Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-02-09
EXECUTION OF LOUIS XVI
fhe Unhappy King Went to His Death
Brayely.


Brayely.
In tue Century there is a graphic ar.
ticle on The Last Days of Louis XVI.
and Marie Antoinette" The author,
Miss Anna l.. Bicknell, says:
1t was dark, misty, January morn
Ing. The presence Of the two soldiers
precluded the possibility of conyersa-
tion; the priest therefore handed his
breyiary to the King, and pointed out
appropriate psalms, which the King
read devoutly and with perfect calm
ness, to the evident astonishment of
the gendarmes. The shops were shut
along the way, and crowds Of armed
citizens stood on the pavement as the
coach, preceded and followed by cav
airy 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 Kingw There was
no response, and they were obliged to
flee for their own lives They were
pursued, and several We're arrested,
with fatal consequences. The King.
absorbed In prayer and religious medi-
tation, had not even perceived the vain
attempt to effect his deliyerance
The coach had at last reached the
Rue Royale and the Place de la Reyo-
luton, where the crowd was immense.
The scaffold stood n little to the left
of the Place, where the Obellsk now
stands, but nearer the Champs Elysees,
toward which the gulllotne was turn
ed. A mass OF troops formed II square
around the fatal spot. The coach stop
ped at distance of n few PAGES. The
King, feeling that the motion had ceas-
saying quietly: I'VE have reached tho
place, | think"
One OF the executloner's assistants
opened the door. The King earnestly
commended the priest who accompan-
led him to the care of the gendarmes,
Three men surrounded him and tried
to take off his coat. He calmly pushed
them back and removed 1t 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.
Nba Il
claiming:
What do you want to do?'
''To tie your hands"
The King exclaimed Indignantly:
"Tie my hands. No, | will not submit
to this. Do your duty, but do not at
tempt to tie me; you shall not do itp'
The executioners persisted, ond spoke
loudly. The King looked toward the
Able Edgeworth. who at once saw the
impOssibility 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 recompense."
The King looked up to heaven. "As-
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."
His hands were tied, and with the as
sistance of his confessor he ascended
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 voice so loud that 1t was audi
BILE 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 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 fast
ened. The apparatus turned over, and
the AK fell. 1t was then Il quarter past
ten o'clock Il. IN. of the Dist of January,
1893. The executioner held up the sew
cred head, turning as he did so to the
four sides of the Place.
The King of France was dead.
''Le roi est mort.'
But no one dared to cry the tradition
al response: "Vive lie roi.'
lie roll" The heir to the once glori-
GUS title was now poor little child
weeping bitterly in prison by the side
of his widowed mother.
Voted EarIy and Oftep