Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-09-21

THE CHILDHOOD OF A QUEEN.
~ Paul Xilleman.l

Nhile Josephine. Napoleon : HfSt VIE.
lived ia retirement az Malmaison with
her small court. she very seldom wore
Jewels though she had SO many that she
had a special treasure room made for
them.
Her young ladies IN waiting were dy.
ing TO get "A glimpse of these. Of which
their mothers had spoken. with % much
enthusiasm. and one day when the EN-.
press was in particularly good humor
they begged her to show them her treas
ures.
Josephine ~ last consented with a
sad smilc and ordered three big tables
placed ia The drawing room. Then she
handed over her KEYS 20 the lady who
was az the head ~ her court. and a mum
her ~ maids were soon busy CARRYING In
scores Of eases large and small and plac.
ing them on the tables. The boxes were
opened and the vpung girls broke n in
ordinations ~ delight al the sight Of
these treasures from al parts Of the
world collected Nv Frances first cmpcr.
or.
Josephine silently enjoyed their delight
IN handling these priceless diamonds. en-
'eraldS and pearls. but then she 60:
DO YOU know. Young ladies'. WHY I
show You these things? First Of all.
because want You NOT 10 attribute too
much value 80 treasures Of this kind.
Having seen these You will not be in
clincd 10 admire less costly icwelrv. and
y want yOu 10 understand that YOU NAV
be ~drcadfully unhappy even with such
treasures IN Your possession. Lock "a
these earrings
She held up a pair of sparkling ear
rings. They are magnificent. Are they
not They are valued "a half Il million
francs. and before they became mine they
belonged 40 poor Queen Marie Antuincttr
who was gnillotincsi. after losing Or to-
ing separated from everybody she loved
in this world"
One n the Young girls said hcsitating
~: "Hui surely il must be- lovely to he
ail" "a Wear such things and surely your
majesty fclt happy 10 receive such won
ieff1I presents"
The empress nodded her head thought
fully.
Yes. ~ first | was. but I very soon
grew tired of them. 7 assure YOU that
not one II these precious ornaments has
given me- halt ~ much happiness a. u
pair Of old shoes ] had given 10 me once
Evidently Josephine read nm expires
sion ~ doubt In the Young girls faces.
for She said with a smile:
y see that yon do not believe me. hut
! can prove what I say. You know TINT
All these jewels were brought here from
my strong room. but the coStIicst thing
| own Il not kept there and never Gets
that far away from me-"
Josephine went 10 a small cabinet. n
masterpiece bv Charles Andrew Roulc.
Opened one Of the many little doors and
took out a pair of old shoes of the most
primitive kind and placed them on the
table among the Jewels.
Il viii tell you the story Of these little
shoes IL begins MANY wears ago. long
before the time when any one thought
that ! was destined 10 bccomc empress
y France. The name Of BeauharnaiS.
which was my mime then. was known 10
very few people. I had neither gold nor
diamonds. hut was - poor indeed that
2 small sum invested IN France was my
whole wealth. and Il was a. sell certain
papers that ] camc here all the wav from
Marfiniqnc. The trip almost exhausted
my little store ~ cash ami I had ~ con.
sidcr every single thing | bought before
Nc started.
"ilorienSc az that time WAS 4 very
pretty and lively little girl. In Martin.
ipne she had learned many ~ the negroes
songs ami dances and with these she H..
lighted the sailors. whose pet she soon
became. They spoiled her in every WAY
possible and She spent her manifest
hours among them. She WAS particular.
n fond "f an old mate. who adnrcl her
and with whom | was sure Al fiji her
whichever she had run away from me.
bai her dancing quickly wore out her lii
'lesi"c~ and a. She knew that II was the
only pair lhe had She dared rot III me
see how worn out the soleS were. fearinu
that would forbid her To ~ on the deck
he concealed this fact from ne until
one DAY. | discovered spots If blood on
one 81 the shoes.
became scared and asked her n she
had hurt her foot.
IN. ~. mother" she replied.
hnt N"nr foot j. bleeding"
On that i nothing she said. moth.
ing N all
~ course she hal t0 show me- her
loot and ! discovered that the >nles ~