She was afterwards received with great honor inFrance, according to the princess, and was encouraged to establish aschool for little children, where she taught reading and writing to thedaughters of high-born families. "And by this honest industry," says theprincess, "she supported herself during the remainder of her life, havingno other wish than to exhort every one to love and confidence towards God,offering them as an example, the great pity which he had shown for her."XXBIMINI AND THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTHWhen Juan Ponce de Leon set forth from Porto Rico, March 13, 1512, toseek the island of Bimini and its Fountain of Youth, he was moved by thelove of adventure more than by that of juvenility, for he was then butabout fifty, a time when a cavalier of his day thought himself but in hisprime. He looked indeed with perpetual sorrow--as much of it as a Spaniardof those days could feel--upon his kinsman Luis Ponce, once a renownedwarrior, but on whom age had already, at sixty-five, laid its hand inearnest. There was little in this slowly moving veteran to recall one whohad shot through the lists at the tournament, and had advanced with hisshort sword at the bull fight,--who had ruled his vassals, and won thelove of high-born women. It was a vain hope of restored youth which hadbrought Don Luis from Spain to Porto Rico four years before; and, whenPonce de Leon had subdued that island, his older kinsman was foreverbeseeching him to carry his flag farther, and not stop till he had reachedBimini, and sought the Fountain of Youth.
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