The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-23

queIdulnS gong on. Inc NalOlS
boys had more pets and more jewelry
and richer clothes and more graceful
manners than we're dreamed of in the
plain little kingdom of Navarro.
Henry, who was about eight years
old, thought all this very fine. He
soon lost his Southern accent and his
countrifed ways, and he was so good
tempered and lively that even his
spoiled, languid cousins liked him.
He learned to fence and dance and
bow and write poetry, necessary parts
OF young nobleman's education.
Catherine de Medici often interfered
with deeper studies, for she did not
wish any of the young princes led to
think seriously. In her calculating,
selfish way she liked the Southern
lad. She kept him with her even at
her council-table and in journeys
about the country, where, being a
wide-awake, observant boy he perhaps
learned as much as he might have
learned in school. Catherine used to
laugh at his sharp speeches, but she
did not laugh at his strong arm, when
one day in childish quarrel he beat
two of her sons. He was soundly
whipped for this, but little cared he.
He was used to punishmentsf from his
own mother, strict Queen Jeanne,
who was now far away at home and
longing to see her boy again. 1t was
most unwillingly that she ever al
lowed him away from her, but she
dared not offend her powerful French
Citations, and Catherine de Medici
insisted on Henry's spending year
after year with her.
At this time France was divided
between two great religious parties,
the Catholics and the Professionals or
Huguenots. They hated each other
bitterly; they fought and killed each
other in the name of loving Saviour
For fifty years civil war, murder,
persecution and torture went on in
termittently. AS the Catholics were
the stronger party, they committed
most of the cruelties, but the Hugue.
nots were by no means free from
blame. Catherine de Medici was a
| Catholic, but she was a treacher-
GUS creature who really cared for
neither religion, and sided first with
one and then with the other, just as
it suited her. Jeanne d'Albret,
Henry's mother, was strong and
conscientious Huguenot, and brought
up her son in the same way. You
may imagine how it distressed her
that SO much of his youth was spent
with the enemies of her religion.
When at last she managed to get
| him back he was a tall, broad
shouldered boy of thirteen, who
| looked sixteen. He was a brown
skinned, big-nosed fellow, with short
crispy curling black hair, that almost
stood on end, in enthusiastically
alert and vigorous way, above broad
forehead; he had a merry flashing
smile, that showed his white teeth
and lit up his dark eyes till he was
almost handsome. At all events the
people of Navarro praised his good
looks and his good heart and his
good manners, and he livened things
up wonderfully in his mothers prim
prosy little court. When Henry was
fifteen, Queen Jeanne took him and
an orphan cousin of his, the young
Prince of Condo, to the Huguenot
army and solemly dedicated her "two
sons" as she called them, to fight for
the good cause. The boys had never
met before, but they were destined to
fight side by side nearly all the rest
of their lives. They were both clever
active. eager lads, good riders and
good swordsmen. Condo was little
older, but Navarro was taller. On
account of their high rank the young
princes were considered the leaders
of the army, but the real comma nder
was the great Admiral Coligny, one
of the noblest men who ever lived.
The Catholics used mockingly to call
them 'the Admiral's pages;" but the
boys had only to look into that brave
old face to make up tt cir minds that
here vas one whom it was an hc nor
for even princes of the blood royal
TO serve. He taught them to com
mand an army and to command
themselves. Henry was born sol
dier; dashing in attack; patient and
wary in defense; always CHEEKY, never
discouraged, and with gift of say
ing a few eloqut mt words, just at the
light time to stir the hearts of his
followers. The war dragged on fit.
fully for a year or two. Sometimes
the Huguenots won and sometimes
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