Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-09-20

sided over the massacre had decid
ed with refined cruelty, that tn,
royal victim should fall last, tha
she might see, one by one, the headl
of her ''accomplices" fall. But
God, in His wise mercy, turns otter
evil purposes to good account. Ar
immense crowd had assembled. but
at intervals there reigned a mourn.
full silence, and the voice Of ths
officials calling the condemned, one
by one, could be distinctly heard.
Then took place one of the noblesi
and most touching scenes of which
history has ever given an account.
The princess was standing there,
calmly awaiting the call; her head
uncovered, her arms fastened with
chains; she looked beautiful in her
white dress, gazing quietly, but with
a scornful eye, at the scaffold, or
with a sweet, endearing smile, try
ing to meet the eyes of her conn pan
ions in agony, or looking now and
then up to heaven with her fine blue
eyes which the poor she had loved
had so often admired.
The officials now call. Madame
de Crussol is the first summoned to
mount the fatal steps. Advancing
towards the princess, she respect
fully bowed and asked would she be
allowed to embrace her. Madam
Elisabeth replied with great sim
plicity: 'Oh, yes, with pleasure,
and with all my hearth The march
ioness embraced her, bowed again,
and ascended, calm and steady, the
steps of the scaffold. This was the
opening of heroic march past
for all the women-the noble lady
and the poor servant girl--all, as
they were called up in turn, walked
towards Madam Elisabeth, bowed
embraced her, and passed on to the
scaffold, but not without first hear
ing some kind and much-needed
words of encouragement. Next
came the men-each and all OF
them, the noble lord and the poor
tradesman. as they came up, on
passing before Madam Elisabeth
they stopped, bowed respectfully,
whilst she returned the salutation
with loving smile on her graceful
countenance and kind words of
hope in Gods eternal promises for
those who keep the faith and trust
in Him. Meanwhile, Madam Elisa
beth recited aloud the DE Pro funds,
to which responded the choir of her
Complies The chant, however,
with each fall OF the knife, grew
weaker and feebler, as the voices be-
came fewer. At last there was but
one voice left. The twcnty-fourth
victim had just bowed to the noble
lady. Elisabeth was then heard to
say in a loud and firm voice. 'Cour-
age and confidence in Gods mercyv
The next call. she knows, is for her,
and oh being called she assembled
the steps alone and unsupported,
and then gazed around with a firm
and placid countenance upon the
thousands of terrified spectators,
with a recollected look, as though
she was approaching indeed the
holy table of the royal chapel at
Versailles. AS one accustomed to
be waited upon by her maids of
honour, she allowed herself to be
fastened to the fatal plank, betray-
ing neither fear nor reproach. 1t
was a heartrending spectacle, and
many people were seen shedding
tears or waving handkerchief as q
sign of farewell. The shawl which
covered her neck and shoulders
having fallen to the ground exposed
to the eyes of all medal of the
Blessed Virgin which this holy
Child of Mary wore always around
her neck. The assistant execution
er wanted to remove this sign of
devotion. But as he put forth his
hand to grasp the ribbon, Madam
Elisabeth said in q dignified and
commanding tone of voice: 'In the
name of your mother, sir, leave this
and cover me?'
These were her last words. His
tory will for ever preserve them as
the faithful recapitulation Of her
life, the sublime reflection of that
angelic virtue which had always
found protection in the medal OF
Mary Immaculate.
The days work was now over.
Eyewitnesses Of this regicidal trag.
edy inform rs that when the RoyaI