The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-04-24
A king In a rorsolss.shei,.

The cradle that a queen should
choose for her prineeiy little baby must
be very grand affair. don't you think
SOP Perhaps matte of choice or costly
woods or even of a precious metal. In
either case II must. you think. be most
beautifully shaped and perhaps carved
with the figures of sweet little cherubs.
watching over the favored mortal baby
ns he sleeps softly amid his clouds of
fine linen and delicate lace.
This may all be. What made me
think of 1t was something that heard
n traveller tell about within n few days.
This traveller had lately come from
France. While In that country he had
visited the town of Pau. among the
Pyrenees Mountains. In this town,
high up, looking over the valleys.
stands an old. old castle. dark and
gray and gloomy. 1t was built in the
olden days when there was much fight
Ing. and mobiles and princes had to live
in castles, with walls made so thick
and strong to keep out their enemies
that the blessed sunlight was kept out
too. and the big rooms and halls were
dark and dismal enough. Here in this
castle OF Pau. in the year of 1868. said
the traveller. lived the old King of
Navarro. aud here, in this same year.
was born his grandson Henry. Prince
of Navarro, afterward known the
world over as Henry the Great. King
of France and Navarro. He was
called great not only because lie knew
how to head the armies of his king
dom, fighting his enemies, but because
he loved his people. and tried to make
them happy aud 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
shell.
Shouldn't you think IL would break
very easilyp 1t would IL 1t were thin
and polished tortoise-shell. like girls
dainty bracelet, which Is almos rs
brittle as glass; but there is little dam
ger of this royal cradle meeting any
such fate-no more danger than il the
shell were still on the back of the tur-
tie, its first owneri The shell is nos
polished or altered In any way il
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-house). and was cleaned and
turned over on its back.
Then only little blanket was laid
In il. for the young Prince of Navarro
was not brought up delicately. and in
his very cradle was taught to lie
wrapped in a 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 OF
not the turte-shell cradle was mounted
| on rockers. II not. how could the
| cradle have been rocked without Civ
ing the poor little baby most terrible
| jcuncing7
| A little boy. who was walking will
the traveller and his friend. said tha
he didn't think the little PritSce Henry
| had half 50 comfortable time of ii a.
his own little baby brother at home
and shouldn't wonder if that wer'
true But. perhaps, after all, it isu'i
good for babies to be quite so comfort
able. 1t may be that more babiei
would grow up to he strong and hardl
men and women if they were no
treated quite SO tenderly at the first
| ,Tack-iyl-ihs- P,tlp1 Iu 81 Nicholas