The Topeka state journal., 1905-05-08
Pm CHANGED DEsTTNIEs.

In the very scarce memoirs of an
officer of the household troops--Les
Gardes Francaises-Of Louis XVI,
there is told the story of a pin, which.
as the Duke de ChOiseul said,
Changed the desttnies of France" 1t
should be remembered that the al
fusion to Nine. du Barry in the mar
ratlve of which only q very Vellcd
summary is given exhibits the strong
prejudice against her by almost all
writer's of the eighteenth century.
In her early career Nine. du Main
tenon was closely associated with the
famous Ninon de IEnclos. This in
timacy was continued even after the
secret marriage of the former with
Louis XIV, when she became intOl--
Grant Of any deviation from strict
1t was just previous to Nine. de
Montespan's decline in favor that the
Able Gobenn, cOnfessOr of De Main
tenOn, presented her with q pIncush-
1on. On a certain day, soon after,
when the latter was calling upon
Ninon. this dropped from her pocket.
At the very moment NlnOn was insert
Ing into a ribbon about her neck a pin
Of odd design that once seen it coCld
never be forgotten. What would be
more piquant than to transfer this
pin with its suggestions, to the PIN
cushion of the now conventional DE
Maintenon. Accordingly the transfer
was made, and De MalntenOn carried
off with her a jewel that was destined
90 play an important part in many
dramatic events, according to the mar
rative to which ] have referred
Shortly after. on a warm summers
day. De Montespan and De MaintenOn
were walking in the park at Versailles
with Louis XIV. To faSten a gauze
scarf MOntespan asked the loan of
Dfn. and catching sight Of the one
given by Ninon, in the fichu of her
destined successor she took il, but
seized with jealousy of De Maintenon,
she threw the pin away in anger The
king picked it UP and placed it care
fully in his jewel box. There it re-
NAMED until James II, the dethroned
king of England, with his queen and
the Princess of Wales, came as tugl-
tives to st. German.
When Louis XIV was about to set
out to greet the exiles and make them
welcome, De MaintenOn, who looked
upon this as the most interesting cpl
sOde In the life of her unacknOWledged
husband desired to add to the clasp
of diamonds Ornamenting his hat
bunch of white plumes tied with a
ribbon upon which she had embrOid-
cred a device. To fasten this q pin
was needed, Whereupon the king or
dered his valet de chambre to go to
his jewel box and bring the one which
recalled the incident in the garden of
Versailles. At the conclusion of the
cerem Onies attending the reception of
James II and his family, the pin was
returned 10 the CdDlnGL OF LOUIS AlNs .
where 1t remained undisturbed until
near the close of the reign of Louis
XIV, who had inherited it along with
all else belonging to his grandfather
One day after dinner, weary of mo-
notonOus association with Louis Ky
80 the story gOes-Mme. du Barry, for
diversion, opened the private cabinet
where he kept his inheritance of pre-
ciOus objects, important papers, minia-
lures and jewels. These were tossed
~en
who, unable to check the pillage, re-
signed himself to the devastation of all
he held most dear. Among other ar
ticles forming the collection was an
MaintenOn- There was also g. little
cross of violet wood made in COM
memorabon of the revocation of the
edict of Nantes. On it were engraved
the names of the Jesuits Letellier and
Lachaise, with the date October 10,
1885. In one corner of the jewel box
was the ribbon with the device en-
brOidered by de Afaintenon, the ends
fastened together with the famous
pin. Attached, in the handwriting of
s Louis XIV, was a paper describing the
use to which the two had been put on
an occasion memorable in his life.
Louis XIV protested against the
desecrauon, but Du Barry, who would
tolerate no opposition to her desires,
appropriated the pin to her own use.
This incident happened just at the
time when NJ. d'AiguillOn was about to
cOnsummate the plot he was reputed
to have formed with Nine. Du Barry
to bring about the disgrace of the
Duke de Choiseul. This minister,
reckless and adroit and feeling secure
in his necessity to the king, had allow
ed the intrigue to eliminate, nOtwith-
standing the repeated warnings of his
friends, who by their imprudence had
not a little contributed to the peril
that menaced him. At last, awaken
ing to the impending crisis. he con-
sented to take a step repugnant to his
seif-respe ect-to endeavor to placate
the all powerful Du Barry, of whom,
through every avenue of publicity, he
had circulated the most scandalous
stories. He made conciliatOry ad-
vances to Nine Du Barry, and appear
ed to ingratiate himself so warmly in
her good opinion that the Duke
d dAiguillon and the Able Terray be-
came alarmed.
At last the moment arrived for the
promised interview with De Choiseul.
The hour fixed was s o'clock in the
evening The king was out hunting,
and would not return until late. De
ChOiseul had dismissed all his attend
ants, and at the prearranged moment
Nine. Du Barry presented herself
with a bunch of flowers fastened at
her breast with the fated pin. Seat