New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-12-18
A KINGS NEW-YEAR'S NIGHT.

It was in the evening of the 31st Of
December, 1899, that King Henery w..
France lay yawning on thes sumptuous
lounge of his sitting-room, in the mag.
nifcent palace of the Louvre, in Paris.
He was then forty.se7en years old, but
looked much younger. he had accom-
plished what almost every body at the time
had deemed an utter impossibility
had made himself the sole and sovereign
ruler of one of the great nations Of the
Old World, which, Until then, had been
torn into discordant and bitterly hostile
factions. He had made France more
powerful than ever, and, with the assist
ance Of the great sully, restored the pop
ular prosperity to such an extent, that
everybody said, 'sFrance has never before
had such a great and wise Monarch
At the same time his personal amiabil-
ity and magnetism were such that the
people idolized him, and that he could do
with impunity what none Of his Royal
predecessors had dared to do-namelv,
to go out alone and unarmed in the dead
Of night into the streets Of Paris, which
were then narrow, crooked and very dark
But Henry w., Notwithstanding his ex-
raordinary successes and his proverbial
good humor, had at times the blues, and
such was the case on this occasion.
''These incessant stiff court festivals"
he said to himself shave become disgust
ing to me. This is New ears night, and
I do not intend to spend it in the midst
of my fawning courtiers. believe I will
sally out into the street in plain attire
and mingle with the people. That will
be by far more amusing to me-"
He dotted his rich velvet suit, donned
rather threadbare clothes, put on an old
soldiers hat, filed his pockets with gold
pieces, wrapped himself into a white
cloak, and left the palace through a Sc
cret passage without being seen by any
body.
AS he stepped into the street, neigh
boring clock struck ten. He walked
hastily over the yaulting bridge that
spanned the Seine, and soon found him.
self il that labyrinth Of narrow and
crooked streets where the bulk Of the
Partisan population lived at that time.
The streets were crowded vet, for the
Parisians ALWAYS went late to bed.
Bending into the Rue de Courboys.
the disguised King saw 8 large crowd fol-
lowing a strange procession, which
moved toward the eastern end of the
street.
Accelerating his steps, the King was
not long in overtaking this procession
He vas surprised beyond measure up
on perceiving that it consisted Of half
naked women, whom some twenty arch
ers were dragging along. The women
were weeping and sobbine, and the crowd
seemed to sympathize with them.
At last the procession halted in front
Of a large and brilliant building.
It was the Office Of the Lieutenant Of
Police. Monsieur De Gorov, one Of the
most influential men in the country, as
his powers extended all over France.
The archers dragged the unfortunate
PRISONS INTO the vestibule of the Office
There a young man received them.
'Bawds', he said to them, haughtily,
tonight you will receive your fifty lashes
here and tomorrow the same dose at the
Spinning house, where you will be con-
fined for five years."
The young women burst into loud Ia
mentations. Many of them protested
emphatically that they were respectable
them wantonly out Of the houses of their
parents. The man who had announced
their SAD fate to them, turned his back
on them scornfully, and ordered the
archers to take them to the whipping
post, when Henry w., who had quietly
entered the place, said to him:
How do you know that these women
are bawds?"
''We have to leave that to the archers
who arrest them," answered the man. SAT
any rate, it's none of your business, old
fellow. Get out of here!"
"Ho, ho!'' rejoined the King. s'None
of your impertinence. l am the bearer
Of a message to Monsieur de Goroy, His
Majestys Lieutenant Of Police
'Ah!"
"Where can I find Monsieur De Goroy?''
He is at carousal at the Golden
Hart tavern. I'm his nephew, Chandon
De Yicitry, and attend to his business in
his absence. Where is your message?"
''You won't get it, young chap. All, if
King Henry ". knew how you we're car
rving on here!''
'sYOu mean about those Women?''
swell, yes"
"Pordieu, Monseigneur De Culavry,
the Governor of Paris, told my uncle the
other day there were toe many bawds in
Paris, and SO be must arrest every night
forty or fifty girls
81 thought the Lieutenant Of Police
did not receive any orders from any body
but the King?"
sold fellow, you are right. But he
does, though, and how is the King going
to find it nl1t2 Henry IN nare no Of