The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-03-08
BEET SUGAR.
An Instructive Incident at the
Cay Court Of Marie
Antoinette.

clSiOn concerning Tue people WelIare:
"Why build hospitals Can not the
people die on the roads if they likeg"
This evening Maurepas had the honor
Of being permitted to lead the beautiful
Marie A~ntoinette to the card table, but,
complaining Of a severe headache as
they passed through the salon, the good
queen excused him from further attend
ance that the pain might not be in
creased. AS he was Mastering back
through the a~nte-chambcr 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 low before
him.
sit is all right, Dumonet," whispered
the asthmatic old man. ''This evening
his majesty will taste Of it," And he
trillcd u one of his hundred madri-
gals, which, in truth, were tame enough,
but which his fiatterers found very wit
ty. In the royal apartment 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 q mouthful of the coffee
the ministerial friend of his people APP
preached and asked respectfully:
"How does your majesty find the cof-
fee this evening""
Gas usual, excellent"
s'The best Mocha is always upon your
majesty's table, but does the sugar sufii-
GENTLY moderate the bitterness of the
c~offee?'
Louis XVI was sensitive to mockery
and irony ever 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 wish to test my mathematical
ability" Maurepas continued to laugh.
"Well, then, | will answer your prob
lem: Sugar costs the people about eighty
cents a pound. If l reckon eighty pieces
to the pound it makes one sou for each
piece; but since to me as king everything
is quadrupled, I have this evening con
sumed eight sous worth of sugar"
"This sugar is the gift of one of your
subjects, who counts himself happy chat
it is considered worthy of a place on your
maiesty's table; therefore it costs you
nothing, sire, bat the giyer values every
piece at a full louis dor"
"You are beside yourself, NJ. de Maui
repas. Eighty louis dor for a pound of
sugarl AT that rate | 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 ex-
plain to me your jest"
sin a moment, your majesty" Andhe
took the sugar basin and emptied the con-
tents upon the marble table and counted
the pieces. "Forty-three, with the ones
used forty-fve, worth 1850 francs; but
look, your majesty, what dazzling white
ness, and how light it is. and how sweet,
without any bitter aftertaste."
Come now,'' said Louis, i~nterrupting
his babble, sis sugar ever bitter?"
"And your majesty will never guess
from what this sugar is made"
The king was not without some knowl-
edge Of chemistry, therefore answered
hesitatingly:
NATURALLY from the sugar cane"
pardon me, your majesty, it is beet
root sugar"
"Beet root? What is beet root?:"
The Duchess Of Chartreuse, who was
listening, drew near and said: ssBeets,
sire, are little red leaves, of which my
servants make salad"
M. dc Maurepas cut off her explana-
ton with a malicious laugh. s'Beets are
edible roots, which people as WILL 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 proceedings. All
this examining, weighing and counting
of the sugar tossed up the court gossip
among them like a bright soap bubble.
Then it was whispered: 1.-THE king has
been poisoned by a cup of Coffee
ssHeaven forbid! And we have drank
the same coffee."
mo, rot the coffee; it was the sugar"
"Some one go tell the queen!'
SO whispered, murmured and chartered
the excluded circle.
Marie Antoinette sat with the Duchess
of Polignac, her tenderly loving friend,
at cards.
"What ails you, Agatha?' asked she
kindly, as the favorite sighed.
Agatha dc Poligaae raised her roguish
brown head and said, saucily, Three
millions. my adored queen!"
Sigh not, my angel; I will beg Louis
to grant them to you. We owe it to the
great families
The designing princess lifted the
queens lace sleeve to her red lips, whis'
pered gratefully, sob, that | might be
permitted to die for my beloved q%ueen!'
"Live for me, you dear child, and, my
word for it, | will provide the three
millions for which you will be willing te
i've"
AT this moment a courtier approached
and broke to them the dreadful tidings:
ssHis majesty has been poisoned by NJ
de Maurepas with sugar"
A moment later the queen, white to th'
very lips, stood beside her husband.
s'For heavens sake, Louis" cried she
in her distress, unmindful of all ceremony
What isYthe matter, nay 9ueeng