The age-herald., 1897-11-21
- = -------------=7-----=7-777s7 A QUEEN ON THE SCAfF0LD.
Marie Anioinette's Demeanor on tFe Way to
 the 6uilloline.

"The Last Days of Louis XVI, and Marie Antoinette" is the title of an arei- cle by Anna L. B.cknefl in the November Century. Mss BfclS1leii says:
 "The 4xecu,ioneGu thsn saizad the beau- tiful, delicate hands and tied them With a rope behind her back. The Queen sighed deeply and looked up to heaven; but although tears were ready to flow, she resltf aimed them. When her hands were thus firmly bound the exscut.oner took off her cap and cut off her hair. AS she felt the touch of the scissors on her neck she started and tuned hastily evil 9sntly suppI-sing that she was about to be murdered in her cell; tn she saw the executoner folding up her hair, which he put in his pocket. Before she left the cell she said anxiouGly to the officer now on guard: Do yea think they will let me reach the place of execution With out tearing me to pieces?"
 He assured her that she had noth- ing to fear from the mob, but she seam- ed anxious as she followed the officials who led her to her doom, scarcely hop ing even for the dreadful security Of a guarded scaffold When she saw the cart awaiting her she again started, and seemed ready to rece i've fresh shock; she had supposed that, like the King, she would have the protection of a closed coach. The cart was of a kind seen only, in remote country parts at the present day, and made of four sepa- rate sides rudely tied tog: ther, the back part being let down for ingress, with a step-ladder attached. A plank put across the cart served as a seat Tha Queen ascended the steps firmly and prepared to sit facing the horse; but she was immediately told that she must sit backward, looking toward the spec tators. She turned and took her seat with perfect calmness and grave, reso- 1ute look, gazirg before her, pale, with red, even bloodshot, eyes, but carry ing her head high, as was her wont. y, '"The executioner and his assistant stoi.1 behind her, leaning against the s.des of the cart The priest took his place next to her, but she turned away and seem determined not to speak 10 him, though he held up a crucifix before her from time to time. She seemed to suffer pain from ropes around her hands, on which she pressed to relieve the tension. Tha ends were held by the execut.oner, pull ing the arms backward. The cart vert on slowly, while an immense crowd fol- lowed in dead silence until they reached the Rue St. Honore. There they found hostile clements, especially the abandon ed women. who in Paris always p,ay such a prominent part in popular dis turbances. Here there was such a burst of insult and execration that the unfor- tunate queen might well dread the pos slbilty of falling into such hands.
 But the cart turned into the Rue Royale and reached the Place de la Rev olution. where the scaffold was erected As the queen passed bfone the TuileEfes she turned with an earnest, lingering look
 'The scaffOld was erected facing the garden of the Tuiieris, before a statue of Liberty, on the spot where the obelisk now stands, and not where the Kings scaffold had stood, which was on the opposite side, facing the Champs Ely sees. The priest attempted to assist her in aHghting, but notwithstanding the increased difficulty consequent on her tisd hands she turned from him and stepped down firmly, with apparent ease, as quickly as she could, seeming desirous to hasten the end as far as possible. The executioner offered to as- sist her in ascending the scaffold but she went up alone and quickly, imme- diately goirg to the plank on which she was to be bound. In doing so she trod on the foot of the eXecutioner, who made a motion as of pain. With the kind courtesy which characterized her even in this last hour, she quickly exclaimed, Pardon, monsieur! in a tone of regret and apology. The eXecutiorar and his assistant then fastened her to the plank, and tore off her muslin kerchief, lest it should impede the action of the knife. The last motion of Marie Antoinette was an involuntary attempt to bring for ward her tied hands as a screen for her uncovs red shoulders. * When the executoner held up the head to the popuace to the deep awe of the specta- tors, the face of Marie Antoinette ex- pressed perfect, consciousness and the eyes looked on the crowd! The express sion was that CT intense astonishment, as of some wonderful vision revealed."f