Year: 1863

nc'I have no occasion for it." returned the
girl. -I,g '55 III


"That I believe" replied Henry; you
wound with sharper darts, at the same time
regarding the beautiful innocent who stood
before him. He bIushed as well as she, and
held his hand involuntary to his breast, as
if to preserve it from some disaster. Un,
able to utter another word he bowed, and
went back to his companions. NS --
q, The game was already over the cour


ers returned to the palice, which was sit
uated on the sloping plain on the banks OF
the Blaize, and the spectators and common
people soon after dispersed. The young
fair one also went away with her compan
ions, who seemed to beenvious Of her. She
walked, however, quite sorrowfully and 81
lently along, regarding nothing but the
pierced rose, and looked as If the heart
within her had shared similar fate to that
of the rose. b" tI-


Henry having arrived at the palace with
the rest of the shooters, turned round once
more to look at the crowd which was dis
persng in all directions, without finding the
object of his search


"And who, pray. is that pretty girl whom
| took the rose from just now ?' said Henry
to one Of the noblemen of the queen to his
mother. r.-


"She is the daughter of the gardner of
the palace replied the other, and she does
equal credit to her father as to herself.


"What's her: name then 2"


CAT present Floretta but when she's
older, Flora


"Floretta ps exclaimed Henry, scarcely
knowing what he was saying, and gave
another look around, though conscious that
there was nothing there for him to see.


Often had Henry in his life time heard
the word love- and how could be help hear
ing it in such court as at Paris But
hitherto be had but little understood its
meaning; at present however he found not
much difficulty in understanding it, and in
his after life became more experienced than
was cfeditable to his glory. The victories
by which he afterwards gained the throne
l of France were not half so difficult to
enumerate as his amours. Even now the
villagers sing of the beautiful Gabrielle d.
Estree, Of the charming Hennriette d'En
trogues, of Jaucques de Buell. and Others
who twined roses around the thorny life OF
Henry of France; and yet among all
those he had ever loved, thore was none
like Floretta of Nerac-not one 50 beauti-
ful or so lovely, # loveliness is raised by
being more worthy Of being loved on
account of true return.


Such was Floretta, together with the
rose, her heaft had been pierced, and when
Henry gave her the dart, her dark and tiery
eye cast another into his unguarded breast


Such wsS7the beginning of the misfor
ftune of fhSse two children. Neither Of
-ftheffi k,issases hat had happened to them
Floretta was buried the live-long dayin
dreams of the moment when the young
prince stood before her with the arrow. and
her nights were sleepless As soon as Hen
~ could get away from the palace, he ran
round the garden, viewing the ilowerSwth
the greatest attention, i'll order to ascertain
by their beauty whether they had been
planted Or even watered by Floretta To
see him there with his arms folded one
would have supposed he was about to turn
botanst Al another time, when immersed
in thought and wandering up and down be.
! tween the beds with his eyes fixed on the
ground, he might have been taken for some
adept searching after the philosophers stone.
Henry, however, was only trying to discOv-
er in the gravel path. the footsteps Of his
beautiful Floretta


When arrived at the end of the garden, near
the spring of La Garrenne, trembling ran
through his body as he discerned footsteps
which could be no others than hers 1t is
true he had as yet not even seen Floretta's s
| feet much less measured them bat then
he was possessed of the truest eye and the
finest powers of calculation, as he in after
life proved on many battle field. Follow
ing this trace, he at last arrived at little
bridge thrown over the brook Of Blaize.-
On the other side of the streamlet stood a
neat little cottage which he approached
wishing to know who lived it, but could
find no one to inform him. At last he dis
covered his own arrow with the rose still
clinging round it. He started back at the
sight, and with painting heart FASTENED
again into the garden.


In the evening he visited the spot again
it was already nearly dark, but Henry's
eyssight was keen. At distance he dscoved
a girl at the spring of La Garenne, whom,
frome her size he took to be no other than
Floretta. She drew up bucket If water,
and lifting it on her head she went through
the thicket over the little bridge to the
cottage.


That evening there was ball given at
the palace, at which the princess and the
ladies Of the court were all present; but to
the eyes of the young prince there was not
one that stepped so prettily as the little
gardener, with the bucket on her head
Afterwards when he arose to dance him
self, his looks rested less on bis fair palmer
than at the door where the spectators were
standing


The next morning Henry was up with
| lark and went out with the spade on his
shoulder to the spring, which, in his opinion,
had too wild and neglected appearance
round about, probably no one ever went
there unless to get water, as it vas 80 far
from the palace. He set about digging a
| lor1 nir>1a in fba ,,-fo II II