prisoner was dressed
as on the day of her trial, in a black cloth dress edged with black
velvet, a Marie Stuart cap of black velvet on her head, with a veil of
black cloth hanging to her waist and a white wimple concealing her
throat, her sleeves edged with lawn, neatly plaited around her wrists.

Before ascending the steps leading to the scaffold the Lady Jane bade
farewell to her sobbing ladies, then mounting, advanced to the edge of
the platform and spoke in a clear sweet voice, of her innocence of
treason, and begging them to bear witness that she died a true Christian
woman. Then after a pause, and wiping her eyes, she added, "Now, good
people, Jane Dudley bids you all a long farewell. And may the Almighty
preserve you from ever meeting the terrible death which awaits her in a
few minutes."

At these words, seeing the towering figure of the executioner in his
scarlet robe, she threw herself into the arms of her old nurse, who was
by her side, and sobbed and shivered with terror. Then growing calmer
she knelt while a psalm was said and prayer offered, then she said
farewell to those who had been with her to the end, and gave her prayer
book as a memento to one who had asked this favour.

The supreme moment had come. Unloosening her gown without the aid of her
attendants, who were overcome with emotion, she cast aside the
handkerchief with which she was expected to bandage her eyes, and then
with a swift glance at the executioner, she said simply:

"I pray you despatch me quickly," then kneeling down she asked, "Will
you take it off before I lay me down?"

Without any apparent emotion Lady Jane then tied the handkerchief over
her eyes. She was now blindfolded and, trying to feel for the block,
asked, "What shall I do? Where is it?"

A person near her, on the scaffold, guided her to the block, and she
instantly laid her head upon it, rested in silence for a moment, then
exclaimed:

"Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit," and a moment later the agony
was over.

The noblest, most courageous girl who was ever the victim of relentless
ambition, was gone, sacrificed to a game of chance in which she was the
royal pawn! History offers no sadder, no more thrilling story than that
of Lady Jane, the girl of seventeen, who was a "Nine Days Queen!"

GENTLE ANNIE:

A Daughter of the Regiment

FORT SUMTER had been fired on!

The whole country was in a state of flaming excitement. Up to that time
there ha