Diddled

Her Majesty Queen Mary, keen tennis enthusiast, went to Wimbledon to watch the tennis tourney for the British Open Championship.

High above the sun blazed down its fiery heat, but the Queen, sitting under her toque in the shade, was unconscious of the torrid atmosphere until the earth shifted and the sun basked in her presence. At this point she got up.

"The Queen is leaving," was the instinctive thought of the spectators, as they scrambled respectfully to their feet. Tennis players, some of them from other nations, stopped their games to wish Her Majesty the customary farewell. Everybody felt disappointed that the Queen was leaving so early. But Queen Alary walked a few steps backwards into the shade and sat down again. She smiled and blushed at the inconvenience she had caused to the King's subjects who, with audible titterings, again sat down.

But the earth, obedient to the sun's commands, disloyally moved Her Majesty into the overpowering heat. The Queen stuck it for some time, but when tall Jack Hennessey of Indianapolis began his virile serving, she attempted to scoot unnoticed to another chair in the shade. Promptly the U. S. team stopped play, the spectators half rose in uncertainty, the Queen sat down; and amid considerable laughter, at being diddled again, in which Her Majesty joined, the crowd resumed its seats, play again began.

The third time the Queen really did leave, but not until just before the last set.

The New York Times commented philosophically on the wisdom of the "things we do against reason," noted that the ants and bees do it.

"When the Queen Bee moves forward, the workers back away in a circle. Doubtless the Queen Bee blushes and the workers titter; but doubtless also both sides enjoy it and wax in virtue."