The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-11-14
OUR STORY TELLER.
GREAT KINGS NEW YEARS
NIGHT.

II was in the evening of the 31st of
December, 1899, that King Henry ",
Of France, lay yawning on the sumptuous
lounge of his sitting-room, in the mag
niticent palace of the Louvre, in Paris.
lie was then forty-seven years old, but
looked much Younger. He had accom-
plished what almost every body at the
time had deemed an utter impossible
ity-he had made himself the sole and
sovereign ruler of one OF the great ma
tons 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 assistance of the great Sully,
restored the popular prosperity to such
an extent, that every body said, France
has never before had such 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
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 ", Notwithstanding his
extraordinary success and his proven
bal good humor, had at times the blues,
and such was the case on this occasion.
"These incessant stiff court festivals"
he said to himself, "have become dis
gushing to me. This is New Years
night, and | do not intend to spend it in
the midst of my fawning courtiers. /
III. I III - inf fhn OF -,
plain attire and mingle with the peo-
pie. That will be by far more amusing
to me-"
He doffed his rich velvet suit, donned
rather threadbare clothes, put on an
old soldiers hat, filled his pockets with
gold pieces, wrapped himself into q
white cloak, and left the palace through
secret passage without being seen by
any body.
As he stepped into the street, a neigh
boring clock struck ten. He walked
hastily over the vaulting bridge thai
spauned the Seine, and soon found him
self in that labyrinth of narrow ant
crooked streets where the bulk of thu
Partisan population lived at that time
The streets were crowded yet, for tn,
Parisians always went late to bed.
Bending into the Rue de Courboys
the disguised King saw large Grove
following Il strange procession, whicl
moved toward the eastern end of tn
street.
Accelerating his steps, the King wa
not long in overtaking this procession.
lie was surprised beyond measur
upon perceiving that it consisted of hall
naked and heavily ironed young women
whom some twenty archers were drag
ging along. The women were weepin
and sobbing, and the crowd seemed t
sympathize with them.
At last the procession halted in from
of large and brilliantly lighted build
ing. 1t was the office of the Lieutenan
OF Police, Monster De Goroy, one of tn
most influential men in the country, q
his powers extended all over France.
The archers dragged the unfortunat
prisoners into the vestibule of the offic,
There young man received them.
Bawds," he said to them, haughtily
tonight you will receive your tift
lashes here, and tomorrow the sam
dose at the spinning-house, where yo
will be confined for five years."
The young women burst into lou
lamentations. Many of them proteste
emphatically that they were respectful
girls, and that the archers had dragge
them wantonly out of the houses
their parents. The man who had al
nounced their sad fate to them, turne
his back on them scornfully, and O
dered the archers to take them to Il
whipping-post, when Henry ~, wi
had quietly entered the place, said
him:
How do you know that these womt
are bawdsw
ave have to leave that to the arc
ers who arrest them," answered the ma
"At any rate, it's none of your bu
ness, old fellow. Get out of herep
Ho, hop reioined the King "No
Of your impertinence. am the bear
of u message to Monsieur De Goroy, i
Majesty's Lieutenant of Police"
"AhW
"Where can | find Monsieur
GoroyT"
"He is at a carousal at the Gold
Hart tavern. lam hisnephew, Chand
DE Vicitry, and attend TO his busin,
in his absence. Where is your message
You won't get it, young chap. A
il King Henry ~ knew how you We
carrying ON mere
You mean about those women?'
"Well, yes"
"Pardieu, Monsigneur DE Culavl
the Governor of Paris told my uncle
other day that that there were too ma
bawds in Paris, and so he must arr
every night forty or fifty girls"
"I thought the Lieutenant of Pol
did not receive any orders from a
body but the kingT
"Old fellow, you are right. But
does, though, and how is he to fine
out? Henry ~ pays no attention
such trihes. They saw he is now revC
ing in his mind plan to conquer
whole world"
Maybe he will, one day." remar
the King, Significantly.
DO you know Henry ~, then ?"