Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-04-10
THE QUEEN WINS.


The Pilot.
THE QUEEN WINS.
The bastillc had not yet fallen. The
thoughtlcss youth of the French ariStoc-
racy still danced through the saloons
of the royal castles. Maurcpas still
rcigned prime minister - the same
friend of humanity who made the com
passionate decision concerning the pco-
Pies welfare: "Why build hospitals.
Can not the people die on the roads if
they like?"
This evening Maurcpas had the honor
of being permitted TO lead the bcauti-
full Marie Antoinctte 10 the card-tablc,
but, complaining of Il 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 antc-chamber to the dane
ing hall, where the king was taking his
coffee, lie perceived beneath the gobclin
tapestry of the famous LOuvOiS window
man in citizens dress, who regarded
him cXpcctautly and bowed low before
him.
1T is all right. Dumonct, whispered
the asthmatic old man; this evening
his majesty will taste Of it" And he
forthwith thrilled out one of his hum
drcd madrigalS, which, in truth, were
tame enough, but which his ilattCrers
found very witty. In the royal apart
ment he saw just then Louis XVI. take
from II sugar basin two dclicatcly
broken Jumps of sugar and swcetcn his
coffee with them. As the king took a
mouthfu of the coffee the ministerial
friend of the people approached and
asked respectfully:
How does your majesty find the
coffee this evening""
LAS usual, excellent"
The best mocha is always upon your
maicSty's table: but does the sugar suf-
licicntly moderate the bitterness of the
cOlicC?"
Louis XVI. was sensitive to mockery
and irony even to timidity; therefore he
said inquiringIy:
Nv hat do YOU mean by that?'
MaurrpaS 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-
tical abiIityP" Maurepas continued to
laugh. We'll, then, | will answer
your problem: Sugar costs the people
about so sous n pound. Ii | reckon
eighty pieces to the pound it makes l
sou for each piece; but since TO me as
king every thing is quadrupled, | have
this evening consumed s 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 il
costs you nothing, sire. but the giver
values every piece at n full Louis dor"
You are beside yourself NJ. dc
Maurepas. Eighty Louis dor for .
pound Of sugar. At that rate should
be compelled to sell Ramboulet 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
"ln moment, your majesty" And
he took the sugar-basin and emptied
the contents upon the marble table and
counted the pieces. "Forty-thrce, with
the ones used forty-iivc, worth l,0S0
francs; but look, your majesty. what
dazzling whteness and how light it is
and how sweet, without any bitter after
taste
Come, now" said Louis, interrupt.
in% his babblc, lis sugar ever bitter?"
And your majesty will never CUES:
from what this sugar is made"
The king was not without some
knowledge OF chemistry, therefore he
answered hesitatingly;
Naturally from the sugarcane.
pardon me, your majesty, it is beet.
root sugar"
"Bcet-roOt. What is bcet-root?"
The duchess of Chartreusc who was
listening, drew near and said: "Beets,
sire, are little red leaves of which my
servants make salad"
NJ. dc MaurepaS cut off her explana.
ton with 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 Drigh,
soap-bubblc. Who first whispered 1T:
The king has been poisoned by cup
of cofIee?"
Heaven forbid! And VIC have drunk
the same cotfccm
No, not the colree-it was the
sugar"
Some one go tell the queenr'
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 Poignac raised her roguish
brown head and said, saucily, Three
millions, my adored queenm
Sigh not, my angel; / 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 queen!"
Live for me, you dear child and
my word for it. i will provide tn,
100000, for which you viii be willing
to live"
At this moment courtier approached
and broke to them the dreadful It'd
ings:
His majesty has been poisoned b,
M. dc Maurepas with sugar"
a moment later the queen, white t.
the very lips, stood beside her husband
For heavens sake, Louis!" cried sh,
in her distress, unmindful of all cere
mony.
What Is the matter, my queens'
asked Louis in the gentle way which h,
had never abandoned toward his be
loved wife. What brought Won Il