I would like
to see you enjoy yourselves as if you were in--in your own homes. Which I
take it none of you gentlemen have got, seeing you are sitting here at the
board of Queen Bess.
"Now, gentlemen," she concluded, "if it's asking too much of you to
forget, the fault is mine and not yours. And nobody will be penalized or
bawled out, blankety blank him, for being unable to forget. But if you can
forget, and if you can let us enjoy ourselves for an afternoon in a
blankety blank decent and God-fearing way--God love you."
And Queen Bess sat down. We ate and drank and laughed till seven o'clock
that evening. And I remember that not one of the twenty men present used a
profane word during this time; not one of them did or said anything that
wouldn't have passed muster in his own home, if he had one. And that no
one got drunk except Queen Bess. Yes, Queen Bess in her black dress got
very drunk and swore like a trooper and laughed like a crazy child. And
when the party was over Queen Bess stood at the door and we passed out,
shaking hands with her and giving her our thanks. She stood, steadying
herself against the door beam, and saying to each of us as she shook our
hands:
"God love you. God love you for bringing happiness to a blankety blank
blank like old Queen Bess.
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