Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-11-18
Court Of Henry HI Of France.

COurG OF Henry HI of France.
Temple Bar.l 7
Imagine vast chambers, the walls 0
which are covered by hangings Of blacl
or yellow leather, adorned with cipher
in gold and silver Byzantine arabesques
the apartments are divided by heavy vel
vet curtains, and are furnished with seat
of elaborately carved oak, with curious
chests of ivory or ebony, relieved bl
crests of azure or aeur-de-lis Of gold
silver ststnettes, Golfers adorned with
trefoils of gold, or salamanders formed
with topaz, emeralds or turquoise. I'm
agine these salons, peopled with yellow
haired courtiers, beautiful as Antinous
their graceful forms clothed in tight-ft
ting jackets, encircled by belts Of red
yellow or blue silk embroidered, like
Byzantine missile, with precious stones
small clock hangs from the. shoulder, {
small cap of green or blue velvet covers
the head, and earrings Of gold or Jewels
hang from the ears. Some are attirec
yet more gorgeously. Bonnets of black
velvet, breeches and doublets of cloth OIL
silver, shoes and sword sca5bards oi
white velvet, and long sweeping mantles
Of black velvet embroidered with heur-
de-lis and tongues of fame, and mono.
grams of the King in silver thread, and
turned up with orange satin, from the
shoulders, in lieu Of hood, hangs a
mantelet Of cloth of gold, also enriched
with fieur-de-lis, monograms, and tongues
of flame; a grand color formed oI
knots of monograms, feur de.lis and
tongues of flame, to which hangs
large dove, encircles the neck.
These are the Knights of the most
noble order of Saint Esprit, the mig
nons Saint Maigrin, Joveuse D'Eper.
non, etc., all destined to an infamous
immortality in the pages of history.
Their occupations are various; some are
fencing with their long rapiers; Others
are playing at cup and ball; others are
gaily laughing and chatting. Suddenly
there is momentary lull the swords
are sheathed, the plaything cast aside
and every head is uncovered. The vel
vet hsngings of one of the doorways are
pulled aside by two gorgeously-attired
pages, aud strange figure enters upon
the scene. 1t looks like a man, bat the
costume, lownecked and elegant, is that
of woman; so is the complexion, rem
dered delicate in appearance by pastes
and cosmetiques. Suspended round its
neck is basket Of blue satin, in which
are several very small dogs, whose long
silky ears it is oaressing with its jeweled
hands, more beautiful and white than
those of lady. These hands are the
object of much care; they are nightly
encased in gloves Of a peculiar skin Ia
preserve their delicaoy. This creature,
half.man, half-woman, is Henry III, the
sovereign of warlike France, and one
too, who ere now has proved himself
general of no mean courage.
Round him gather the mignons, eager to
relate their scandalous adventures
Of the previous night-stories espe-
cially delightful to the royal ears.
Maigrin relates in Kaleidoscope lam
guage the story of a rendezvous
with the frail Duehesse de Guise,
an amour which will presently
cost him his life; Henry smiles delight
edly, for, like his brother, he. mortally
hates the Guises. Suddenly his face
changes to look of horror, his eyes are
darting flames upon D'Epernon, whom,
in accent trembling with passion, he
orders from his presence; and, as the
discounted courtier hsstens TO obey,
literally ohases him with opprobrious
epithets from the chamber. What
olfense has the fayorite oonmitted2 The
gFavest of all in the eyes Of his master
be has neglected the proprieties of cos
tune, and dared to stand before his
majesty with doublet buttoned awry and
without shoes This is a day Of Saint
Esprit. But Henry, spite of the gayety
Of bis court, is the prey Of chronic
melancholy, and there are other days
when the silk and the cloth of gold are
exchanged for coarse black robes and
monkish costumes Of the Brother
hood of Death, an order instituted, some
say, to commemorate the death OF one
of his mignons; others, that of his mis-
tress, the Princess de Conde. The en-
blem VI this order is skull decked and
intertwined with jewels its directors
are monks and friars, and even bour-
geois are honored by admittance to its
ranks. There is yet another order, that
of the White Penitents, to which only
the feyorites are admitted. There are
secrets ana Myateries in these brother
hoods, such, perhaps, as tlosG tbst were
nraotieed hv the votariea nf laia