Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-11-20
DEATH De LOUIS xv.



Of Smallpox.
Mario Antoinette as Dauphine, is tho
title Of an article by Miss Anna i. Bick-
nell IN The Century. Miss Bicknell says:
On April u.s. I774, Louis XIV felt the
first symptoms OF illness while at Trianon,
his favorite summer palace adjoining Ver-
sailles to which he returned immediately
During tho night OF the Goth the charac-
teristic eruption OF smallpox appeared in
its worst forin With admirable devoted
ness the kings daughters came to his bed
side notwithstanding the dreadful danger
of contagion, and remained there day and
night till his death. Marie Antoinette
had asked ad1nittance to his room, but,
for very evident reasons, neither the heir
apparent nor his wife was allowed to
breathe an atmosphere so dangerous that
more than 30 persons took the smallpox
merely from having crossed the gallery be-
fore the door Of the kings room. NJ. de
Letorieres took the disease fatally, merely
through having opened the door to look at
the king for two minutes
Regardless. of danger, the archbishop Of
Paris came to Versailles He was anxious
to secure the means of repentance and q
Christian death to the wretched sinner,
but at the same time he declared that he
would not allow tho last sacraments of
the church to be administered TO the dying
man unless Nine. du Barry were previous
~ dismissed from the palace. On the
4th of May the Duchesse d Aiguillon took
her to country house belonging to the
Due d Aiguillon. There was consequently
no further obstacle to the administration
of the last rites of the church Shortly
afterward his condition became more
alarming and it was evident that the end
was at hand
The courtiers crowded in the large room
called the 'sSalle de rQ1il de Boeuf,
where they habitually awaited the kings
pleasure. The carriages were in readiness
to take the royal family to Choisy. A light
ed candle placed IN the window of the
kings apartment was to be extinguished
as the signal for departure, which the fear
Of contagion, in addition to other consid-
erations, caused to be impatiently expect
ed.
The candle was extinguished The great
clock was stopped at the fatal hours
p m. 1t was the 10th Of May, TIA The
rush Of the courtiers, with noise like
thunder, as they fastened to pay homage
to the new sovereign, was the first an
nouncement of the great event to the
young heir and his wife. Louis XVI and
Marie Antoinette burst into tears and with
joint impulse fell on their knees, ex-
claiming: 'God help Us and protect usl
We are too young to reignl" The king
was not yet20; the queen was in her nine
teenth year.
Nine. dc Noailles came into the room
where they had remained together in Sc
clusion and anxious expectancy and adj
dressing them by their new titles, begged
them TO receive the dignitaries who had
come to pay homage to the king and
queen. The queen appeared leaning on
the kings arm; weeping bitterly, she re-
ceiyed the first visits Of the royal family
and the principal officials, but the physi-
Clans urged the necessity of immediate de-
parture. Tho carriages were ready and
the whole couT's set of for Choigy, leaving
the wrstohed remains of the late sovereign
to the care of servants and workmen. The
unfortunate man who soldered the lead
coffin died within "a hours The body
was taken to st. Denis, the burial place of
the kings of France, during the following
night with military escort, followed by
the execration of the populace loudly ex-
pressed on the way. The scandalous reign
Of Louis XIV was ended; a new reign was
beginning.
lie roi est mortl'
"Vive le roll"