Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-02-05
she nlaced two smoking bowls of excellent

| cheerful glare on the countenance OF the
| tall lady, and showed her to possess such
rare and stately beauty that the worthy
| Iandlady, on returning to the kitchen,
| proclaimed to her satellites that she never
| before had seen so queenly a parsonage.
| "C'est 9lne UeritG5Le refine (she's a perfect
oueen.0 I'll warrant she's some
| fine court marchioness on her way
over the frontier" said she:
land, poor soul! would be the last to
prevent her fight"
Indeed, the lady justified these encomi-
inns. Her figure was graceful and COM
handing. her features reg ular, her eyes
BRIGHT and vivacious. Her hair, in which
| still fingered traces of powder, was drawn
| high up over her ample forehead, whilst
| one heavy curl hung down on her Shout
der Her complexion was singularly
brilliant, and, varying constantly on the
| least emotion, gave the lie to those of her
! enemies who declared she used paint
The only defect that could be possibly
| found with this otherwise perfect face was
that the lower lip slightly too thick, pro-
trided little beyond the upper one, as is
| frequently observed in the portraits of the
| sovereigns of the house of Austria Her
| costume was simple, consisting of a gray
netticoat and Powered chintz overskirt
| made in the fashion recently so popular
! and STYLED dolly Warden" Her at
tendant. whom she called Susanna, was
| a pretty and unpretending young w0-
man belonging to the VivaclOus class
| of French serving maids immortaliZed
by Moliere and Beaumarchais as sou
bretteS.
The two travellers had scarcely tasted
their first spoonful of soup when the
| doors of the apartment were thrown
open, and a f0fact6On1GSre Of the prOVi-
sionaTy government, wearing his tri-
cOlored scarf, entered. Striding up to
| the table at which the ladies were seated,
| he drew from his pocket letter, and fix
! ing his eyes with avid interest on the tall
| lady, made mental com parisOn between
her countenance and that of some one
| described in the document he held in his
| hand.
"What is your name, cItoyenne?"
asked he suddenly, in tone Of authority.
May first ask, sir, who it is shall
have had the honor of answering when |
do give my name?" returned the lady,
who, although she had become exceed
ingly pale, retained her selfpossessfon in
a most remarkable manner, for it was no
joke for a woman of position to fall into
|
81 am the Mayor of Jougne."
In that case, M lie Marie, am Ma
dame de Pryne."
"Have you no papers about you-no
passports"
"Mon Dieut Yes-no; that is, of course
/ have, but in my trunk" answered the
lady. eve are only going to Besancon.
This is my maid Susanna: we are two wo-
| 7 h
gagement at Besancon; and really, M. lie
Marie, had no idea that passports were
necessary when travelling in France"
"You said that you had one in your box.
Very we'll, Madame de Pryne, allow me to
see this passport"
Willingly! Cali in your men, and let
them bring my largest trunk: all my pa
pers are in it."
The order was given and the box
opened.
cit is at the bottom Of ALL" said Ma
dame de Pryne, rising as if to search for
it herself
at is useless your troubling yourself,
cheyenne. See! look at these grand
trains: these alone suffice to prove that
you belong to the court and intend emf
| grating into Switzerland" cried the mayor
|
| several magnificent robes Ofvelvet, one of
which was lined with ermine "And
here-here my suspicious are more than
confirmed. All! all Madame de Pryne!
that is your name is it?-and you wear
a crown do yOu?" exclaimed the mayor
as he suddenly rose from his inspection
of the bOX's contents, brandishing tri-
Umphantly in one hand crown studded
with large gems, and in the other a scep-
ter. "Ah! ah!" laughed he exultingly,
Madame de Pryne! So you were going
over the frontier with the crown Jewels of
| France? | know who you are"
"Who ?" asked Madame de Pryne, as
pale as a sheet.
| you are Marie Antoinette of Austria,
sometime Queen of France"
| us the Queen expected to pass this way
in her flight?"
"She is, and you know that better than
any one. In the name of France and the
law | arrest you"
"Without any further proofs ?"
Certainly: do not require them"
"Will you not at least look at my pass
port?"
Bah! borrowed passport" said the
! Mayor in an impatient tone. "YOu had
better give yourself up, madame, without
any further ado. Believe me, it will be
for the best"
Then, sir" the lady answered, rising
majestically from her seat and assuming
an imperial attitude, 81 am the QueenP'
It would be difficult to imagine a more
noble figure than that of the unfortunate
princess as she spoke these four words.
Seeing that Susanna was impatiently
| about to interrupt her, she silenced her
by an imperative gesture, and then re-
seated herself with much dignity in her
chair. So queenly did she appear at
this critical moment of her existence that,
staunch republican as he was, the Mayor
of JOugne forgot all about egaJite bowed
lowly before his fallen sovereign, and
retired ct once to give the necessary
orders for Her Majesty's detention and to
announce the news of her capture to his
fellOw-citizens. A few moments after his
exit two gendarmes were sent to mount
| guard at the doors of the salon, and the
unfortunate Queen, concluding a lew
words of whispered conversation with
Susanna, threw herself on her knees and
prayed earnestly for Divine as, stance.
In less than an hour the Mayor returned,
accompanied by dozen or so of the
members of the municipality. They
found the Queen calm and even cheerful.
She acknowledged their deferential man
ner toward her with regal grace, and when
informed that the upper floor of the hotel
was placed at her service until further
instructions were received from Paris,
followed them thither with so quick and
even gay step that several of them after
ward remem bered If &C an instance of I'M