Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-07-09

first eight years he was only in name her hus-
band, for, though always respectful, he was
distant in his manners and never was with
her alone
This want Of affection on the part of her hus-
band, was to Marie, possessing as she did a
nature that yearned to be most tenderly loved
a source of grief and great unhappiness
The profigate and licentious Louis the XIV
| died in 1774, and the Dauphiness of twenty
years of age became Queen of France She
displayed great generosity and at first was
very popular with the masses OF the people
but at court, from the very beginning, there
was party who were her enemies Insidiously
they sought every means to calumniste her
fame-to sully her character Owing to causes
we cannot, in this brief notice, even mention
great and multiplied difficulties beset the
throne, and trials and misery lowered around
the royal family. The story of the diamond
necklace is known to nearly every reader
After that the sunshine of the Queens life
disappeared In the retirement of her own
boudoir she wept, almost with the anguish of
a broken heart
The awful reign of terror like the de-
vouring elements, swallowed UP and DESTROYED
both good and bad An ignorant and brutal
mob, frenzied with rage and wine, set at de-
hance all law, and swept with unresisting
power the avenues and streets of Paris Nor
did they stop there; for the breath of their de
struction shook and agitated all Europe
| In hat 81 A. /,
with all their hellish passions, was assembled
In one dense, swaying mass around the royal
palace at Versailles Amid the fire of mus
kerry and the maddened shouts of the popu-
lace, the Queen was self collected. and bore
herself Ike Queen. She displayed the great
est heroism. Her soul sweled with fearless
ness and magnanimity She ever, during
such awful scenes, forgot self but not hus-
band and children. They were dearer to her
| heart than life and all else. She was urged
10y friends-she was entreated by the King to
| Tee and save her own life. Often did near and
| dear friends warn her of danger, which she
| knew and saw clearly When informed that
the frantic mob was pouring on for the palace
she replied: Nothing shall induce me, in such
an extremity, to be separated from my husband
l know that they seek my life; but am the
daughter Of Marie Theresa, and l have learn
ed not to fear death, ~ Thousands of the vag-
abonds. composing the mob, shouted, stimuli
taneously-''The Queen the Queen
Leading her two children, she appears upon
the balcony. The sympathy of the vast con-
course was moved. Much as they had been
taught to hate Marie, they had not the heart
| to massacre those innocent children. Away
| with the children - resounded upon the air
| After leading them into the palace, the Queen
appeared alone on the balcony, and with
folded arms, raised her eyes to heaven Not
gun was fired; the motley multitude remain
ed silent for moment, and then, at the hero
ism of the act, burst forth with rapturous ap-
plause.
For two years the gorgeous and famous
Tuilleries were her close prison; during which
time the royal family were guarded, ieered at
by prohlgate women, and made to suffer every
indignity that mob after mob could invent and
devise
Of the flight of the King with his family,
and their capture, just as they began to in
dulge in the fond hope that they were safe.
we forbear to speak Pen nbr tongue can
never express that night Of mental anguish
which Marie endured in the grocer's chamber.
Her woe was so intense that her auburn hair
was changed to locks as white as fallen snow.
The first dungeon of the royal family was
the temple. They were deprived of every lux
ury, and made to submit to the grossest in
suits. While here, the streets Of Paris run
riot with noble blood The King was soon
condemned, and suffered death manfully. The
Queen was torn from her children 9. mid
night dark hour, and was incalcerated in a
cell of the Concieregerie. 1t contained one
chair, pine table and in one corner a mis-
erable pallet Such was the furniture of the
Queen of France, and this, too, in a room
where water trinkled down the wallis. and
mud covered the floor When the death war
rant was read to her, within twenty-four
hours, not tremor shook her debilitated
frame In an open court, with her hands
bound behind her, she was conveyed to the
place of execution With firm step, she as
cended the scaffold, and on bended knees.
poured forth a prayer of agony for her dear
imprisoned children Slowly the fatal axe of
the guillotine descended, and in the thirty
seventh year Of her life, Marie Antoinette
closed her mournful career ~