The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-27
A MARTYR QUEEN.
Marie Antoinette Relics
to Be Exhibited.
HER MOTHER-IN-LAW'S BOOK
Interesting Collection That Recalls
the Times of the Woman Who
Died on the Scaff0ld.

PARIS. Nav /, 1S94-Those who love the
iIlustrious dead, those who worship them
and defend them against retrospective
ou:rages, should be happy. Imagination
opens the door of the wished-for paradise;
the relic in their hands becomes golden
key, and under the empire of their passion
they build durable monuments. What
pleasure they must have in making DOCKS,
the collecting of materials for which is the
effort of lifetimei
There is an old man in the lie Saint
Louis, near the Cathedral of Notre Dame,
Paris, who earns his daily bread by giving
piano lessons TO beginners. Rather
prosaic life; but he is bappiest among the
happy after the labors of the day, because
he loves Blanche de Castillo and reads
about her at the same time that he writes
of her life and her deeds. Cousin loved
the Duchess de Longuevile two hundred
years after her death. and Mary. Queen Of
Scots, ever since her death has had
amOureuX. Not the least important OF
these was Prince Lobanoff The Able
DuclOs was the amOureu Of Nine. de la
Valliere. Nine. din Barry was remem bered
by NJ. LaffittP, who bought and restored
the Castle of Louvenciennes in her honor;
and Charlotte Corday was plously beloved
by Vatel. Lord GrOsfOrd worshiped the
memory OF Nine. de PompadOur, and built
a monument in her honor
At the present time in France the wor-
shippers of Joan of Arc are without num-
Der.
Only few months ago there died in
Paris NJ. de Thac, the "lOver of the
Queen" of Marie Antoinette, whose grace
tor a hundred years has caused the beat
ing of hearts and the crossing OF swords.
The home of n. de Thac was filed with
souvenirs of the martyred Queen. lie
lived alone and cared nothing for people.
His heart was with his treasures and he
wished no rivals. He gave instructions
that his funeral should be that OF a pau
per, and requested that no one follow him
TO the grave, because no one followed the
van that carried the decapitated Queen to
the Monceau plain"
Very numerous are these admirers of
royal souvenirs. In England Lord Ronald
Cover made two busts of the martyred
Queen. One represents her triumphant,
the other sOrroWful-the TWO contrasts in
this brilliant and sad existence. For his
work Lord Ronald Cover collected many
portraits OF Marie AntoiDette, and the
bust that represents Marie AntOinette in
her affection has the hands tied behind her
back, a S when she appeared in the fatal
cart. Lord Ronald Cover is great-grand-
son of the Countess of Sutherland, who
befriended Marie Antoinette in the begin
ming of her trouble. The Countess of
Sutherland was English Embassadress in
France, and when Marie AntOinette took
refuge with the architect, Des Feuillants,
Lady Sutherland sent her cl0lhing and
provisions.
are NJ. Xavier Mariner of the French
Academy, the De Goncourt brothers. NJ.
Feuillet de Conches, u. DagUin.
Women worship the memory of this
woman, who knew of life the greatest joys
and greatest SORROWS. Not long ago the
Countess Greffulhe bought Dorsts "Bas-
ers," 2 picture with the arms of Marie
AntOinette, and for this she paid S6000
AT ChalOns there is an old lady who sold
the 10000 volumes of her husbands liz
brary. reserying only one volume that had
belonged TO Marie Ant0inette. This book,
called 'POffiee de la Divine Providence"
was used by the Queen when in the Ten
pie Prison. WHAT gives the book great
value are the words written on the first
page by the Queen herself. These are:
October 16, 4 80 A. NJ. My God have pity
on me! My eyes have no more tears to pray
for you, my poor children. Adieu! adieuI
Marie Antoinette."
The Empress Eugenie's reverence for
her predecessor on the throne is well
known. The poor Empress evidently saw
between their destiny striking likeness
and when Empress of the French every
where she sought souvenirs of Marie
Antoinette. Count Horace de Well. Castel,
in the memoirs, laughs at this alteration
H.
press slipper. at the same time telling
her Majesty that this slipper had been
worn by Marie Antoinette on the dav of her
execution. Vieil-Castel has no merit in
abusing such touching credulity When
came tie war OF 1870, and Eupenie YVES
obliged to flee, she carried away re-
ligious book that had once belonged to
Marie JOsepha of SaXODy. 1t was called,
"Traite de la Raison ct de Meditation
and bound i'll blue morocco. On the fly
leaf Marie Antoinette had written these
words: This book belonged to my mother
iD-laW."
The Empress cherished this book re-
lfgiously until the day when, MARTYR in
her turn, she made The sad journey after
the death of the Prince Imperial. Not
the land watered by the blood of her sou
Eugene gave the book to her NEST faith
full friend, the Duchess de M0uchy.
A very interesting exhibition has been
organized in the Sedelmeyer Gallery for
the benefit of the Union des Ateliers des
FemmeS and the Guvre des Petites Pre-
Servees. This exhibition is devoted to
Marie Antoinette and her time, and not
least interesting among the portraits is
kochasky's unfinished pastel of the mar
tyred Queen. This portrait, begun in
1890, was damaged during the flight of the
royal family to Varennes. Kochaisky was
admitted to the Queens cell, and in
another portrait he represents her in a
black dress with white hood tied with
black ribbons.
Werthmuller's portrait shows us Marie
Antoinette in the Trianon dress, when she
was at the zenith of her happiness.
What a contrast TO David'S sketch of the
Queen on her way to execution. The
artist omits no detail of her disgrace and
makes Of the unfortunate woman almost
caricature.
Nine. Vigee-Lebrun's portrait of the
Queen Is of historical interest, because
when exhibited 10 the salem of 1888 the
French people ridIeuled the simple attire
and said the Queen dressed like asfemme
de cbambre. Among the other portraits
are the Countess du Barry by Nine. Vigee
Lebrnn and portraits of Marie Antoinette
at different ages. The statuary includes
Houdon's bust Of Voltaire, Pajon's
bust OF the Countess du Barry.
Moreau'S drawings represent the fetes
given at the Hotel de Vile In honor of the
birth Of the Dauphin. Among the curiosi-
Ties are piece of black stocking found
when Marie Antoinette's grave was opened
January Is, 1915; the pieces OF cord She
made While in prison; kid glove that was
worn by the Dauphiu, and a Iocket con-
tanning his hair. We are shown also a
plan OF the Temple, made for the Duke
q Angouleme IN 1888; the lettre de cachet
ny Wnlch LRtude was thrawn nto the Bas-
Tile; copy of Louis XVPs will and the
rope ladder by which Latude made his
escape. There are exquisite pieces of fur
nltule, signed Rieseper, valuable snuff
oio