The Shasta courier., 1867-05-25
SHASTA COURIER
NINE. DU BARRY.

If the records of the reign Of terror il
France are replete with horror, they are
also memorials of the greatest courage de
votion and heroism. Women, from whom
the Revolution was snatching each hour
the holy ties of home and family, met deatl
with dignity and courage which will sur
round their names on the pages of this darl
history with the honor and veneration of al
future generations.
Amid the thousands who fell by the gull
lotne,' one woman only showed despair
cowardice and the weakness of her sex
that woman bore name Infamous during
life and which death was not destined t
redeem-that woman was Nine. du Barry.
Jeanne Vanberrier, destined to be Count
ess du Barry, was born in the same village
as the chaste and heroic Jeanne d Arc, whC
saved her country, while this Jeanne, if she
did not destroy France. aided in its down
fall, and contributed greatly to the odiun
which fell on its sovereigns.
Jeanne was an illegitimate child, hel
mother, shortly after her birth, driven from
her native village by the scandal of her life
went to Paris, where her daughter received
an education, which is some excuse for the
utter want of virtue and morality for which
her after life was stigmatized
Unfortunately for girl situated as SHE
was, Jeanne grew up to be very beautiful
Her mother desired no better source of for.
tune, and amid the women of the demi
monde Of that day we find Jeanne Vanber
nier, or rather Jeanne Lauge, as she called
herself, enjoying an infamous celebrity be-
fore she has attained her sixteenth year.
Her career for some years was the oft re-
peated story of women of her class-now
the object of the blindest worship, now Of
the most profound contempt-now surround
ed with every luxury, now plunged in the
depths of poverty, reduced to every degree
of degradation.
When she was about twenty FIVE, in the
full pride of her dazzling beauty, she en-
countered in a low gambling house, of which
she was one of the decoys, the Count Jean
du Barry, one of the most deprayed de-
bauchees of this age of infamy.
The Count took her from the house in
which he had found her and established her
in separate lodging. His passion for
Jeanne was soon satiated; but the Count
Jean was always in want of money, bis
estates were mortgaged beyond redemption,
and the gaming-table did not always fill his
purse. Though love for Jeanne had van.
ished, he was too much a man of taste not
to have preserved his admiration for her
He began to look on her as a speculation
The fame of Jeannes beauty was taken by
the Count into higher sphere than it had
ever reached before If the infamy of the
two years which followed was great, cer-
tainly the most part of it should fall on the
Count, who lived now by trade which has
no decent name in English.
As yet however, the high fortunes of
Jeanne had never been dreamed of even in
the drunken visions of her degraded lover
King Louis XIV, the most enthusiastic
connoisseur of female beauty, had never
heard of Jeanne. The way in which the
thought of bringing together the greatest
beauty and the greatest admirer of beauty in
France occurred to Count Jean is related by
the Countess herself. in the candid memoirs
she has left of her erratic career.
"Crossing,.one day the Tuilleries, I was
struck by the appearance of a young man
who gazed on me with unmstakable admira-
ton, and followed me to my own door,
" Being rather inclined to become more
closely acquainted with him, | went to my
window, opened it, and leaning out saw that
he was watching beneath it. | immediate lv
sent down my faithful Henriette to invite
him to come in, but to my astonishment and
modification he resolutely refused, telling
Henriette that he was not the least in love
with me, and he desired no further acquaint
ance.
" Deeply mortified was, but forgot him
in the adultation | received that evening
from Count jeans friends.
& But the next day l again encountered
the same young fellow-agan he followed
me, and every day, for nearly two weeks, l
could not stir from the house without en-.
countering him.
At last, irritated and puzzled, deter
mined to speak to him.
Sir," said l, "what do you mean by
following me thus ?''
8 mean not to insult you, but reading
your extraordinary fortunes in your face, |
could not help feeling the deepest interest in
you"
3" What do you mean?
Mademoiselle," said he, taking my
hand and kissing it respectfully, promise
me that you will grant me the first favor |
shall ask when you are Queen of France
Queen of France Absurd.''
" No-your fortunes. as | told Won. will
be extraordinary will he nothino
more wonderful, however, in vour life than
the manner of your death.o
=" With these words he disanneared
was so struck with what he had said that
could not help telling my adventure to the
Count Jean.
"Queen of France" said he, Queen Of
France-why not ~
" You are as mad as my unknown
Not at all. Why should you not be
Queen of France-a left handed Queen. like
Nine de Pompadour.
Z" This was the way that Count Jean first
thought of introducing me the King"
Nine de Pompadour had been dead for
over year. The attachments of the Kino
had all been ephemeral, since that be was
morose and discontented, missing the agree
able companionship of the Marouise and
her continual efforts to amuse him. Lebel
bis valet de chambre, was in despair, for be
had to bear the brunt of all the Kinp'.
humors. To Lebel went the Coun. Jean,
and Lebel was introduced to the paragon
that was to become left. handed Queen Of
France,