Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-07-02
FOR YOUTHFUL READERS,
SUBJECTS THAT WILL INTEREST
THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
A King In a Tortoise-SheIl--B
ing For Boy's--Bad Company
"A Spelling Match--The
Soudan Raven.
A King In a Tortoiso-Sheli.


The cradle that a queen should
choose for her princely little baby
must be a very grand affair, don't
| you think so? Perhaps made OF choice
or costly words, or even of precious
metal. In either case it must you
think, be most beautifully shaped,
and perhaps carved with figures OF
sweet little cherubs watching over the
favored mortal baby as he sleeps soft
ly amid his clouds OF fine linen and
delicate lace.
That may all be. What made me
think OF it was something l heard a
traveller tell about within a few days.
This traveller had lately come from
France. While in that country he
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 cast OF Pau in the year 1858,
said the traveller, lived the old King
OF Navarro, and here, in the same year
was born his grandson Henry, Prince
OF Navarro, afterwards known the
world over as Henry the Great, King
OF France and Navarro. He was call
ed great not only because he 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 and prosperous as well
as glorious.
So his people loved him, and after
his death they cherished everything
that belonged to him with the great
est care, Here, in his castle OF Pau,
is still treasured the cradle in which
the royal baby was rocked to rest.
1t is a cradle made all OF tortoise
shell.
Shouldn't you think it would break
very easily? 1t would ii it were thin
and polished tortoise shell, like girl
dainty bracelet, which is as brittle as
glass; but there is little danger of this
royal cradle meeting any such fate
no more danger than if the shell
We're still on the back of the
turtle, its first owner The she'll is
not polished Or altered in any way
1t was taken from the back of the big
sea-turtle (which had carried it so long
and thought himself so safe in his
stout shell-house), and was cleaned
and turned over on his back.
Then only little blanket was laid
in it, 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 whittier or
not the turtle-shell cradle was mount
cd on rockers. Ii not, how could the
cradle have been rocked without Civ
ing the poor little baby most terrible
jouncing?
A little boy who was walking with
the ira weller and his friend, said that
he didn't think the little Prince Henry
had half so 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
comfortable. 1t may be more babies
would grow up to be strong and hardy
men and women if they We're not
treated quite so tenderly at tirst.-St.
Nicholas.