The Wahpeton times., 1890-02-13
THE QUEEN WINS.

LIE yULLN WlNO'
The bastille had not yet fallen. The
;houghtless youth of the French aris-
tocracy still danced through the
saloons of the royal castles. Maurepas
still reigned prime minister-that
Same friend of humanity who made
tho compassionate decision concerning
the peoples welfare: "Why build
hospitals. Can not people die on the
roads if they like?"
This evening Maurepas had the
honor of being permitted to lead the
beautiful Marie Antoinettc to the card
table, but, complaining OF severe
headache as they passed through the
saloon. the good queen excused him
from further attendance that the pain
might not be increased. As he was
Fastening back through the ante
chamber to the dancing hall, where
the king was taking his coffee, he per-
ceived beneath the gobelin tapestry of
the famous LOuvois window u man in
citizens dress, who regarded him ex-
pectantly and bowed low before him.
''It is all right, Dumonet" whis-
pered the asthmatic old man; "this
evening his majesty will taste of it."
And he forthwith thrilled out one of
his hundred madrigals, which. in
truth. were tame enough. but which
his tlatterers found very witty. In
the royal apartment he saw just then
Louis XVI. take from sugar basin
two delicately broken Jumps OF sugar
and sweeten his coffee with them. As
the king took a mouthful of the coffee
the ministerial friend of the people
approached and asked respectfully:
''How does your majesty find the
coffee this eveningy'
''As usual, excellent"
1.-The best mocha is always upon
your majesty's table; but does the
sugar sufficiently moderate the bitter
ness of the coffee?''
Louis XVI. was sensitive to mock
cry and and irony even to timidity;
therefore he said inquiringly:
"What do you mean by that"
Maurepas laughed. "Your majesty,
permit me one question. How much.
sire. do you think these two pieces of
sugar cost?" The king looked uneasy.
| Do you WlSH W CcSt my IudGnemaG-
ical ability?" Maurepas continued to
laugh. "Well, then, I will answer
your problem: Sugar costs the peo-
pie about 80 sous Il pound. If 1 reckon
eighty pieces to the pound it makes
sou for each piece; but since to me as
king everything is quadruplcd have
this evening consumed 8 sous worth
of sugar."
''This sugar is the gift of one of
your subjects. who counts himself
happy that it is considered worthy OF
a place on your majesty's table; there
fore tcosts you nothing, sire, but the
giver values every piece at u full
Louis DOR
''You are beside yourself NJ. dc
Maurepas. Eighty Louis d. or for a
pound of sugar! At that rate l should
be compelled to sell Rambouillet to
supply my brother with sugar for a
year, for you know he takes a handful
to every cup. But explain to me your
jest"
''ln moment, your majesty" And
he took the sugar-basin and emptied
the contents upon the marble table
and counted the pieces. "Forty-three,
with the ones used forty-five. worth
1,O80 francs; but look, your majesty,
what dazzling whiteness and how light
it is and how sweet, without any bitter
after-taste.''
Come, now," said Louis. interrupt
ing his babbie, ''is sugar ever bitter?"
"And your majesty will never guess
from what this sugar is made"
The king was not without some
knowledge of chemistry, therefore he
answered hesitatingiy:
NATURALLY from the surarcane."
pardon me. your majesty, it is
beet-root sugar.
''Bect-root! What is beet-rootso,
The duchess of Chartreuse, who was
listening. drew near and said: ''Beets,
sire, are little red leaves, OF which nv
servants make salad"
M. de Maurepas cut off her explana-
tion with Il malicious laugh. ..Bects
are edible roots. which people as we'll
as cattle find palatable. and now they
have been found to yield sugar"
Respect kept the brilliant company
out of hearing distance, and they
watched eagerly the strange proceed
ings. All this examining weighing,
and counting of the sugar tossed up
the court gossip among them like q
bright soap-bubble. Who first whis-
pered it: ''The king has been poisoned
by a cup OF coffee?"
Heaven forbid And VIC have
drunk the same coffee!''
mo, not the coffee-it was the su-
gar"
"Some one 60 tell the queen!"
So whispered, murmured, and chat
tered the excluded circle.
Marie Antoinette sat with the
duchess of Polignac, her tende rly low
ed friend, at cards.
What ails you. Agatha?" asked she
kindly, as the favorite sighed.
\ Agatha de Polignac raised her
roguish brown head and said, saucily,
Three millions, my adored queen!''
| Sigh not my angel; 1 will beg
Louis to grant them to you. We owe
it to the great families.''
The designing princess lifted the
queens lace r1eeve sto her red lips,
whispered gratefully, "Oh. that
might be permitted to die Tor my be-
loved queeh"
Live for me. you dear child. and.
my word for it, will provide the g.,
600. 900. for which you will be willing
to live"
At this moment courtier approach
ed and broke to them the dreadful It'd
ings:
sEIis majesty has been poisoned by
Nj. de Maurepas with sugar."
A moment later the queen, white to