The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-12-09
EXECUTION or LOUIS XVI.

EXECUTION OF LOUIS XVI.
The Unhappy King Went to His Death
Bravely.
1t was a dark, misty, January morn
ing. The presence of two soldiers pre-
cluded the possibility of conversation;
the priest therefore handed his breviary
to the king, and pointed out appropri-
ate psalms, which the king read de-
voutly aud with perfect calnness, to
the evident astonishment of the gen.
darmes. The shops were shut along the
way. and crowds of armed citizens
stood on the pavement as the coach,
preceded and followed by cavalry and
artillery, went slowly through the
streets, where all the windows were
closed. Lines of troops stood on each
side, while drums beat solemnly, as if
for military funeral.
AS the coach passed along the boule'
wards near the Porte St. Denis, few
young men rushed forward waving
swords and crying loudly: Come all
who would save the king!" There was
no response, and they were obliged to
flee for their own lives. They were pur-
sued, and several were arrested, with
fatal consequences. The king, alb.
sorbed in prayer and religious medita-
ton, had not even perceived the vain at
| tempt to effect his deliverance.
The coach had at last reached the
Rue Royale and the Place de la RevoIu-
ton, where the crowd was immense
The scaffold stood little to the left of
the Place, where the Obelisk now
stands, but nearer the Champs Elysees,
toward which the guillotine was turned.
A mass of troops formed a square
around the fatal spot. The coach
stopped at distance of few PAGES.
The king, feeling that the motion had
ceased, looked up from his prayer
book, saying quietly: 1--WE have
reached the place, think"
One of the cxecutioner's assistants
opened the door. The king earnestly
commended the priest who accom-
panied him to the care of the gen
darmes, and then stepped from the
coach.
Three men surrounded him and tried
to take off his coat. He calmly pushed
| them back and removed it himself,
opening his shirt collar and preparing
his neck for the ak. The executioners,
who seemed at first disconnected and
almost awed, then again came around
him, holding a rope.
The king drew back quickly, exclaim-
ing:
What do you want to do?"
'To tie your hands"
The king exclaimed, Indignantly:
cite my hands! No, will not submit
to this. DO your duty, but do not at.
tempt to tie me; you shall not do it,"
The executioners persisted, and spoke
loudly. The king looked toward the
Able Edgeworth, who at once saw the
impossiblity of resistance, and said
gently: ''Sire, this last insult will only
provide fresh point of resemblance
between your majesty and the God
who will be your recompcnse.''
The king looked up to Heaven: CAS-
suredly, His example alone could in
duce me to submit to such an indig-
nifty" Then holding out his hands:
DO as you please; will drink the cup
to the dregs."
Ills hands were tied, and, with the
assistance of his confessor, he assembled
the steps of the scaffold, which were
very steep. When he reached the top
he broke away from the able, walked
firmly across the scaffold, silenced the
drums by glance of authority, and
then in a voice so loud that it was aud
IDLE on the opposite side of the Place de
la Revolution, he uttered these words
Il die innocent Of all the crimes i'm
puted to me. forgive those who have
caused my death, and pray God that
the blood you are about to shed may
never fall on France"
There was a shudder that ran
through the crowd like great wave,
but at the word of command the drums
beat prolonged roll, and the voice
could no longer be heard. The king,
seeing that all further address to the
crowd would be fruitless, turned to
the guillotine and calmly took his place
on the fatal plank, to which he was
fastened. The apparatus turned over
and the AK fell. 1t was then quarter
past ten o'clock Il. IN. of the 21st of Jan
uary, 1898. The executioner held up the
severed head, turning as he did so to
the four sides of the Place.
The king of France was dead.
lie roi est mort"
But no one dared to cry the tradi-
ditional response: give lie roll"
lie roll" The heir to the once glor-
lous title was now poor little child
weeping bitterly in prison by the side
OF the widowed mother-Anna L. Bick-
nell, in Century.
Evening Dresses.