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another Joan of Arc； though she was indeed a younger and much
more beautiful girl general；seized the lion…banner of her
house； and； at the head of her reserve troops； charged through
the open gate straight into the ranks of her victorious foes。
There was neither mercy nor gentleness in her heart then。 As when
she had cowed with a look Ajax； the lion； so now； with defiance
and wrath in her face； she dashed straight at the foe。
Her disheartened knights rallied around her； and； following the
impetuous girl； they wielded axe and lance for the final
struggle。 The result came quickly。 The ponderous battle…axe of
the knight of Leyenburg crashed through the helmet of the Lord of
Arkell； and as the brave young leader fell to the ground； his
panic…stricken followers turned and fled。 The troops of
Jacqueline pursued them through the streets of Gorkum and out
into the open country； and the vengeance of the countess was
sharp and merciless。
But in the flush of victory wrath gave way to pity again； and the
young conqueror is reported to have said； sadly and in tears：
〃Ah！ I have won； and yet how have I lost！〃
But the knights and nobles who followed her banner loudly praised
her valor and her fearlessness； and their highest and most
knightly vow thereafter was to swear 〃By the courage of our
Princess。〃
The brilliant victory of this girl of sixteen was not； however；
to accomplish her desires。 Peace never came to her。 Harassed by
rebellion at home； and persecuted by her relentless and
perfidious uncles； Count John of Bavaria； rightly called 〃the
Pitiless；〃 and Duke Philip of Burgundy； falsely called 〃the
Good；〃 she； who had once been Crown Princess of France and Lady
of Holland； died at the early age of thirty…six； stripped of all
her titles and estates。 It is； however； pleasant to think that
she was happy in the love of her husband； the baron of the
forests of the Duke of Burgundy； a plain Dutch gentleman； Francis
von Borselen； the lad who； years before； had furnished the gray
gabardine that had shielded Count William's daughter from her
father's lions。
The story of Jacqueline of Holland is one of the most romantic
that has come down to us from those romantic days of the knights。
Happy only in her earliest and latest years； she is；
nevertheless； a bright and attractive figure against the dark
background of feudal tyranny and crime。 The story of her
womanhood should indeed be told； if we would study her life as a
whole； but for us； who can in this paper deal only with her
romantic girlhood； her young life is to be taken as a type of the
stirring and extravagant days of chivalry。
And we cannot but think with sadness upon the power for good that
she might have been in her land of fogs and floods if； instead of
being made the tool of party hate and the ambitions of men； her
frank and fearless girl nature had been trained to gentle ways
and charitable deeds。
To be 〃the most picturesque figure in the history of Holland；〃 as
she has been called； is distinction indeed； but higher still must
surely be that gentleness of character and nobility of soul that；
in these days of ours； may be acquired by every girl and boy who
reads this romantic story of the Countess Jacqueline； the fair
young Lady of Holland。
CATARINA OF VENICE：
THE GIRL OF THE GRAND CANAL。
＇Afterward known as Queen of Cyprus and 〃Daughter of the
Republic。〃＇ A。D。 1466。
〃Who is he？ Why do you not know； Catarina mia？ 'T is his Most
Puissant Excellency； the mighty Lord of Lusignan； the runaway
Heir of Jerusalem； the beggar Prince of Cyprus； with more titles
to his nameho ho； ho！than he hath jackets to his back； and
with more dodging than ducats； so 't is said； when the time to
pay for his lodging draweth nigh。 Holo； Messer Principino！ Give
you good…day； Lord of Lusignan！ Ho； below there here is tribute
for you。〃
And down upon the head of a certain sad…faced； seedy…looking
young fellow in the piazza； or square； beneath； descended a
rattling shower of bonbons； thrown by the hand of the speaker； a
brown…faced Venetian lad of sixteen。
But little Catarina Cornaro； just freed from the imprisonment of
her convent…school at Padua； felt her heart go out in pity
towards this homeless young prince； who just now seemed to be the
butt for all the riot and teasing of the boys of the Great
Republic。
〃Nay； nay； my Giorgio；〃 she said to her brother； 〃 't is neither
fair nor wise so to beset one in dire distress。 The good sisters
of our school have often told us that 't is better to be a beggar
than a dullard； and sure yon prince； as you do say he is； looketh
to be no dolt。 But ah； see there！〃 she cried； leaning far over
the gayly draped balcony； 〃see； he can well use his fists； can he
not！ Nay； though； 't is a shame so to beset him； say I。 Why
should our lads so misuse a stranger and a prince？〃
It was the Feast Day of St。 Mark； one of the jolliest of the
old…time holidays of Venice； that wonderful City of the Sea；
whose patron and guardian St。 Mark； the apostle； was supposed to
be。 Gondolas； rich with draperies of every hue that completely
concealed their frames of sombre black； shot in and out； and up
and down all the water…streets of the beautiful city； while
towering palace and humbler dwelling alike were gay with gorgeous
hangings and fluttering streamers。
In noticeable contrast with all the brilliant costumes and
laughing faces around him was the lad who just now seemed in so
dire a strait。 He had paused to watch one of the passing pageants
from the steps of the Palazzo Cornaro； quite near the spot where；
a century later； the famous bridge known as the Rialto spanned
the Street of the Nobles； or Grand Canalone of the most notable
spots in the history of Venice the Wonderful。
The lad was indeed a prince； the representative of a lordly house
that for more than five hundred years had been strong and
powerful； first as barons of France； and later as rulers of the
Crusaders' kingdom of Jerusalem and the barbaric but wealthy
island of Cyprus。 But poor Giacomo； or James； of Lusignan； royal
prince though he was； had been banished from his father's court
in Cyprus。 He had dared rebel against the authority of his
step…mother； a cruel Greek princess from Constantinople； who
ruled her feeble old husband and persecuted her spirited young
step…son； the Prince Giacomo。
And so； with neither money nor friends to help him on； he had
wandered to Venice。 But Venice in 1466； a rich； proud； and
prosperous city； was a very poor place for a lad who had neither
friends nor money； for； of course； the royal prince of a little
island in the Mediterranean could not so demean himself as to
soil his hands with work！
So I imagine that young Prince Giacomo had any thing but a
pleasant time in Venice。 On this particular Feast Day of St。
Mark； I am certain that he was having the most unpleasant of all
his bitter experiences； as； backed up against one of the columns
of the Cornaro Palace； he found himself surrounded by a crowd of
thoughtless young Venetians； who were teasing and bullying him to
the full content of their brutal young hearts。
The Italian temper is known to be both hot and hasty； but the
temper of oriental Cyprus is even more fiery； and so it was not
surprising that； in this most one…sided fray； the fun soon became
fighting in earnest； for anger begets anger。
All about the young prince was a tossing throng of restless and
angry boys； while the beleaguered lad； still standing at bay；
flourished a wicked…looking stiletto above his head and answered
taunt with taunt。
At this instant the door of the Cornaro Palace opened quickly；
and the Prince Giacomo felt himself drawn bodily within； while a
bright…faced young girl with flashing eye and defiant air
confronted his greatly surprised tormentors。
〃Shame； shame upon you； boys of Venice；〃 she cried； 〃thus to
ill…use a stranger in your town！ Is a score of such as you
against one poor lad the boasted chivalry of Venice？ Eh via！ the
very fisher…lads of Mendicoli could teach you better ways！〃
Taken quite aback by this sudden apparition and these stinging
words； the boys dispersed with scarce an attempt to reply； and
all the more hastily because they spied； coming up the Grand
Canal； the gorgeous gondola of the Companions of the Stocking； an
association of young men under whose charge and supervision all
the pageants and displays of old Venice were given。
So the piazza was speedily cleared； and the Prince Giacomo； with
many words of thanks to his young and unknown deliverers； hurried
from the spot which had so nearly proved disastrous to him。
Changes came suddenly in those unsettled times。 Within two years
both the Greek step…mother and the feeble old king were dead； and
Prince Giacomo； after a struggle for supremacy with his
half…sist