The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-03-06
THE QUEEN WINS.

racy still danced through the saloons
OF the royal castles. Maurepas still
reigned prime minister - the same
friend OF humanity who made the com
passionate decision concerning the peo-
pies welfare: why build hospitals.
Can not the people die on the roads if
they iike?"
This evening Maurepas had the honor
of being permitted to lead the beauti-
ful Marie Antoinette 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 dane
ing hall, where the king was taking his
coffee, he perceived beneath the gobelin
tapestry of the famous Louvois window
a man in citizens dress, who regarded
him expectantly and bowed lew before
him.
1T is all right Dumonet," whispered
the asthmatic old man; this evening
his majesty will taste of it" And he
forthwith thrilled out one of his hun
dred madrigals. which, in truth, were
tame enough, but which his fatterers
found very witty. In the royal apart
ment he saw just then Louis XVI. take
from a 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 EVENING""
''As usual, excellent
The best mocha is always upon YOUR
maiesty's table: but does the sugar suf-
ticiently moderate the bitterness of the
coffeep"
Louis XVI. was sensitive to mockery
and irony even to timidity; therefore he
said inquiringly:
wv hat 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 wish to test my mathema-
teal ability?" Maurepas continued to
laugh. We'll, then, | will answer
your problem: Sugar costs the people
about so sous pound. If l reckon
eighty pieces to the pound it makes l
sou for each piece; but since to me as
king everything is quadrupled, l have
this evening consumed 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 maiesty's table; therefore it
costs you nothing, sire. but the givel
values every piece at full Louis dor"
You are beside yourself NJ. de
Maurepas. Eighty Louis dor Tor a
pound of sugar! At that rate should
be compelled to sell Rambouilet to sup
ply my brother with sugar for a year,
ior YOU know he takes handful to
every cup. But explain to me youi
lest
I'm a 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-live, worth Lose
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 babble, lis 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 hesitatinglv:
Naturally from the sugarcane."
Pardon me, your majesty, it is beet
root sugar"
''Beet-root! What is beet-root?n
The duchess of Chartreuse. who was
listening, drew near and said: "Beets,
sire, are little red leaves, of which my
servants make salad
NJ. de Maurepas cut off her explana.
ton with malicious laugh. Beet.
are edible roots, which people as well
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.
lngs. All this examining. weighing,
and counting of the sugar tossed up the
court gossip among them like bright
soap-bubbe. Who first whispered it:
The king has been poisoned by cup
OF cotfee?'
AiCNN pltt. <tuS we HAY
the same coffeer'
No, not the coffee-it was the
sugar"
Some one 60 tell the queen!n
SO whispered, murmured, and chat.
tered the excluded circle.
Marie Antoinette sat with the duchess
of polignae, her tenderly loved friend.
at cards.
What ails you, Agatha?" asked she
kindly, as the favorile sighed.
Agatha dc Polignac raised her roguisb
brown head and said. saucily, Three
millions, my adored queen.'
Sigh not, my angel; | will beg
Louis to grant them 10 you. We owe
1t to the great families.
The designing princess lifted the
queens lace sleeve to her red lips.
whispered gratefully. oh, that
II. -, n