Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-11-21
THE RUIN OF A QUEEN.
Her Own Mother Prepared Maria An.
toinette for the Fate that Befell Her.

Her Own Mother Prepared Maria An.
toinette for the Fate that BefelI Her.
Never was a character moro sadly
aud Systematically ruined than was
that Of Maria Autoiuette. Born of a
mother whose genius had made the
world 20 wonder, whose ability had
made secure her nation in first in
stead of an inferior rank, the child
was destined to sorrow from the very
beginning. Her mother had decided
the chiId-her youngest daughter
should marry the French crown prince
aud that she should one day sit on the
throne of the Buurbons. With that
idea in view the mother gave the girl
what education size thought would be
best suited to court life in the French
capital Not a frivolous grace, not IA
Cuquett sh manner, not a triliuE ac.
comDiishmcut was omitted in her
training. She was taught to dance, to
dawdie, TO gamble aud to act the
coquette at all times. Nothing that
was really good or noble or worthy
aside from personal virlue-was im-
pressed upon her The better to make
The plan Of education sue coed, the girl
was supplied with tutors from Paris
and in more than one case they were
totally without character
Why SO talented "A woman as Maria
Theresa should have taken such a
course no one will ever be able to tell.
she was possessed OF the souudest
Judgment herself aud always conduct
Il a 1. L..
fashion. But hers had been a hard
race and it may be she wanted her
fayorte daughter to miss somewhat Of
the austerities of life. Instead she in
-ureJ Ter the completest depths of
desomt,on and death on the most
savage OF scatlolds. One thing in the
beautiful young queens life was very
curious. Although taught at home by
nothing but French tutors. she was al-
ways accused by the French of being
Austrian al heart She never for a
moment touched the popular pulse of
the nation over which She had been
called to rule. II may be she fet her
youth robbed of the home love that is
dear TO the hearts of Us all, aud that
she took sad revenge when she became
a woman aud queen by reyertiug
with even dangerous frequency to what
She had been compelled as child to
neglect. She certainly does seem to
have favored Austrians even more than
trencH.
But the gaycties of her youth chung
10 her aIaay-. She would indulge in
gambling aud would lose immense
sums WHEN the people were starving.
She was eNlrayugant to a fault not
easily equ1.ed, aud az "A time when
popular complaint was growing iuto
revolution. SIZE would attend masked
balls Ia the wickedest of capitals, uu-
attended bv those who should have
been her proper guardians, and re-
turning "a hours when the dem-mode
returned, That she mingled with
them and knew it, aud tHat She would
not desist even when warned and adj
advised to, there can be no manner Of
doubt, Time and again She led her
guod-nalured husband TO adopt tue
most unpopular of acts. never for a
moment believing tine revolution could
come. That SHE was uDiaithiuI TO him
has been charged and repeated 80
often that the world viii always visa
her defense could nave been better es-
mbli,hed. For no queen that ever
lived has exposed herself to SO many
compromising situations.
One French countess whom the
queen had especially favored and who
was unqueStiouably courtcsan in
volyed Maria Antoinette in a scandal
which Ild more than any other one