The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-04-23
nlanitomof pilot.
4 Kin. in n TortOisc-Shell.

The cradle that queen should
choose for her princely little baby must
be a very grand affair, don't YOU think
SOP Perhaps made Of choIcc or costly
woods or even OF precious metal. In
either ease it mist. yoa think. be most
beautifully shaped and perhaps carved
with the figures If sweet little cherubs.
watching over the favored mortal baby
as he sleeps softly amid his clouds Of
fine linen and delicate lace.
This may all be. What made me
think OF it was something that | heard
a traveller tell about within a few days.
This traveller had lately come from
France. While in that country he had
visited the town of Pau. among the
Pyreuecs Mountains. In this town.
high up. looking over the valleys.
stands an Old, old castle, dark and
gray and gloomy. Il was built in the
GIden days when there was much fight
i'm. and mobiles and princes had to live
in castles, with walls made so thick
and strong to keep ont their enemies
that the blessed sunlight was kept out
too. and the big rooms and halls were
dark and dismal enough. Here in this
tslSilt Vi h titt ia Lt4f- ttll VI lD'iO- odlti
the traveller lived the old King Of
Navarro and here, in this same year,
was born his grandson Henry, Prince
of Navarro, aftcrward known the
world over as Henry the Great, King
of France and Navarro. He was
called great not only because he knew
how to head the armies of lis king
dom fighting his enemies. but because
he loved his people, aud tried to make
them happy and prosperous AS well as
glorious.
SO his people loved him. and after
his death they cherished everything
that had belonged to him with the
greatest care. Here. in his castle of
Pau. is still treasured the cradle in
which the royal baby was rocked to
rest.
1t is cradle made all of tortoise
she'll
Shouldn't you think it would break
very easily? 1t would if it were thin
and polished tortoi5e-shell. like girls
dainty bracelet, which is almost as
brittle a glass; but there is little dam
ger of this royal cradle meeting any
such fate no more danger than if the
shell were still on the back Of the tur-
tie, its first owner. The shell is not
polished or altered in any way. 1t
was taken from the back of the big
sea-turtle (who had carried it SO long
aud thought himself so safe in his stout
shell-housc) and was cleaned and
turned over on its back.
Then only little blanket was laid
in it. for the young Prince of Navarro
was not brought up deiicately, and in
his very cradle was taught to lie
wrapped in rough blanket. instead
of on soft cushions, AMID luxurious
linen and lace.
The traveller did not tell the friend
with whom he was talking whether or
not the turf c-shcll cradle was mounted
on rockers. II not, how could the
cradle have been rocked without Civ
ing the poor little baby most terrible
10ltilciu}l
a little boy, who was walking with
the Traveller and his friend. said that
he didn't think the little Prince Henry
had half 50 comfortable time of it as
his own little baby brother at home;
and | shouldn't wonder if that were
true. But, perhaps after all, it isn't
good for babies to be quite so comfort
able. 1t may be that more babies
would grow up 10 be strong and hardy
men and women if they were not
treated gait, So tcndcrly ut the first. =
JacI-Lt-tte- iUipH IN So. NtchO'aS.