to sweep and dust and make beds, but
would have plenty of servants to do these things for me."

"That is a very foolish wish, my daughter, but even if you were a
princess, I think you would find it best to learn how to do these
things, so that you could do them in case of necessity."

"But it is never necessary for princesses to work."

"There my little girl proves her ignorance. If she will come to me after
her work is done, I will show her a picture."

The little bedroom was at length put to rights, and Emma came to her
mother, reminding her of her promise about the picture.

"What do you see, my child?" her mother asked, as she laid the picture
before her daughter.

"I see a young girl with her dress fastened up, an apron on, and a broom
in her hand."

"Can you tell me what kind of place she is in?"

"I do not know. There are walls and arches of stone, and a bare stone
floor. I don't think it can be a pleasant place."

"No, it is not. It is a prison, and the young girl is a king's
daughter."

"A king's daughter!"

"Yes; and her story is a very sad one."

"Please tell me about her."

"Many years ago the king of France was Louis XVI, and his wife was Marie
Antoinette. They were not a wicked king and queen, but they were
thoughtless and fond of pleasure.

"They forgot that it was their duty to look after the good of their
people; so they spent money extravagantly in their own pleasures, while
the whole nation was suffering.

"The people became dissatisfied; and when, finally, Louis and Marie
Antoinette saw the mistake they had been making, and tried to change
their conduct, it was too late.

"The people, urged on by their leaders, learned to hate their king and
queen. They were taken, with their two children, and shut up in a prison
called the Temple.

"There were dreadful times in France then, and every one who was
suspected of being friendly to the king and his family was sent to
prison and to the guillotine. The prisoners in the Temple passed the
time as best they could.

"The king gave lessons to his son and daughter every day, or read aloud
to them all, while Marie Antoinette, Madame Elizabeth, and the young
Marie Theresa sewed.

[Illustration: Louis XVI and Family in the Temple Prison]

"After awhile the angry people took away the king and beheaded him. And
shortly after the little son was separated from his mother, sister, and
aunt, and shut up by himself in the charge of a cruel jailo