The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-11-02
How a Queen Ran Away.


ago, and three centuries at least be-
fore Columbus discovered America
there was born in England little girl
to whom they gave the name of Matil-
da. Her father was the King. Henry
l., surnamed Beauclerc, because he
was so good scholar, though 1 rather
fancy our high-schOol boys could beat
his learning without trouble.
When little Matilda was five years
old, she was married to the Emperor
of Germany.
The little Empress Matilda was the
only child left to the King, and his
heart was set in bequeathing to her
the crown of England. Before his
death, in 112S, he called the mobiles of
the kingdom together, and made them
swear allegiance to her as Queen. The
Emperor, Matilda's husband, had died
before this, and Matilda was married
again to the French Earl of AnjOu.
After her fathers death she came to
England and was crowned at VIM
! chester.
All her life long-whether as Primo
eSs, Empress or Queen-Matilda
showed herself vain, passionate, vim
dictive, hasty, arrogant and inconsid-
crate of other people.
She exasperated the common people
by imposing heavy taxes and making
oppressive laws, just when she should
have conciliated and s0Othed them.
! England had never been ruled by a
woman before. Both the mobiles and
| the people diSliked the idea of a Queen,
| and Matilda did nothing to make her
sex popular. She was ungenerous
also. Her cousin, and rival, Stephen,
who afterward became King in her
stead, once surprised and captured her
in Arundel Castle, and, instead of de-
! tanning, cOurteousiy let her go, and
even furnished her with an escort to
her friends. Later, she in her turn
captured Stephen; but, far from re-
Numbering his kind treatment and re-
ciprocating it, she loaded him with
chains and threw him into the dun
geon of Bristol Castle.
\ little longer, and it was again
Stephens turn. He made his escape
from Bristol, gained one battle after
another, and pursued Matilda so hot
ly that more than once she slipped
through his fingers almost It's bya mir
acle. These escapes of Queen Matil-
da are celebrated in history. Whole
volumes of romances might be written
about them, SO strange and picturesque
and astonishing are they.
Once, when the citizens of London
rose suddenly against her, she got of
by jumping on her horse and gallOping
out of the city only five minutes be-
fore the gates Of her palace were bat
tered down. Another time she fled
from Gloucester in the same way, the
Earl of Gloucester and few gallant
knights remaining behind to keep the
pursuers at bay. Again it is said she
feigned death, and was carried in q
hearse with a long train of mourners
all the way from Gloucester to Devi-
yes. But, most romantic Of all, and
most adventurous, was her escape from
Oxford.
| Oxford boosted strong castle in
those days. Into this the Empress
Queen had thrown herself, and fol
three months had defended it bravely
Then provisions gave out, and no hope
was left but fight. But how to fly;
Stephens army lay on every side like
cats round mouse-hOle.
1t was in this extremity that an un-
expected ally came to the rescue OF
Queen Matilda. This ally was no 9th.
CT than that dOer of good turns, Jack
Frost. One December night he went
silently down, laid Il cold hard tlool
across the River Thames, wrapped al
the world in tleecy snow, and then
flying to the castle windows, tapped
with his cracking icy knuckles, whis
tied, sang and made many sorts Of ode
noises, as much as to say, All is
ready; come out and take walk. .
Matilda heard, and bright plar
popped into her daring head. She
called four trusty knights, babe then
wrap themselves in white, put on her
self white dress and cloak, covered
her black hair with a white hood, and
like spirits, all five set forth on foot
Their steps made no sound as they crep1
along, and their white figures cas-
hardly shadow on the whittier snow
Through the besieging camp they
crept, and across the frozen river. NJ
sentinel spied them; not even dog
barked. If any lonely peasant waket
up and caught glimpse of the din
shapes gliding by, he probably tool
them for ghosts, and hid his head un
der the bedclothes again as fast a!
possible. So, sometimes on foot ant
sometimes on horseback, but always
unpursued and in safety, the fugitives
sped on, and reached WallingfOrd
where Matilda's army lay, and vert
secure.-Susan Coolidge, in st. Nicho
las TOR Norember.
Intelligent "BcSt Young Men,