The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-01
A QUEEN ON THE SCAFFOLD.
Observation-Disclosures Demcanor on the
Way to the Guillotine.


''The Last.Days of Louis XVI ana Marie
| Antoinette" is the title Of an article by Anna
| l.. Bicknell in the November Century Miss
| Bicknell says:
| The executoner then seized the beautiful,
delicate hands and tied them with rope
behind her back. The queen sighed deeply
and looked up to heaven. but although tears
| were ready to flow, she restrained them.
When her hands were thus firmly bound, the
executioner took off her cap and cut of her
| hair. As she felt the touch OF the scissors on
| her neck she started and turned hastily, evil
| IDENTIFY supposng that she about 10 be
| murdered In the cell She then saw the ex-
| ecutioner folding up her hair, which he put
| In his pocket Before she left the cell she said
! anxiously 10 the officer now guard: "Do
| you think they will let me reach the place Of
execution without tearing me TO piscesf"
He assured her that she had nothing TO fear
| from the mob, but she seemed anxious she
| followed the officials who led her to ner doom.
| scarcely hoping even for the dreadful security
| OF n guarded scaffold When she saw the cart
| awaiting her she again started and seemed
| 10 receive fresh shock. She had supposed
| that. like the king. she would have the pro-
| lection Of a closed coach. The cart was Of n
| kind seen only in remote country parts at the
| present day. and made of four separate sides
rudely tied together, the back part being let
| down for ingress with nstep.ladder attached.
| A plank put across the cart served as seat.
| The queen assembled the steps firmly, and pre-
pared to sit facing the horse, but she was
| Immediately told that she must sit backward.
| looking toward the spectators. She turned
| and took her seat with perfect calmness and
| her. pale, with red. even bloodshot eyes. but
| carrying her head high, ss was her won't The
executioner and his assistant stood behind her.
leaning against the sides of the cart. The
| priest took his place next her. bat she turned
! away and seemed determined not to speak 10
/ him, though he held up a crucifix before her
from time to time. She seemed to suffer pain
| from the ropes around her hands, on which
| he pressed 10 relieve the tension. The ends
| were held by the executoner, pulling the
| arms backward. Tho cart went slowly.
while an immense crowd followed in dead
silence till they reached the Rue st. Honore.
| There they found hostile elements especially
the abandoned women who in Paris always
| play such prominent part in popular dis
! turbances. Here there was such burst Of
! insult and execration that the unfortunate
! queen might well dread the possibility of fall
| log into such hands
| But the cart turned into the Rue Royale and
| reached the Palace de In Revolution, where
| the scaffold was erected. As the queen passed
| before the Tuileries she turned with
nest lingering look.
The scaffold was erected facing the garden
| Of the Tuileries whore statue Of liberty, on
| the spot where the Obelisk now stands, and
| not where the kings scaffold had stood,
which was fsie opposite side, facing the
CHAMPS Elysees The priest attempted 70
assist her in alighting. but notwithstanding
the increased difficulty consequent on her tied
bands, she -taEHad-from- him and sieLIed
as s5e could Sc eming desirous TO hasten the
end as far as possible. The executioner offered
20 assist her in ascending te scaffoid but she
went up alone and quickly, Immediately going
| 10 the plank on which she WAS 10 be bound.
| In doing so she trod on the foot of the execu-
| tioner, who made motion as OF pain. With
| the kind OF courtesy which characterized her
| even in this last hour, she quickly exclaimed,
| Pardon, monsieur" in a tone of regret and
I apology. The executioner and his assistant
| then fastened her TO the plank and tore of
| her muslin kerchief lest IL shoul impede tho
action of the knife. The last motion of Marie
Antoinette was an involuntary attempt 20
bring forward her tied hands n screen for
her uncovered shoulders! When the
executioner held up the head TO the popula CO
TO the deep awe Of the spectators the face Of
Marie Antoinette expressed perfect conscious
ness and the eyes looked ON the crowd The
expresslon was that Of intense astonisbment,
ds Of some wonderful vision revealed.