The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-09

Turn to any period in the history OF
France in the centuries preceding the
Revolution and there turks one sinister
institution at the mention OF which the
stoutest spirit would shrink and the most
hardened adventurer could not suppress
a shudder. The walls Of the Bastile-
prison and fortress designed to overawe
the disaffected, and punish the rebellious
echoed the signs of the unfortunate
and the curses OF the impetuous; but sell
dom even in the gloomy annals OF the
Bastile. stained with the infamous per-
secution of myriad prisoners, can it be
found that tyranny has been maintained
with such ubiquitous persistence as IS
revealed in the tragic career OF Henry
Masers de La Tude.
On a summer morning in the year I748
young man sat in the garden OF the
Tuileries bordering the problem OF how
TO embark on career which would lead
TO fame and fortune The son of a noble
of Lanauedoc, the Marquis de La Tude,
he had been intended for military SER
vice. but an inconvenient peace had
blighted immediate prospects of martial
glory. He was turning over IN his mind
various plans when stray remark from
a conversation which was being conduct
ed by two Parisians, who were 1dllng
near, fell on his ear. He caught the
name OF the notorious Marchioness de
Pompadour. mistress of Louis XIV, then
at her zenith, who, enjoying the favors
of the King, was feared and hated by his
subjects. Young La Tude listened to
the gossip of the loungers, and found
that they were handling the lady's char
acter with savage freedom. Always
quick to act on impulse he Immediately
conceived the idea of turning to his per-.
sonal advantage the popular repugnance
TO the sovereign's favorite.
But this little scheme-he was only rs
years, of age, and novice in the art of
French intrigue-was ili-conceived and
ill-carried out He sent packet of
harmless powder through the post to the
Marchioness. and, afterward securing an
interview, related the conversation he
had heard at the Tuileries. He added
that be had watched the slanderers put
packet into the postofice, and express
ed his apprehension lest it should con-
tain some subtle poison.
Had La Tude accepted the purse of
gold which was offered him as reward
for his information there might have
been no story to tell But when he re-
fused it and told the Marchioness he
only desired her patronage. that practi-
cal dissembler was suspicious of such
disinterestedness. She gave no sign, but
invited him to write down his address,
and graciously dismissed him.
La Tude was clumsy impostor. I'm
happily for him he had acceded to La
Pompadour's request in the same hand
writing in which he had directed the
pretended poison. and when on analysis
she also found that the poison was harm
less, she was convinced that the young
mans story was fabrication. Her re-
venge for this feeble attempt to deceive
her was pitiless-La Tude's retribution
was one OF lifelong agony.
The unsuspicious youth luxuriated in
dreams of golden future for few days
before his establishment came in the
shape of visit from the officers of
justice, who carried him off to the Bas-
tile. He was, of course, deprived of his
valuables, but his hardships at the out
set were relieved by the consideration of
NJ Berger, Lieutenant of Police. He
almost got himself into disfavor by the
sincerity of his intercession on La Tude's
behalf, and one day the prisoner
hopes were raised when three turkeys
came to him and said his order of re-
lease had arrived. No sooner had he
crossed the threshold of the grim
stronghold than his exultation was cut
short by the information that he was