The Port Gibson reveille., 1909-11-04
Stories
Of Cradles.
Some Historic Ones Used
by Royalty and Others
that Cost Fortunes

circle. Consequently, the world and
his wife perused with deep interest
a paragraph in the newspapers which
gave details Of the cradles used by
the heir to the throne Of Holland,
says "The London Globe" These are
three in number, each of them
work of art. The one given by The
Hague is Of round, trellislike wood
work in white and gilt. Twelve thou
sand hours Of work have been given
by thirty-four lacemakers to make the
lace Of which the hood is entirely
made, while the rest of its accessor-
les are of a luxurious description.
Amsterdam has also presented era
die of rosewood, with silk curtainsS
but, although it is stately, it is not
considered equal to The Hague era
die. The third tiny bed, however, IS
surrounded with the halo of romance;
for it is the one that was used by
Queen Wilhelmina herself, and this
Is the cradle which will be most ,oc-
cupied by the little stranger.
But although the trio Of cradles are
handsome homes of sleep for the roy
al babe, their get-up does not put in
the shade the cradle exhibited at the
Paris Exhibition of 1900. This was
the one used by Napoleon II, and was
designed by M. Prud'hOn, its total cost
being e240. But there is to be seen
in the French capital still more
historic cradle-tlle one occupied by
the i'll fated Prince Imperial. 1t is in
rosewood, with old silver and bronze
ornamentation. At the head is a
statue, in old silver, of the City OF
Paris, holding over the pillow an i'm
per.al crown in gilded bronze. The
pillow is of white satin, with the gold
embroidered letter ''N' thereon. This
Infants bed was presented to Paris
by the ex-Empress Eugene, and it
was originally given to her by the
people of the same city.
The cradle, too, which Rome pre-
sented to the King and Queen of Italy,
On the occasion of the birth Of their
irst child, was a magnificent work
Of art. The supports of the cradle
proper are in gilded bronze, the era
lie itself being in silver. At the head
Is a column ornamented with Roman
trophies, surmounted by a figure of
Rome, with a crown in her hand,
while on the inside is the wolf OF
The Capitol Opposite at the foot, is
female figure, the genius of the
House of Savoy, the wings distended
as though to protect the child, and
grasping in her hands the arms OF
he House of Savoy and Montenegro.
The figure of Rome is over eight
ieet in height being upheld by four
lions, which are connected by the
arms of the twelve districts of Rome.
I A still more interesting cradle to
British people was the one shown at
the International Exhibition of 1851
for it was the royal cradle prepared
for the use of the infant prince OF
Wales (now Edward VlD. It is Of
boxwood, two feet wide and two feet
ten inches long, the design being
symbolical of the royal houses of Eng
and and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In
1 hhe centre of one end is the armorial
bearing of Queen Victoria, surrounded
by foliage, flowers and birds. On the
rocker beneath is seen the head OF
/ Nox, the Goddess of Night, represented
/ by a sleeping figure. At the back
Of the head of the cradle are the
arms of the Prince Consort. On the
/ other rocker is the head of Somnus
the God OF Sleep. In the interior ot
the head of the cradle are guardian
angels, and above is the royal crown
\ embedded in foliage. The friezes al
the sides of the cradle are made uI
of roses, poppies. foliage, butterflies
and birds, while beneath them rise
a variety Of pinks.
Another cradle of great historic in
terest occupies as honored place
among the many treasures possessed
by Lord Salisbury at Hatfield House
And that it is worth it's weight il
gold is apparent from the fact that
it was occupied by Queen Elizabeth
I in her infancy. When Queen Victoria
and Prince Albert visited the ances
tral home of the Cecils in 1916. Hel
Majesty was greatly interested in thC
crib of her illustrious predecessor
and when, about 1900, Lord Salisbury
presented her with a miniature repre-
duction Of the cradle in silver, she
received it joyfully. The model is
beautiful and costly piece of work
nanship, about one-fourth the size O
the original, which, although nov
somewhat fragile. was especial.
brought to town for the purpose of Sc
curing a perfect copy. When its own
er found that this ancient cradle hat
begun to be damaged through visitor.
rocking it, he had the rockers remov
4 ed.
Probably the most expensive cradl'
ever. constructed was the one made
to the order of a certain fnancie
4 whose name for long time figured
largely in the newspapers. When th'
South African Rand boom set Il
some ten years or so ago, this gen
tleman found himself in possession o
a very big paper fortune. Seeming
ly anxious. to get rid of it as soon a
possible. he went to a London firm
and had a cradle made at a cost, ]
is said, Of no less than G15,003 ($75
OO0). Not long after the cradle wa
delivered It's owners. speculation
went awry, and when he had to leav'
his mansion through the imDortunit
Of his creditors. the cradle accompan
led his wife into apartments. As N
purchaser was forthcoming to buy th
cradle intact, Il was broken up, tn
i T51i ~