QUEER FACTS OF HISTORY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 136, 30 May 1908, Page 4

QUEER FACTS OF HISTORY

JiKITAIN'X FREEDOM AT AX Al'E'S lIERCY. To-day Britain might be groaning under a lyranny almost as terrible us that Ijciioatli which the Russian " inonjik" Hiii'ers, hud not a common nurne-girl had uncoumioniv good hcarXr it is recorded that when hut a few months old Oliver Cromwell was left alone for a few moments in his cradle. A pot monkey belonging to \ neighbour broke its chain, and, trespassing into the garden of the Cromwell's house, wa s attracted by the whining cries of the future l'rotcctor, and the window lH'ing open the animal clambered in, and, seizing the infant's throat with its skinnv lingers, would in another instant have' strangled his life out had not the scream# attracted the nurse's attention and brought her running to Ihe scene. A BUKAKKAKT WHICH COST A KIM! Ills HEAD. Few meals, however unpalatable, are ever likely to have such terrible conse-; tpieiices as T .i breakfast eaten on June 21st. 17HI. On that summer morning l.ouis XVI. and Marie Antoinette lie I. from Ihe Tuileries. The King was an enormous eater, and lie ordered thai; all sorts of povisiuns should be placed in his coach. Hut even lhcisc did not content him. As sOioi as he thought himself beyond the each of the Revolutionists, despite the entreaties of the Queen, he decided. In .-.top ;u Ktogcs tor breakfast. There a copii.u« meal was served, and proved ihe lio;,al undoing. I'or. thanks to tin 1 delay, when the fugitives reached Yarcmics the Austrian troops, who had been waiting to escort tin in to a place of safety, bad left, believing that Louii. had determined to stay at Paris, and the travellers were recognised and arrested, never again to be allowed to escape till the guillotine fell and elided their troubles. OBESITY WHICH. SAVED EXtl LAND'S LIBERTY. The mode in which that, bulwark of our constitution, the Habeas Corpus Act. became law. is very remarkable. So grave an historian as Bishop Burnet relates that it was earired by an "odd artifice." Lord* Crey and Norris were named to be tellers. Lord Xorris being a man subject to vapours, was not at all times attentive to what lie was doing; so, a very fat lord coming in, Lord tirey counted liim tor ten, us a jest at first, but, seeing that Lord Xorris bad not observed it, he went on with his liiisrcckoning of ten; so it was reported to the House, and declared that tlicv who were for the Hill were in the majority.

WHEN EUROPE FEARED A MARKET GARDENER.

No more startlingly sudden or meteoric flight into greatness was perhaps ever achieved than by Giulio Alberoni, who, from being a market gardener, working with his hands as vine-dresser in his father's gardens at Fircnzuola in Parma, became the terror of Europe. The futile Prince of the Church was an uncommonly good-looking boy, and the Due. de Yondoine adopted him and made him his secretary. In Hife way he came to by employed on a diplomatic mission to Madrid, aud there lie quickly gained the favour of Philip V. of Spain. lie promoted the marriage of the King with Eli/.alx'th Farncse. That autocratic woman made him. in 1714, Prinv> Minister of Spain, and he so rapidly improved his position that Pope Clement Nf. three years later gave him a cardinals hat.

To please the Queen Aberoni adopted a policy of aggression, and invaded Sardinia in violation of the Peace of Utrecht. All Europe was alarmed, and England, France, Austria, and Holland, as a counter-move, formed the Quadruple Alliance. But the market gardener was not to be so frightened. He openly threatened European peace; he patronised the Pretender to annoy England, and the French Protestants to annoy Louis. He tried to unite Peter of Russia and Charles Nil. with Spa»v., plunged Austria into war with the Turks, and sought to overturn the French Regency.

Rut finally his enemies were too strong for him, and Philip, losing heart, dismissed him. He retired, a broken hut wealthy man, to Piacenza, where he