Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-11-15
How n Queen Ran Away.

A long time,-more than seven hun
dred years ago, and three centuries al
least before Columbus discovered
America,-there was born in England
little girl to whom they gave the
name of Matilda. Her father was the
king, Henry L., surnamed Beauclerc,
because he was good scholar, though
l rather fancy our high school boys
could beat his learning without trouble.
When little Matilda was five years
old she became married to the Emperor
of Germany.
The little Empress Matilda was the
only child left 10 the King, and he set
his heart on bequeathing to her the
crown of England. Before his death,
in 1l2S, he called the mobiles of his
kingdom together, and made them
swear allegiance to her as a queen.
The Emperor, Matilda's husband, had
died before this, and Matilda was mar
ried again to the French Earl of Anjou.
After her fathers death she came TO
England and was crowned at Winches-
ter.
All her life elong-whether as princess,
queen, o. empress,-Matilda showed
herself vain, passionate, vindictive,
hasty, arrogant, and iEconsiderate of
other people.
She exasperated the common people
by imposing heavy taxes and making OPP
pressive laws, just when she should have
conciliated and soothe them. England
had never been ruled by Queen be-
fore. Both mobiles and people disliked
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 i'm her stead, once surprised and
captured her in Arundel Castle, and in
stead of OBTAINING her, courteously let
her go, and even furnished her with an
escort to her friends. Later, she in
turn, captured Stephen, but, far from
remembering his kind treatment and re-
ciprocating 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 SO hOtly,
that more than once she slipped through
his fingers as if by miracle. These
escapes of Queen Matilda are celebrated
i'm history. Whole volumes of romances
might be written about them, sostrange
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 salloping
out of the city only five minutes before
the gates of her palace were battered
down. Another time she fled from
Gloucester in the same way, the Earl of
Gloucester and a few gallant knights
remaing behind to keep the pursuers
at bay. Again it is said she feigned
death, and was carried in a 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 boasted a 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 tncre was no
hope but flight. But how to fly! Ste
phens army lay on every side like cats
round a mouse-hole.
1t was in this extremity that an un-
expected 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 silently