Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-29
THE LAST STROKE OF FORrUNE

Ona in
winch the hrst painter Of the Flemish scbooI-
Ine immortal Rubens-was born, A. ID 1877
Si1ty years later than this date the ground
nooI was occupied by two old peOple-a shoe
maker and bis wife. The upper story, which
was usually let to dodgers, was empty at the
une we write Of Two, however, occupied the
garrett The evening was cold and wet and the
shoemaker and his wife were sitting together in
the room.
-" You had better 60 up stairs again" said
the man to bis wife. :" and see how the moor
lady Is. The old gentleman went out early. and
mas not been in since. Has she not taken any
thing"
1T is only half an hour since was nm stairs
and be had not come in. took her some broth
up al noon, but she hardly touched it, and
was up again at three; she was asleep then, and
at hve she said she should not want any thing
more"
Poor lady! This time of year, and neither
nre nor warm clothes, and not even a decent
ped To lie on; and yet / am sure she is some
Dody or other. Have you noticed the respect
with which the old gentleman treats her?''
III she wants tor anything it is her own fault
That ring she wears on her finger would get her
the best Of every thing"
Then came knock at the door, the woman
Admitted the old man they had lust spoken of
whose grizzled beard fell upon his tarnished
velvet coat. The hostess sadly wanted to have
little gossip with him; but he passed by. and
bidding them short "GOod night groped his
way up the steep and crooked staircase On
entering the chamber above, a feeble voice in
quired the cause Of his long absence
81 could not help it, he said, GO had been
copying manuscript, and rs was on my way
mere q servant met me, who was to fetch me to
raise the horoscope of two ladies who were pass-
Ing through; they were ladies who L have
known before. l thought L could get little
money to pay for some simples which will be
Of service TO you
Il am cold"
1t is fever cold. / will make YOU some
thing which you must take directlyn
The flame Of a small tin lamp suficed to
heat some water, and the patient, having taken
what the old man had provided, was diligently
covered up by him with all the clothes and ar
ticles of dress he could find. He stood by her
motionless till he perceived that she was fast
asleep, and indeed long after; he then retired
into small closet and sought repose on the
hard floor.
The next morning the lady was so much bet
Ter that her attendant proposed she should en-
deayOr to leave the house for a moment or two,
and he succeeded in getting her forth as far as
the Place st. Cecilia. 1t was seldom that she
left the house, for, notwithstanding the mean
ness OF her dress, there that about her car
rage which rendered it difficult to avoid un-
pleasant observation
Do you see that person yonder ?" she said
suddenly. . If sm not much mistaken it is
certainly the Duke Of Guise''
Ihe strangers attention had also been at
tracted, and he had now approached them
=" PaJbieH ," said he, why that is Mascali
what, are you married ~
:" He does not know me-" sighed the lady
must indeed be altered"
Msscall had, however, whispered single
word IN the dukes car, and he started as if
struck by thunderbOlt, but instantly reoov-
ering himself, he hastily uncovered, and bowed
nearly to the ground.
L beg your forgiveness" he said {. but
my eyes are grown SO weak, and could so lit
tie expect 10 have the honor of meeting
Jour-
For the love of God, - interrupted the lady,
hastily, name me not here. A title would
TOO strangely contrast with my present circum-
stances. Have you been long in Cologne?"
Three days. 1 AIN on my way from Italy.
took refuge there when our common enemy
drove me forth, and oonfiscated all my earthly
goods. L am going to Brussels"
And what are your adyices from France
ls the helm still in the hands Of that wretched
caitiff -
- lie is in the zenith of his power
See. my lordiduke, your fortunes and my
own are much alike. lou, the son of a man
who. had he not too much despised danger
might we'll have set the crown on his own head
and L at once the Queen of the mightiest na-
ton In the universe, and now both of as alike
But adeu,' she said suddenly, and drawing
herself DIP, . the sight of you, my lord duke,
has refreshed me much, and pray that fortune
once more may smile upon your steps"
Permit me TO attend your majesty To-"
slight color tinged the lady's features, as
she answered, with a gentle commanding tone ::
- Leave Us, my lord duke, il is our pleasure -
Guise bowed low, and taking the lady 5 hand,
he pressed 1t reverently to his lips. At the
corner Of the street he met some one, to whom
he pointed out the old lady, and then FASTENED
away.
The next morning knock at the door an.
nounced person inquiriDg for Monsieur Mas
cali she had a small packet for him, and also
billet. Inside this was distinctly written:
4" Two hundred louis ors constitute the whole
OF my fortune one hundred send for your use.
"GUIsE."
And the packet contained a hundred louis
d'Ors.
The sum thus obtained suficed to supply the
wants Of the pair two long years. But the last
louis Lad becn chan Sed, and the lady and her
companion were still without friendly succor
The shoemaker and his wife had undertaken a
journey to AK la Chapelle, to take up some
small legacy. 1t was the 18th February, 1912
a Iow sound OF moaning might have been
heard Issuing from the garret; a withered fe-
male form, more like a skeleton than thing
of flesh and blood, was lying a wretched bed
Oi straw, IN the agonies Of death. The means
grew more and more indistnct; slight rafting
AZ tnc tniOaI WIS at leDStn the only auulDlo
sound, and this also ceased. An hour later an
old man, dressed in rags and tatters, entered
the chamber. One only word had esca ped his
lips as he tumbled up the falling staircase
Nothing nothing" He drew near the bed
ilstiessly, but in a moment seized arm OF
the corpse with almost cOnvulsige motion,
and letting it suddenly fall he eried-'Dead,
dead, Of hunger, cold, and starvation"
And this lady was Mary Of Medicis wife of
Henry ~, Queen Regent Of France; mother f
Louis Nil; of Isabella, Queen of Spain; of
tfehrietta. Queen Of England, of Christina,
Duchess Of Savoy; of CASTOR, Duke Of Orleans
dead OF hunger, cold and misery; and yet Louis
XIII, the eOwardly tool Of Richelieu, his mo
theirs murderer, is still called the Just"
Rev. THEO. PARKER ON CHARLOTTE CUsH-
MANS LADY MACBErH-sA thousand wears