Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-11-16
DEATH OF LOUIS XIV
The King Died OF the Most Virulent
INnYn, ne SnAnllnox

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On April %. 1774, Louis Nv. felt the
first symptoms of illness while at Tri-
anon, his favorite summer palace adj
joining Versailles, to which he returned
Immediately During the night of the
Goth the characteristic eruption of
smallpox appeared in its worst form.
With admirable devotedness the kings
daughters came to his bedside, not
withstanding the dreadful danger of
contagicn, and remained there day and
night till his death. Marie-Antoinette
for very evident reasons, neither the
heir apparent nor his wife was allowed
TO breathe an atmosphere so dangerous
that more than so persons took the
smallpox, merely from having crossed
the gallery before the door of the kings
room. NJ. de Letorieres took the dis
case 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 repent
nnce and Christian death to the
wretched sinner; but, at the same time,
he declared that he would not allow the
last sacraments of the church to be adj
ministered to the dying man unless
Nine. du Barry were previously dis
missed 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 conse-
quently no further obstacle to the adj
ADMINISTRATION of the last rites of the
church Shortly afterwards his condi-
ton became more alarming, and it was
evident that the end was at hand,
The courtiers crowded in the large
room called the "Salle de rOeil de
Boeuf," where they habitually awaited
the kings pleasure. The carriages
were in readiness to take the royal fam
lily to Choisy; lighted candle placed
in the window of the kings apartment
was to be eXtinguished as the signal
for departure, which the fear of con-
tagion, in addition to other considera-
tions, caused to be impatiently ex-
pected.
The candle was extinguished; the
great clock was stopped at the fatal
hour-three p. m. 1t was the 10th of
May, 1874. The rush of the courtiers,
with the noise like thunder, as they
FASTENED to pay homage to the new
sovereign, was the first announcement
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 us!
We are too young to reign!" The king
was not yet 20; the queen was in her
| nineteenth year.
Nine. de Noailles came into the room
where they had remained together in
seclusion and anxious expectancy, and,
addressing 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 Bit
terly, she received the first visits of
the royal family and the principal Off
Gals; but the physicians urged the ne
cessity of immediate departure. The
carriages were ready, and the whole
court set off for Choisy, leaving the
wretched remains Of the late sovereign
to the care of servants and working
men. The unfortunate man who sol
dered 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; new
reign was beginning.
lie roi est mort!"
give lie roi!''-Anna L. Biclsnell, in
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