The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-06-27
Two Little Princes.


der tale of two other little Princes born
about the same time, and living in a
neighboring country. Poor little Henri
and Francois de Nemours !-one a sick
ly baby of z, the other only years old
They were taken from a loving mother
and happy home to see their fathers
head cut off by the cruel King of
France-Louis XI. Side by side,
dressed all in white, the poor children
stood beneath the scaffold, hardly under
standing the terrible scene. When all
was over the little boys were hurried off
to the Bastile, there to be punished in
their turn. Those>were cruel old days,
as you see, but how cruel no happy
child of the nineteenth century can
guess.
Not only were these little lads shut up
in prison. but, to add to their sufferings,
each was placed in sort of terrible iron
cage, barred all round, and made of
such shape that they could neither sit,
nor lie down nor stand in it properly.
To he always uncomfortable, that was
the design of these wicked inventions,
and always uncomfortable were poor
little Henri and Francois. Their only
bit of consolation consisted in the fact
that the cages were hung SO close to-
gether that the poor prisoners could see
each other, speak to each other, even
clasp hands through the bars.
You would think that such punish
ment was sufficiently severe for two
little boys who had done no harm them
selves; but tie monster who called
himself "Most Christian King" did not
think so, and his new idea was to order
a surgeon to 60 once week to the
prison, and pull out tooth of each
child.
Little Francois burst into tears of
terror when he heard the dreadful sem
tence, and Henri turned very pale, but
it was not from fear of pain for himself
he was a brave boy and dreaded
nothing; it was little Francois he was
thinking of.
"Sir," he entreated, my mother
would die of grief if you hurt my little
brother. Take my tooth out if you
will, but don't hurt him."
Fortunately, the doctor was kind
man, and he was touched by the hero
ism of the little prisoner.
"My boy" he answered gently, "were
! to grant your request, my own life
would be at stake. am strictly
watched; 1 must show the Governor of
the Bastile the two teeth at the close of
every visit"
"Then take two of mine," said Henri,
without an instant's hesitation, 'only
leave Francois alone. He is such a
little boy, and is so often i'll, and 1 am
always quite we'll"
this appeal, and his first idea was to
give up the whole matter, and to tell the
Governor that he could not execute SO
cruel an order. But then he knew that
some one else would be sent in his
place, some hard-hearted creature, who
would in no way consider the poor
children. And little Francois was SC
pale and sickly that the fright and pain
would surely kill him. So he thought
for a moment, and then carried ont
Henri's wishes, took out two Of his
teeth and left little Francois unhurt.
The brave boy never WINGED mol
cried, though poor little Francois die
both at the sight of his brother suffer
ing for him. Week by week came the
doctor, and week by week Henri cheer
fully parted with two teeth, till all were
gone!
He did not mind the pain much, ant
Francois was saved. But bad air anC
want of exercise and mothers love die
/ f.. hot ~,
could not do-they undermined hi
health and brought on slow fever. No
much talking went on now between tn,
prisoners. Henri was too weak to chez
his little neighbor as he used to do. Bu
! the last day the feeble spirit fiickere(
up, and he called to his baby brother
"Dear, 1 am going to leave you. All
l am sorry not to see our mother befor
/ die. My heart tells me you will sool
see her, and when you do, mind you sa,
that died loving her better even thai
l did when lived at home with her"
At these sad words little Francoi
burst into food of tears; but the eld,
boy lay back, pale and exhausted, till
minute after he said softly: "Give m
your hand, and press mine very tightly.
Poor little man! stronger ham
than that of feeble baby of
should have led him gently to the gate
of DEATH But all this was piece wit
the cruelty of Louis XI. No persui
sion would have induced him to allo'
mother or nurse to come nearer tn
wretched children.
A poor priest, indeed, was present, 4
first doubtless seeming only anothe
jailer in the eyes of the forsaken babe.
but he was a good man, and had stoo
beside many death-bed in that fri
old fortress, learning from his kin
heart what to say to each sufferer.
, SO to the sinking child he spob
strange yet pleasant words of "seein
dear father again in heaven" and, whe
the poor orphan smiled at the hapr
thought, he told him another Father u