cr*lt aad rowed to land. She watched me with marvellous wide epeu eyas in terrified 81 1« ucc t until at l«6t, ieeliDg torra-nrma beneath her tiet «uce more, she flew to her nepfiew,who lay almtftt swooning upon the gi«und, and covered his little face with trader kisses. Then, turniug to me, she said, with deep emotion, " You have saved bis life, aad I will give you ia return anything which you may choose t» ask of me." II Anything ?" I echoed hotly, while a thrill quivered through and through u»y frame aad shook me from head to foot Astoouacd at th« suddenness of my reply, her eyos sought sine ia wonder. I kuew not what she read in their depth, but she blushed deeply and lowttred her cyeYids. As I have mentioned before, I was very young at the lime, and although it may not twhove me to 8»y so, I was reckoced ono of the handsomest youtLs at court. Th« Queen knew me well and bad often smiled inQulgeatly upon me whe« bc-r oye by chtuce met mine fixed upon her in Hpet-chless bat must eloqutmt adoratim. As she hesitatingly )ift«d her glorious tjw to mine again I 3»w a sudden B«6h of light pass through them which scut the tot blood tingling thiougb. my veins, and flinging discration ta the winds 1 repeated : *' Anything ? Renlly ? Does not your majesty wish to recall her words ?" She made a negative movement of the head while her colour deepened, &ad 1, idiot that I was, madly euamortd ef her beauty as wnll as of tbe glamour of royalty which hunt' about her like a perfume, begged in almost inaudible accents for " one ki6s— oaly one." " Your youth alone can excuse such pretumpties," she murmured reproachfully, but before the words were out of her mouth I had caught her b*autifalhead in my two Bands and laid my lips o* aerff. 1> that wondrous second I felt the fresh, delicious mouth trrmble and return rather than repulse my caress, but I w»s quickly brought to my senses as the queea pushc ri me hastily aside, and one of the court eb.nmberlains advanced towards us horn an adjacent bypath. All this, and iade«d it was little enough, reached the king's ears in due time, and the queen was brought severely to book tor her i«discretion. She unh»*ilatiagly admitted tho faotti I understand ; but ah, me ! did she ever eouffßß that for one half second wa were accomplice* in that gentle kiss ? Being witheuo fortune aad dependent on my sovereign's gracious bounty, it was but a spaa before I found myself just here, ia this outlandish place, seat as secretary of legation. I am surely buried alive uolesa it may please heaven to gather my amiable master to a better world. There are moments in which I ourse myself for a knave and a dolt, but toward Eastertide eacb year I recc-ire from tbe royal palace a bor of fresh and fragrant jouquils, and thea rapture fills my soul, aad I would uot change plact* with the highest functionary io the land.