IN A DANISH FIR FOREST 
109 
May, and behind her with banners and flowers streamed the 
Bands of Hope from town and hamlets near. 
The Queen, chosen by her village Band of Hope not for 
beauty only, but for goodness and kindness, was a child whose 
red golden hair fell over her white frock with sunny contrast. 
On her head was a crown tiara shaped of daffodil and narcissus, 
and in her hand a white sceptre, whose top was composed of 
three “ arum ” blooms and from whose staff white ribands 
fluttered free. 
It was no marvel that heads appeared at every window and 
doorway to see so fair an embodiment of Spring pass on her 
snow-white palfrey down the street, down the town and back 
again ; and so to the Fitz Park beside the shining Greta came 
the Queen. Dismounting, she took her seat beneath a canopy, 
which last year was held above the head of a daughter of a real 
Queen, on the occasion of the opening of Brandelhow Park by 
H.R.H. Princess Louise. A trolley was drawn up in front 
and thereon the competitors for the skipping competition were 
soon busy with their humming skipping-ropes ; whilst hard by 
the lists were set for the races, and the ring was formed for the 
youthful wrestlers. 
Tea, of course, followed, and by seven o’clock the whole con- 
course met to see the crowning of the May Queen. And gladder 
sight could scarce be imagined than the bank of happy faces 
and flowers clustered round the Queen upon her uplifted throne. 
Nay of the two queens ; for Queen Evelyn of last year sat in 
state with her attendant maidens on the one side of the platform 
and at a signal Queen Sarah left her throne on the opposite side, 
and kneeling in mid-platform, received from the retiring Queen 
the May crown and sceptre, and so returned to her throne amid 
the cheers of her happy subjects. Then the chairman at her 
command read out Her Most Gracious Majesty’s Proclamation, 
which enjoined on all her faithful subjects love of the beauty of 
wood and field and all gentle life and kindness to all animals. 
The light was still lingering in the west as I saw the white- 
frocked children passing through the valley to their fell-side 
homes, and heard the singing of snatches of the glee and cheer- 
ing of the little lads as they went through the dewy lanes to 
bedland and dreamland, the loyal subjects of their new i\Iay 
H. D. R.wnsley. 
IN A DANISH FIR FOREST. 
WALK along a hot dusty high road brings me to this 
forest, almost untrodden by the foot of man. As I enter 
it from the glare of the sun, the darkness, stillness 
and coolness are delightful. It takes a few minutes to 
get accustomed to the shade, but gradually one begins to see 
trunks, green and lichen-covered, as far as eye can reach, leafless, 
Queen. 
