Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-08-16
Last Days Of Charles X.

Miserably perished every leading
conspirator who had a hand in St.
Bartholomew. Some went justly to
the scaffold. Guise and Anjou fell by
the assassin's dagger. Terror of con-
science seemed to have pursued
Charles TX. and speedily driven him
into the grave. A divine Judgment
appeared to be resting upon him.
"About a week after the massacre"
says D'Aubigne, who had heard the
story from Henry of Navarro, "a flock
of crows flew croaking about and set
tied on the Louvre. Their noise drew
everybody out to see them, and the
superstitious women impaired to the
king their own timidity. That very
night Charles had not been in bed two
hours when he sprang up and called
to the King of Navarro to listen to
horrible tumult in the air, and shrieks:
yells, groans, threats, oathS such as
were heard on the night of the masSa-
ere.
These imaginationS were repeated f;
they seemed to become visions, and
the wild stare Of the king proclaimed
his terrors OF mind, if not Of consci-
ence. He could not make so light Of
it as did Catherine who falsely said ::
There are only six Of them on my
conscience" When on his way to
Notre Dame to render thanks to God.
he saw men in the crowd exhibiting
their rough arms and boaSting of the
numbers they had killed. Just then
one Huguenot was ferreted out and
slain before the royal eyes, and he
fercely exclaimed, Would to God it
were the last"
The avenging hand Of justice seem
ed to be laid aside from active gov
ernment. More than ever he was the
tool Of political managers. He SIM
ply lived as if he were the embodi-
ment of remorse, for having assumed
the terrible responsibility of the most
awful crime against humanity. We
may overstep the limit Of the period
which we have sought to portray and
follow him to his death. His case
merits notice, were it onlyto set forth
one of the saints in his household
Charles could not remember the first
day when be was the fond charge of
Philippe Richards, a Huguenot wor-
thy of the trust. None else had been
to him such a true mother as this hon
/ est woman, whom he almost reyered.
Nurse, what do you think ~ he wo'd
say, when he wished to spurn Cathar-
| ines advice. He never interfered with
her religion but sometimes said, Il
hope you will sometime see your error
and 90 to mass" When he was i'll
she faithfully told him of the true
cross Of the Redeemer.
The months rolled on, Charles
growing more haggard, more ghastly.
His mental suferings were extreme.
War was then raging. He was unmo-
we'd when he heard of the capture of
the heroic Montgomery, or when Ca
therinc wrcaked her deadly ven
geance. Masses, tapers, relics, vows,
aims. and the prayers of his wife,
bro't no reliet to Charles. He ate
nothing unless the good nurse knew
: all about it. At night he had fright
ful dreams; he rose, read the primer,
knelt and prayed; but again on his
: couch, he s&w the heavens full Of de-
r mons, and the heavens on fire. He
was taken to Vincennes and there he
shivercd and tossed his hands with
cred, water would not soothe his thirst
and he weltered in a sweat Of blood
> One night, that attendant whom he
r loved to the last, and watched at bis
S side when all others but his wife lefi
him, heard him sobbing and whisper
' ing. She drew the curtain, Oh
nurse" he said, "good nurse, what
r bloodshed and murder! What wicked
:, counsels l followed! Pardon me, c
:, God What shall | do! | know not
5 where l am. | am lost; l feel it
i lost, lost"
e The nurse had gospel remedies
J. Trust in the Lord. The blood i:
5 upon those who caused you to shed it
e If YOU repent OF the murders, Coo
will not impute them to you. He vii
t cover them with the mantle of hi
J Sons righteousness, in which alone
L you must seek refuge. But for God
c sake cease weeping" He was com
l. forted and slept.
9 Another day he sent for Henry of
Navarro, who had formerly abjuret
= Professionalism with Condo, and hat
: been kept for more than a year and
n half in a sort of Imprisonment. Hen
y ry was lead through the vaults Of tn
> castle, much to his surprise. He saw
double row Of guards ready to dcs
-" patch him. He started back, put hi
J, hand on his sword, and refusedt 70 ad
u u vance until assured Of safety. Charlie
= gave him welcome and said, 81 know
: that you had no part in the late trou
= :: bles, but if l had paid attention I
- - what was said, you would not be alive
y l have always loved you, and to you
care I confde my wife and daughter
Do not trust" The name wa
ID not heard by Others in the room.
e. "You shall not say that" sal
lg Catherine, perhaps thinking she wa
ar meant or Anjou, SO eager for th
80 crown.
= "Why not ? Is it not true ?"
Charles had an answer to this que
tion. Henry remained with him thr,
i his last days. 1t was the 4th of Ma
= 1874, when the rites Of the churc
n, were administered to him. He wa
I'd sinking. Farewells were given.-
,e. Some assert that he called the nan
~ of Coligny. And then that pior
Il nurse must have felt some delight {
n he thrice uttered the words, If JEST
20 70 my Saviour should remember me ar
60 ong the redeemed" With theG
no words on his lips died Charles TX,
". the age of twenty four.
ell 4
Mt
to A LONG JoB.-This is from Il
nd Bombay Gazette: "At Lahore. II