A NARROW ESCAPE.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 15 May 1912, Page 3

A NARROW ESCAPE.

Perhaps you have never heard how Francis, Duke of Lorraine, and his wife, owed their escape from captivity to the fact that they made the attempt upon the first of April. The Duke and Duchess were imprisoned at Nantes, and upon the morning of All Fools' Day they disguised themselves as peasants, and so managed to pass through the gates of the city without attracting notice.

There was only one person, a woman, who recognised them, and as soon as she had done so she ran in haste to the guard to give the alarm. But the sentry, remembering the day and the month, suspected hW of trying to play a practical joke upon him.

"April fool." he cried out, with a loud laugh, while all the guard, to a man, did likewise.

In vain did the woman try to make them believe her story,; they only mocked her, and refused to pursue the fugitives.

The tale soon spread among the people, and was at length repeated as a jest to the Governor himself. But the great man did not take the same view of the matter, so ordered an investigation to be made.

This was accordingly done, when it was discovered that the Duke and his wife had really escaped. However, it was then too late to recapture them, as in the meantime they had reached a place of safety. Thus, was it that "All Fools' Day" proved a lucky one indeed for Duke Francis and his Duchess.