The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-05-21
THE MAN IN THE 1RoN MAsK.

A who was imprisoned in France, nearly
two hundred years ago, by the order OF
King Louis XIV He died in the Bastile
in 1703, and from tiat day to this ithas
never been found out who he really was.
N All sorts OF stories have been told
N about the unfortunate man, who not
oIiy spent so many dreary years in
Il rison, but was compelled TO have his
IA Rce always covered with mask. But
7no one saw him in an iron one, which
4 would have been too horrible. Yet the
.isoner probably found his black vel
A vetcoyering, fastened with steel elsprings,
N intOlevable enough It was never re-
N moved. Sleeping or waking. in hot
weather or cold, sick or well, the sulo.
catiug thing had 10 be worn, and it
seems u wonder that it did not Dive
him insane.
For q long time this mysterious pris-
oner was. confined in different prisons
1 on some islards in the Mediterranean,
known Us the Marguerite Islands He
was removed from thence when NJ. De
Saint Mars, the Governor of the state
prison there, accepted the Goyernorship
Y of the Bastile, the great prison of Paris.
ny lie was carried in closed litter, accom-
panied by the Governor, NJ Dc Saint
| Mars, and several armed men on horse
gback. When thoy stopped for meals,
IN the prisoner always sat WITH his bacK to
Y the windows, and the Governor had
NtNols beside his plate. They were at
d Sdcd by q single valet, Antoine Ru.
n Ehe servant who waited on them did not
f.Kne into the dining-room, but the
"a Ihes were taken from him and re-
#A4ned in an ante-chamber after the din
! N-room door had been carefully closed.
TOoor map he was closely watched,
and he was said to have been richly
dressed, and served by the Governor
himself on bended knee with dainty food
on rich silver plate. But what q mock
ery all this outward show of respect
must have seemed 60 n prisonerywho
was threatened with death Ii he re-
moved his sitting mask for q moment,
pr attempted 70 speak to any one except
hose who had charge OF him!
In SPITE, however, Of the dreadful
'sk he ran. he did try, when in the
ortress of Pignerol, the gloOmiest'of all
.loomy places, with the rough sea dash
hg up against its rocky wall, to make
Is hard fctc known to the outer world.
Ic engraved some woi,ls on q silver
plate, which he threw from the window
N his dungeon to the narrow beach be-
0w A fisherman who was passing in
boat saw the glitter OF the metal, and
anded TO pick it up. Not being able "
head the words which the poor despair
Mo- man in tho mask had written, and
thinking it might be lost article OF
kTeat value, the honest fisherman gave
Up his prize to the keeper Of the prison.
Err from receiving any reward, he
WI closely questioned, and escaped be,
ing put 10 death only because he could
not read q word; but he was obliged 20
.knpve the neighborhood as quickly as
ible. Two othcrpersons who found
tfn shirt with words marked on it,
n'ho were not so ignorant rs the
Nrman, were said to have died very
On afterward without any apparent
Tause.
The Man in the Iron Mask spent five
years in the famous state-prisOn OF the
Bastlc, which was destroyed by the
mob in the beginning OF the French
Revolution For over four hundred
years this strongest and most hopeless
,of prisons had held men and women OF
hall ranks, many OF whom langushed
lther. without the ordinary comforts OF
tife, for no crime whatever. but merely
o crafty the malice Of some powerful
tival. IL las been thought that the
.naskel prisoner WAS twin brother OF
louis NV, whose birth was ca efully
Concealed from every one outside OF the
byal family, and that he was disposed
in this way to prevent the trouble
hat wonld arise from two heirs to the
throne. His life was spared, because II
Ihe acknowledged heir died 1t would be
4esrablc to produce him rs his lawful
vurccssor.
lie WAS said 10 resemble Louis XIV.
10 ,tronsly that 1t would be dangerou:
~ lave his features seen byany one. and
Ilkhis led 10 thp uncomfortable mask. A
VI picture Of him looking through the
grated window OIL his cell IA the ljastile,
ith two armed soldiers watching his
hghtest movement, is very sad he
t,uld sec so little. between his mask
Nj The prison bars, and the guards
borders to fire upon him II he made
he slightest attempt 10 attract notice
outside.
Many per ons who did not believe
hat the Man in the Iron Mask was {
rother OF Louis XVI. hay. tried tC
Jrove that he was Count de Matthioli
I'm agent OF the Duke Of Mantua, who
a Inployed him in some negotiations witt
fae King Of france. Tho Count WA
fcused by the French OF having be
kayed one Of their state secrets; ant
10 angry monarch imprisoned him fol
Fe In way that eilectually prevented
lm from telling anything more.
But the real truth about this most un
brtunatc OF prisoners has never ye
lbme TO light. All we know OF hi
leath Is tho following entry taken from
nc journal OF Daiuncn, the chief turn
10Y Of the Bastle. lie writes: "Or
ionday, tho 10Th Of November, 1903
he unknown prisoner who had coniin
sally. worn q black velvet mask, an,
Whom Saint Mars had brought will
Nm lfom the island Of Saintc Mar
tneria, died to-day, about ten o'clocl
!, tho eyonlng, having been ycstordn,
bken slightlyill He had been loni
.ine IN NJ. De Saint Mars hands. an,
IS illness was exceedingly trining.D