the buildin's where the men hev their offices."

Elizabeth sat in mute contemplation, vainly seeking to realize it all.

"My lords!" she burst forth suddenly, casting the paper violently to the
floor, "or this be rank forgery and fraud or else have we been strangely
deceived."

She frowned at Sir Walter, who dropped his eyes.

"'Tis not to be believed that such vast cities and great armies habited
by peoples polite and learned may be found across the sea and no report
of it come to them that visit there. How comes it that we must await so
strange a chance as this to learn such weighty news?"

She paused and only silence ensued.

Rebecca stooped and recovered the paper, which in falling had opened so
as to expose new matter.

"Don't be surprised," she said, soothingly. "I allus did hear that
Britishers knew mighty little 'bout America."

Still frowning, Elizabeth mechanically stretched forth her hand and
Rebecca gave her the paper. The Queen glanced at the sheet and her face
lost its stern aspect as she eagerly brought the print nearer to her
eyes.

"Why, what now!" she exclaimed. "God mend us, here have we strange
attire! Is this a woman of your tribe, my lady?"

Rebecca looked and blushed. Then, in an uneasy tone, she said:

"That's jest an advertisement fer a new corset, Mis' Tudor. I never did
see how folks ever allowed sech things to be printed--'tain't
respectable!"

"A corset, call you it! And these, then?"

"Oh, those are the styles, the fashions! That's the fashion page, ye
know. That's where they tell all about what the rich folks down to New
York are wearin'."

There was a murmur and a rustle among the ladies-in-waiting, who had
hitherto made no sign, and upon the Queen's cheek there spread an added
tinge, betokening a high degree of interest and gratification.

"Ah!" she sighed, and glanced pleasantly over her shoulder, "here be
matters of moment, indeed! Your Grace of Devonshire, what say you to
this?"

Eagerly the elderly lady so addressed stepped forward and made a low
reverence.

"Look--look here, ladies all!" Elizabeth continued, with a tremor of
excitement in her voice. "Saw you ever such an array as this?"

With one accord the whole bevy of assembled ladies pressed forward,
trembling with delighted anticipation. A fashion sheet--and from the
New World! What wonder they were moved!

Her Majesty was about to begin perusal of one of the fascinating
paragraphs wherein were describ