The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1868-01-17
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routine. The six babies were washed
and dressed, and taken, out for an ar
ing every morning; what happened 10
one happeend to all without regard 10
any natural differences Of constitutions.
And as the Queen chose to dress them
exactly alike, and blue was her favoFits
color, NoyelIa, who was as brown "a
gypsy, had to wear sashss that made
her look yelIower than ever. However,
she cared not q whit what she wore,
aud in process ftime she had mouth
ful Of little white pearls intended for
teeth, that made her as pretty as her
fair sister Mosella. A charming ktsIa
set they we're, and In her devotion 10
them the Queen Was in dsnger Of for
getting affairs Of state, and all the for
malities due to her station. 1t was
whispered abroad that as soon a. the
Princesses got upon their feet there
were seven children in the palace itl4
stead Of six,-the Queen being cosxed
into romping with her pets Instead of
training them in the way they should
| go. s
I The Countess ReynOss, meanwhile,
studied the children while the Queen
amused herself with them, and inasie
herself mistress Of the characters and
dispositions Of each. She then su-
nounced that her lOeg delayed gifts
were now TO be presented. not little
curiosity was felt to know what these
gifts might be. The "Court Journal"
stopped the pressin order to learn the
news, and 10 convey Il zt once % all
parts Of tbs kingdom. R nod Of the
head of the Countess was significant,
what must it be with her present. She
was we'll known TO be very rich, and 10
possess old family jewels Of fabulous
value, and as she had taken VOW never
70 psrry, what could be more natural
than that she should divide these
treasures among the Princesses' What
then was the conformation of the whole
court, when her gift TO NovelIs proved
70 be nothing but Penl
10 Mosells, nothing dsuated by the
suppressed whispers of amazement
about her, she presented an old piano
that had stool nnmolested in one cor
ner Of her palace half dozen years.
Tc Reims, the third sister, she gave
box Of colors, and handful Of pen
ellis.
To Papeta she offered all the half
worn sheets her own singing master had
left behind him, when he bad fed from
her palace declaring that mortal man
never heard such voice.
To Moina, pair of scissors, athinble,
and some needles.
Last of all it was the turn Of Deli
;ieuse, and the little creature was led
by her nurse TO receive what every one
felt was to be the crowniDg gift Of all.
For the child held every heart at her
fingers ends; whether it was her ex-
traordinary beauty, or her sweet, grace
full manners and winning way, or all
together, she was the fsYorite Of the
King, the idol of the Queen, the pride
and the glory Of the whole court As
she approached the Countess, curiosity
made every one silent, yet even the
grim prime minister would have been
glad TO press the charming creature to
his heart. A murmur of surprise and
displeasure ran through the court when
the Countess stopped and kissed the
young Princess, and then only gave her
one of her sagacious little nods.
Delicieuse herself seemed perfectly
satisfied. She rejoined her sisters with
& brow as serene as ever, and took leave
Of the King and Queen with her usual
grace and sweetness, sooa disappearing
among the little Princesses, each OF
whom contended for the privilege Of
walking hand in hand with her.
| The Queen, used as she was to the
vagsries Of Reynoss, found it hard to
submit TO this new freak, looking, as il
did, so much like child's play. But as
she felt sincere respect and affection
for her, aud was, besides, too kind
hearted TO wish 10 wound even an
enemy, if she had one, she thanked her
friend for her interest in her children,
and promised that her gifts should be
carefully preserved snd cared for.
"By no means !" cried the Countess.
Each child is to have charge Of its
own gift. Otherwise, my object in
presenting it viii be defeated"
The queen smiled, and yieldsd 1t
was not really worth while to dispute
about such trifes- The ancestral dia-
monds Of the Countess would have
been quite another affair. She had
quite forgotten the whole thing, when
one morning she saw NovelIs perebed
at table in high chair, so intent up
on business as to take no heed Of her
presence.
On approaching the child, what was
her surprise to find the little creature
engaged in copying, from book before
her, the letters of the alphabet. As,
thus far, no attempt had been made to
educate the young Princesses, this spec
tacle was wonderfully quaint and the
Quesu, after gazing upon it moment
in silence, burs. forth into a merry
laugh. The attendants hastened TO ex-
plain that the Princess would have ink
and paper, as well as the pen the
Countess had given her, and that the
delight of the child in their use made
it quite impossible to keep her robes
and her hands in the Immaculate con
dition due to her rank.
As to the Princess, she could hardly
spare time to look at the Queen, or an
swer her questions. Her little hands
trembled with eagerness, and her eyes
glowed like suns aud stars, as she form
ed the rude characters upon the paper,
sighed at their want of perfection, and
patiently studied her model.
The Queen could not help sympathiz-
ing with the ehild's pleasure. though
she wished the Countess had not, by
her gift, suggested an amusement that
made its fingers such sight to behold.
Passing into the next apartment, she
found Moina seated on the carpet, with
half-a-dozen dolls about her, a little
work basket by her side.
In her small white hands she held the
scissors given her by Reyno'a, and
fashioned garment, tiny in form, bnt
exquisite in shape. Delicieuse, with
her arms full OF dolls, sat beside her,