Madera Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Madera, CA)

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PURPLE AND WHITE ai J, @ MLSS AWWNS!

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PURPLE AND WHITE “1 would thy thoughts, Fool,’’ came the laughing reply, “thou gaz- est so moodily into space. Come, wiseacre, break thy silence and let’s hear thy opinion of this matter. Is not the Earl a handsome gentleman, for- 5 sooth?” ‘“‘Aye, he is handsome, Jacqueline. He looks a king, with his stately majestic bearing and, e’en so, he has a winning smile. Me thinks I shall . like him exceedingly well. Aye, he looks a king,” thoughtfully, ‘‘more so than our Richard.”’ “Thou likest not Richard then?’’ came the quick question. “Hush! not so loud; the very windows have ears. But I tell thee what, Jacqueline, our Richard is too cruel and harsh.”’ The girl gazed before her with wide open eyes, ‘Dost think the Earl means peace, Fool? ”’ The Jester shook his head. ‘Thou canst not make me believe that the Earl has come here to arrange for peace. For sooth, Jacqueline, he has as good a claim to the throne of England as Richard has, he has more men than Richard, and they are far better Deve See has been shown by the battle of Towtonfield where they would easily have defeated Richard’s forces, had it not been for the fact that his majesty’s troops used gunpowder, while the Earl had none; had the Earl the secret formula for compounding this gun- powder, he would even now be King of England and Richard an exile! Nay, the Earl means not peace; that is but a pretense; he has some deeper purpose in thus coming to Richard. “And I’ll warrant thou will be the first to help him e’er the chance comest, eh, Fool?” The Fool shook his head, “I like not Richarl over much. But seest thou breathest this to none, Jacqueline,’ in sudden alarm, “else my head shall hang from the gibbet ere morning.” “Thou are my friend, Sir Fool, my tongue knoweth discretion,’ came the grave reply, and before the Jester could make answer the girl was moving away. Soon the Jester, tired of the noisy courtroom, rose also and walked slowly out into the gardens, As he neared a little summer house he heard voices within. Tis Volair and his fair maid,” thought the Fool, ‘They have been so busy cooing that they have not heard of the arrival of the Earl. 1 shalt tell them the news.’ So he sauntered forward and thrusting open the door, entered. “What Love Birds! hast not heard the news? ”’ The words died on the Jester’s lips, for before him stood, not Volair and his fair maid, but Richard and the Earl of Lanchaster. The King’s face was red with anger, ‘“‘Thou fool,’”’ he thundered, ‘I'll have thee hung for this! but no,’”’ in sudden contempt, ‘Thou art but a fool thou. canst do me no harm and are not worth e’en the trouble of hanging. But go thy way and seest thou comest not near me again.” The Fool turned and with white face and clenched hands left the ar- hor. Quickly he crossed into the rose garden and sat down beside a foun- tain—hurt and rebellious in mood. ‘Thou art a fool!—not e’en worth the trouble of a hanging! A fool!—not worth a hanging!’’ The words thun- dered again and again through his angry senses—‘‘a fool—not worth a hang- ing even.” The Jester groaned, ‘‘Bah, | can not stand it! 1 will not! Who is Ee I CD OS IO AEE TG —24a—

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PURPLE AND WHITE he that he should speak thus to me? Because he is a King, is he any the ‘ better than 1?) A fool—not worth a hanging—a fool!” 4 A light hand touched the Jester on his shoulder. He started, then rose quickly, for before him, stood the Earl of Lanchaster. “Thou hast a sullen expression, Fool, I thot that thou wert a Jester,”’ $ “Yea, | am a Jester, but I am also a man,’”’ and the Fool raised his head proudly. The Earl looked at him keenly, “Thou art a man,’’ he answered so- berly, “but Richard does not treat thee as such.” “Nay, he treats me as the dirt beneath his feet. 1 am not e’en worth the trouble of a hanging.” “Thou heardest what he said. What if I am but a Jester and he a King, does it make me less a man?”’ The Fool stopped abruptly; he had, for the moment forgotten himself. The Earl answered slowly, “Yea, the king is unjust, but, for all that, he is your king,’ and he shot a quick glance at the Fool to note the effect of his remark. The Jester turned passionately, ‘““Would to Heaven he were not! Would to Heaven he were an exile in a foreign land, serving a harsh master as I am!” “Then thou wert not always a Jester, a Fool?’”’ asked the Earl in sur- prise. The Jester raised his head proudly, “‘Nay, I was the Duke of Neup- berg, but that was before Charles conquered Austria and exiled me for re- bellion. Butsee what] am now! A Jester! A Fool! To this have I sunk!” The Earl’s eyes lighted. ‘‘Thou,’’ he exclaimed, phew ukemmon Neupberg! Forsooth and I think I can help you, my friend, if | may call you such. Thou knowest that I am the rightful heir to the throne of England and that for these three years have been seeking to take it from Richard, dost not? Now, if I can gain the throne, thou shalt have thy dukedom. The Emperor Charles will not refuse so small a boon to the King of all England. The Jester turned as a man who sees hope, yet dares not believe. “Speakest thou truly? speakest thou truly?’’ and he grasped the Earl by the arm in this sudden hope. “Forsooth and I do, my friend. Thou shalt have thy dukedom e’er as | have my kingdom. But knowest thou how I may defeat Richard?” ““Yea,’’ answered the Jester eagerly. “All thou needst is the secret formula for the gunpowder.”’ “Thou art right and ’tis to obtain this formula I came to Richard on the pretext of peace and endured the humiliation of this visit. Thou art Rich- ard’s favorite jester, I take it?”’ The Fool nodded, ‘‘When | anger him not.” “Thou knowest where he keeps this formula? ”’ “Aye, though ’twas only by accident I discovered it. ’Twas one after- noon when the king had sent for me and, as I stood without the door of his bed chamber, I saw him put a roll of parchment in a tiny cupboard most clev- erly contrived in the wall. When he heard my step, he snapped the door shut and locked it.’’ “And the lock is in plain view?” a I RA a RR OES! —9 =