The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-03-26
THE QUEEN WINS.

The bastille had not vet fallen. The
thoughtless youth of the French aristoc-
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 il
| they like?"
This evening Maurepas had the honor
of being permitted to lead the beauti-
! full Marie Antoinette TO the card-table.
! but complaining of a 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 goDclin
| tapestry of the famous Louvois window
a man in citizens dress, who regarded
him eNpectantly and bowed low before
him.
''It is all right Dumonet, whispered
the asthmatic old man; this evening
his majesty will taste of it.n And he
forthwith thrilled out one of his hun
dred madrigals. which, in truth, were
| tame enough, but which his tiatterers
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
majesty's table: but does the sugar suf-
ficiently moderate the bitterness of the
coffee?"
Louis XVI. was sensitive to mockerv
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?n The king looked uneasy.
DO you wish to test my mathema-
teal ability?" Maurepas continued to
laugh. '.Well, then, l will answer
your problem: Sugar costs the people
about so sous q pound. II | reckon
eighty pieces to the pound it makes J
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 giver
values every piece at Il full Louis dor. y
You are beside yourself Nj. de
Maurepas. Eighty Louis dor for 4
pound of sugar! At that rate | should
be compelled to sell Rambouilet to sup
ply my brother with sugar for Il year,
for you know he takes a handful to
every cup. But explain to me your
jest"
''In 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-five, worth 1850
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, ''is sugar ever bitter?"
'tAnd your majesty will never guess
from what this sugar is made"
The king was not without some
answered hesitatingly:
Naturally from the sugarcane.
Pardon me, your majesty, it is beet
root sugar"
"Beet-rooti What is beet-root?n
bo g 4
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 a malicious laugh. ''Beets
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
ings. All this examining, weighing,
and counting of the sugar tossed up the
court gossip among them like a bright
soap-bubble. Who first whispered it:
The king has been poisoned by cup
of coffee?n
s.Heayen forbid! And we have drunk
the same coffeen'
No, not the coffee-it was the
sugar"
"Some one 90 tell the queen.'
So whispered, murmured, and chat
tered the excluded circle.
Marie Antoinette sat with the duchess
of Polignac, her tenderly loved 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; l 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,
| whispered gratefully, "Oh, that
might be permitted to die for my be,
loved qucenn'
Live for me, you dear child, and
my word for it, l will provide tho
3,0OO,O 900, for which you will be willing
to live"
At this moment a courtier approached
and broke to them the dreadful It'd
ings:
His majesty has been poisoned by
N. de Maurepas with sugar"
A moment later the queen, white tC
the very lips, stood beside her husband
''For heavens sake, Louis!" cried she
in her distress, unmindful of all cere
mOny.
What is the matter, my queen?'
asked Louis in the gentle way which HI
had never abandoned toward his be
loved wife. s'What brought YOU Il