The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-10-27
How a Queen Ran Away.

How a Queen Ran Away.
A long time-more than 700 years
ago, and three centuries at least before
Columbus discovered America-there
was born in England little girl to
whom they gave the name of Matilda.
Her father vas the King, Henry l., sur
named Beauclerc, because he was so
good scholar, though rather fancy
our high school boys could beat his
learning without trouble.
When little Matilda was 5 years old,
she was married to the Emperor of Ger
many.
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 1928, he called the mobiles of the
kingdom together, and made them swear
allegiance to her as Queen. The EN-
peror, Matilda's husband. had died be-
fore this, and Matilda was married again
to the French Earl of Anjou. After her
fathers death she came to England and
was crowned at Winchester.
All her life long-whether as Princess,
Empress, or Queen-Maltilda showed
herself vain, passionate, vindict:ve,
hasty, arrogant, and inconsiderate of
other people.
She exasperated the common people
by imposing heavy taxes and making
oppressive laws, just when she should
have conciliatcd and soothed them.
England had never been ruled by
l. D. 4
the people disllked the idea of 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 oetain-
ing, courteously let her go, and even
furnished her with an escort to her
friends. Later, she in her turn captured
Stephen; but, far from remembering his
kind treatment and reciprocating it, she
loaded him with chains and threw him
into the dungeon of Bristol Castle.
A little. longer, and it was again
Stephens turn. He made his escape
from Bristol; gained one battle after
another, and pursued Matilda 80 holly
that more than once she slipped through
his fingers almost as by a miracle. These
escapes of Queen Matilda 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 off
by jumping on her horse and galloping
out of the city only five minutes before
the gates of her palace were battered
down. Another time she fed from
Gloucester in tine same way, the Earl of
Gloucester and few gallant knights re-
naming behind to keep the pursuers
at bay. Again it is said sho feigned
death, and was carried ia q hearse with
long train of mourners all the way
from Gloucester to Devices. 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 for three
months had defended it bravely. Then
provisions gave out, and no hope was
left but flight. But how to fly Stephens
army lay on every side like cats round
mouse. hole.
It was in this extremity that an unex-
pected ally came to the rescue of Queen
Matilda. This ally was no other than
that doer of good turns, Jack Frost.
One December night he went silently
down, laid cold, hard floor across the
River Thames, wrapped all the world in
fieccy snow, and then, flying to the cas-
tie windows, tapped with his cracking,
icy knuckles, whistled, sang, and made
many sorts of odd noises, as much as to
say, Cali is ready; come out and take a
walk" Matilda heard, and bright
plan popped into her daring head. She
called four trusty knights, babe them
wrap themselves in white, put on her.
self white dress and cloak, covered her
black hair with white hood, and, like
spirits, all five set forth on foot. Their
steps male no sound Az they crept
along, and their white figures cast hard
ly shadow on the whittier snow.
Through the besieging camp they
crept, and acroes the frozen river. No
sentinel spied them; not even n dog
barked. II any lonely peasant walked
up aud caught glimpse of the dim
shapes gliding by, he probably took
them for ghosts, and hid his head under
the bed. clothes again as fast as possible.
SO, sometimes on foot, and sometimes
on horseback, but always unpursued and
in safety, the fugitives sped on, and
reached Wallingford, where Matilda's
army lay, and were secure.-1Susan
CoOlidge, in st. Nicholas for November.