Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1910 — A BRIEF COURTSHIP. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A BRIEF COURTSHIP.

it is Said to Be the Shortest That Ever Occurred in England.

By ANTOINETTE PERKINS.

[Copyright. ISIO, by American Press Association.] Tbe case of Mary Aikenside, an English lass of fifteen who lived in the sixteenth century, is a strange, condensed love story. Mary was at this susceptible age when the Roundheads and Cavaliers were fighting for supremacy in England. Her father. Sir Thomas Aikenside. was a country gentleman living on his estate in the county of Essex. He took no part in the struggle, having been educated to respect kingly authority, but not approving the course of Charles I. One evening a party of Cavaliers consisting of 150 horsemen, moving from one position to another, stopped at the Aikenside estate and. finding plenty of water convenient, decided to bivouac there for the night. They were the first soldiers that Mary Aikenside had ever seen.’ She kept' her great eyes fixed on them in wonder. To her they appeared as the first Span ish warriors who visited America appeared to the untutored savage. The men made their campfires in the grounds surrounding the house, but Sir Thomas invited the officers to occupy vhateveij spare beds he possessed. This offer they declined, but consented to sleep in the capacious wainscoted hall, lighted by logs burning in the great fireplace. Among these officers was young Egbert Booth, the son of a British peer. Young Booth was but eigbteeu years old and held tbe lowest commissioned rank. His portrait, painted at that time v hangs today in the gallery of his descendant, the Earl of Deervale. It is in the dress of that period, the breastplate and the long curls banging over it in negligent profusion being especially conspicuous. The face is a marvel of beauty—not a sign of a beard, large black eyes, bespeaking a noble spirit within; exquisitely cut lips, the whole inclosed within that perfect oval only to be found in yonth. Mary Aikenside saw Egbert Booth, bat be did not see her. A new and to her unintelligible sensation came pouring in upon her. She had never before been swayed by even tbe slightest zephyr of such an emotion. Yet now

it swayed her soul, tier tranquil past with its affections was .dwarfed by this new life that had suddenly sprung up within her. The youth she saw from, her lattice carelessly walking among tbe campfires .bad iu an instant become to her a matter of, life and death. The next morning w"beu Mary looked out upon the yard below her window she saw nothing of the soldiers. A number of smoldering campfires was sli that remained to tell that they had been there. In imagination Mary saw the lithe figure of Egbert Booth, booted and spurred, his left band Incased In a gauntlet resting on tbe hilt of his sword*. While the family were at breakfast shots were heard in tbe distance. ‘They have met a band of Roundheads.” said Sir Thomas, “who are disputing their passage.” ■■■■‘.'J, Mary turned white as the breakfast cloth. For several hours there was firing, with an occasional sbont or a cry, the sounds gradually coming nearer. “Our friends are being driven,” remarked Sir Thomas, who stood on his porch listening. Mary, who stood by him, gave s smothered gasp. Then down the road poured the Cavaliers, the Roundheads pursuing them. The sounds receded and wpre at last lost in the distance. Sir Thomas mounted bis horse to g« and see if •be could find any of the wounded that he might succor. He was gone an hour, but returned' alone. The family gathered round him to bear what he had to say. ‘The Roundheads,” he said, “have stopped not a mile from here. They are very bitter against their enemies. They say that jdnring the fight the Cavaliers dispatched a number of the parliament men who had been wounded and who called tor quarter. Tka

Roundheads have taken a dozen prisoners. They are iutending to shoot a portion of them in reprisal for the dispatching of their wounded (.-omrades.” “Father." said Mary in an agony, “did you see the prisoners?” “I did, my/darling.” “Was there one among them a very young man, straight, tall and slender?” “I saw such a due. tbe only youth among them. Mary, what means this agitation? What is this boy Have you seen hiln before?” But Mary had no vok-e to reply. Thinking her ill. her father laid her on a lounge and went for a restorative. Mary lay for awhile in what those about her considered a stupor. It was no stupor; she was keenly alive. But it suited her purpose to avoid being questioned. The day faded, and when the candles were lighted she arose from her couch and. telling her parents that she had recovered, with a firm step went upstairs to her chamber. At midnight, when all were asleep. Mary went to the room of her brother and without awakening him took a suit of his clot (it's from a closet. Half an hour later, dressed as a youth, her hair curled to fall over a broad lace collar and with plumed hat, site left the house and under the starlight hastened down the road. Near daylight she reached tbe camp of the parliament troop and, crawling inside the lines, lay herself down near the prisoners. When the sun came up the cnptaiu of the guard counted the group of Cavaliers who had been intrusted to his care the evening before and was surprised to find one more than should be. He reported the circumstance to the commander of the force, who merely snapped back : “Well, make it five in thirteen." As soon as the command had break fasted the prisoners were unarched out into a field near by. Thirteen bits of paper were put in a helmet, seven ‘blanks and five marked with a skull and bones " Then from a hat all were required to draw a tiumlier. The prisoners were then draw from the helmet in order of the numbers they had drawn from the hat. Those drawing skulls and bones were to be shot. Mary Aikenside stepped up to the hat to draw her number. The officer in charge saw her and said: “What are you doiug here? You are nothing but a child.” “I’m here with the rest.” replied the girl." The officer was about to order her to stand aside when he recalled his commander's words. “Make it five in thirteen." He suffered her to draw a number, and she drew No. 4. Then began the drawing from the helmet. No. 3 was tbe first man to draw a skull and bones. His knees gave way beneath him as he tottered back from the helmet. Mary’s turn came next. “I protest against that boy's drawing!” exclaimed young Egbert Booth. The commander paid no attention to him, and Mary dr?w. Her paper wn* a blank. r While the drawing wag going on Mary stepped up beside Egbert Booth and slipped her blank paper in his hand. He looked at her. then at the paper, and handed It back to her. She gave him a look of innte appeal, bat It did not move him. He was nnwllling to stand ou any other basis than that of his comrades. Mary's object had failed. She sank back out of sight to hide her distress. When Booth went up to the helmet to draw she watched him with eager eyes. He drew, turned and held up the paper to the .boy who bad befriended him. It was a blank. Mary fell in a faint

The prisoners who bad drawn death heads were placed in a line and a party of muskeeters were about to fire upon them when a shout was beard In an adjoining wood, and a band of Cavaliers came charging over the field. The Roundheads, surprised and outnumbered. took |o flight. The “skull and bones” men clung together In an embrace. Then Egbert Booth turned to Mary. “Whence come you. boy?” be asked in a kindly voice. Tm Sir Thomas Afkeuslde’s son.” "Indeed! You are none of ours.” “No. 1 caine here”— Tbe sentence was never finished. The commanding officer of the Cavaliers rode up and. seeing Mary, asked if the king needed to rob the cradle for recruits. Mary took advantage of tbe remark to tell him that she was a temporary volunteer and desired permission to go to her home. An hour later, having watched the house for an opportunity, she stole inside and up to her room without being discovered. Indeed, the household were out In every direction searching for her. Mary had barely time to assume her own maidenly apparel when they began to return from their fruitless search. Then she heard voices below. “I am beholden, sir. to a son of yours for a great favor. I come to thank him.” “Indeed, sir!” “Yes, he was with us this morning In our camp/’ > T have but one son. and he has not been In your camp.” Mary left her room and went downstairs. Blushing scarlet, she joined the group, among whom was young Egbert Booth. On seeing her he started. “I see my would be preserver” he said, “in a girl’s apparel.” “You see my daughter.” said Sir Thomas, “in her own apparel.” Mary stood with her eyes bent on the ground. “Explain!” safd her father in a severe tone. ' ; Then Mary haltingly told her story. In an hour's time Egbert Booth war betrothed to Mary Aikenside. The courtship is said to have been tbe shortest that ever occurred In merrto England.

SHE REACHED THE CAMP OP THE TROOPS.