The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-05-15
cAAPrgR XII.
The Mother q ! PrInee.


The walls Of the palace at Ancona
dropped TO the sea; against them the
waves danced. Out on the blue wa
ter lay feet OF fishing boats, and the
wind tapped torn sails. aad the sun
light glanced on battered bulls and
Uttered decks. The woman who sat
by an open window OF the palace
pushed the black trailing OF her gown
from her. as II the somberness hurt
her eyes: she laid her head against
the wlndowframe and stared at the
breezetossed waves and the fishing
feet.
IN may be our only hope OF escape
those wretched boats. she said, half
aloud and her blue eyes we're full OF
sadness, almost OF hopelesHness.
A sound caught her ear. and she lift
ed her head quickly. The door into
the next room was partly open and
some one moved there. that was all
She turned. the lines Of her figure
falling again into melancholy pose.
*The doctor takes a long time" she
spoke. and gazed out once more to tho
water
There had been spirited young
girl years before who had romped IN
the gardens OF Malmaison. who had
led the laughter which echoed through
those avenues OF lime and plantain.
whose sweetness and viyhcity had
drawn the figure OF Napoleon himself
into the vortex OF gladness which was
her atmosphere Always brightness
seemed TO follow her through the en-.
chantmeut OF the place. always she
seemed 70 move In gaiety. To-day, on
March morning OF 1880. this was she
--Iiortense
The daughter OF France she had
been, the queen Of Holland. and now
for years an exile. Here. IN, fugi-
tive, In her nephew's palace at An
coma. with the Austrians at the gate
OF the city, she waited In anxiety all
most more intense than she could bear
the word Of the doctor as to her son
Five days before. at Forli. her older
boy had died. and her sore heart
stirred with a sickening throb as she
thought OF this other Louis now her
only child. lying in the room beyond
in high fever M with the disease
with which his brother had fallen. A
womans soul might well be over
crowded with such sorrow and such
fear. but there was more. Her two
boys had thrown in their lot shortly
before with the Italian revolutionists,
and had fought. and had distinguished
themselves And now that the revo
luton OF the Romagna was failure
that the Austrian army was adyanc'
ing yictoriously. now that death had
taken the older 10 safety, the younger
Louis 1.-The invalid lad in the room
beyond. was In imminent danger, He
was excepted from the general am
nesty: the natural ways OF escape
were closed, for the authorities d
Tuscany and Of Switzerland had lei
her know that the Prince would not b.
permitted In those territories. Frou
Rome two Of her sons uncles, Cardi
nal Fesch and King Jerome. had sen
word that IL he were taken by this
ABstrians he was lost And at tn,
moment when Hortense had decided t,
carry ntA bO4 bh " tuiheg Eg va
Of Corfu. an Austrian fieet appeares
in the Adriatie.
In such a critical state were th'
affairs OF the blaek-gowned womal
who gazed from the palace window
20 the yea. The doctor was with he
son. The boys condition seemed L
her no better. but worse than the da
before; she waited an official verdict
The door opened and she looked up a
tall man came in.
Doctor she stammered an
gtoppcd-she feared TO ask
Your majesty" the old man sal
grayely. Il grieye 10 be the beare
of bad news
.He is worse, Doctor?" The wore
came With gasp; she felt that st
could not face more trouble
Yes, your Majesty, the fever hi
Increased since yesterday. With
youth and strength We may hope
be Is carefully nursed-but to mo-
him wcgld be madness"