Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-07-15

taste for dress and for elegance of all
kinds, which were exquisite for the time.
In matters of this nature she was accepted
as sole arbtress, for no porcelain vase,
no sedan chair, no per, no slipper, roth
ing noticeable comes down from those
days without speaking of Pompadour.
Such charms at nineteen were sufi-
cient to turn the head of the nephew of
M. de Tournehem, M. lie Normsnt
d'Etoilles, and he wanted to marry her; (;
I, but his parents held the immoral reputa-
tion of the Poiss on couple in such loath-
ing, that they refused to hear of the
match. Nevertheless their scruples we're
overcome, as such scruples are too often
overcome, by money. M. de Tournehem
was very rich, and offered to give half
his property at once to the young couple,
and to settle the other half on them, and
the marriage was made.
Her husband was not handsome, but
he was psssionately devoted to her, and
was an upright, honorable man. She had
fine town house, and splendid country
| house at Etoilles, near Corbeil. Diplo-
matists and men of letters crowded to
her salons. She was feted and incensed
without thought of self-interest in those
days, by such men as Voltaire, Monies
quieu, Fontenelle, Bernis and Mauper,
tuis. During the three or four years that
she lived with her husband she had two
children; one of them died, indeed, an
infant, but the other, daughter, was full
| of grace and promise. On all this her
ambitious spirit looked with contempt.
Without q thought for the man she had
married, she was scheming to break up
forever his life of domestic prosperity
and happiness, and to deliver him over to
the loves of opera girls, while she her
self should mount to a throne of illicit
glory-where her soul should be devoured
by daily and hourly jealousy. anguish,
fear and despair, and be subject to never
ending, horrible sgitations, to agonizing
tensions and clenchings of the nerves,
to devouring of the lips and convulsons
of the heart--all in the presence of ma
lignaut, envious and triumphant eyes.
She began to play for her stake very
soon after her marriage. AS often as the
French King went to hunt in the forest
of Senart, near Corbeil, he was sure TO
be met by q ravishing creature, either on
horseback or in pony carriage, dressed
in the most fairy-like fantasies of blue
and rose hunting dresses. But these
were the passionate times of the royal
favor of Madame de Chateaaroux, with
whom Louis was then too deeply en-
crossed to allow him to take much notice
of the devices of Madame d'Etiolles.
However, Madame d Etoilles' little strata
gems were not unnpticed by the Chateau
roux, for one evening" in her apartments,
when the Duchess de Chevreuse asked
the King if he had seen Ia petite d Etoil-
les, Madame de Chateauroux walked up
to her and stamped with her red heel so
fiercely on Madame de Chevreuse's foot
that the poor Duchess fell down in a
faint; and shortly after, at the motion of
Madame de Chateauroux, notice was sent
to la petite d Etoiiles that she had better
desist from appearing at the Kings hunt
ing parties at all.
Destiny, however, removed the superb
Chateauroux, with her naughty graces
and domineeriRg airs, out of the way OF
Madame d d'Etoilles. The Duchess died
the tragic death we all know of in the
Rue de Bac, Just as she had arrived at the |
very zenith of her ambition. And not
long after, at the masquerade opera ball
in Paris, lady in blue domino excited |
the cariosity of the King, with witty and |
caustic speeches, and when pressed to |
unmask, showed him the sprightly fea-
lures of the lady of the forest OF Separt |
She withdrew at once, however, into |
circle of friends, contriving to let fall her |
handkerchief, which the King picked up |
and threw after her. Madame d'Etoilles
happened--destiny again-to have rel
alive in the palace, one Binet, in the very |
handy situation of valet de chambre to
the King, and through Binet's mediation,
Madame d d'Etoilles became very shortly |
lodged in the palace of Versailles, in the
very apartment of Madame de Mailly, the
enthusiastic almireF of her barpsiehord
performances, and was supping with the
King. and the Duchesse de Lauraguais,
the Marquise de Bsllefonds, the Dues Of
Ayen, Richelieu, and BouRers, in the
little cabinets.
b FORE, however, Madame d d'Etiolles
had = ected her purpose of getting lodged
in Versailles as titled mistress, there was
a preliminary period of seduction and
negotiation, during which she got her
aUal tAC |
to the house of NJ de Ssvelette. When
the poor man was about to return to Paris,
his uncle, N. de Tolrnehem, came and
found him, and broke the news to him.
At this M. d'Ktiolles fell down in faint
As soon as be returned TO his senses, his
desperation was so great that il was
feared he would commit suicide. For
some time all weapons were taken out of
his way, and the inconsolable husband at
last. after yainly threatening to 20 to
Versailles ahd tear her away opt OF the
arms Of the iEf:ag, wrote her supplian,
letter, begging her to return with all the
energy Of affection and despair Madame
ie Ponpadour, whose heart must have
BEEN made OF rock-crystsl, had the bru.
tality to show this letter to the Kisg; but !
Louis XIV disappointed her BY saying
,oolly, Madame, you have husband Of !
excellent principles" Nevertheless, il
was thopghf s9Fis0hls y remove NJ. {
4 Etoilles from Raris, which Il was easy !
70 do, since be was a fermier-general,
aud provincial employment in the South &
vas given blm, After being seriously i'll !