New-York tribune., 1906-06-02

dou. Svo. ~. 81 r. r. Datton & Co.
In tne year 1777 Charlotte walpole. a dark eyed
Fnrlish girl. nads first appearance in comedy
on the stage ot Drary Lane Theatre IN London
she was clever and had q success so marked
,hst other parts were intrusted TO her In the
Brsrish Museum there is engraving Of her
tr male costume a young recruit. from which
!. Hoy,ears that she was slender and pretty, and
pe-haps piduant In less than two years her
charms had captured youth Of wealth and
good family. Edward Atkyns OF Ketteringharn
N Barley uniformly speaks OF the husband as
Sir Edward" ana OF the wife as Lady At
kyns" and NJ. Sardou ebsurdly calls the young
nan - peer; but various writers Of the eigh-
,eeath century fail 10 bestow titles upon the
pair IL is as Mrs Atkyns'' that Charlotte has
gone inso history among the English people con-
cerned IN the French Rovolution. We are told
hy NJ Barley that for some years the life OF
the two in the old manor house at Nottingham
was peaceful and happy. and that a son was
born tc them. Then they went 20 France and
on the eve OF the Revolution We're introduced at
court.
The Eaglishwonlan. II is said-though there
seems 10 be no particular proof OF the state
ment-becane one OF the circle OF the Queens
intimates. II IS certain. at any rate. that she
harmed 20 feel for Marie Antoinette a deep and
abiding alteration Details OF the days at Yer
sailles scanty and the next glimpse Of the
Atkyns pair is at Lille in 1888 where NJ. Bar
pey recognizes the wife in ''Afilady Charlotte
mentioned on the poll tax register of the parish
Of 81. Andre as q pensioner OF the Royal Treas
ury. Here is another puzzle Of this queer book.
Why is the wife of a wealthy Englshman found
living al Lille "pensioner OF France? That
there may be other phases Of the fortunes Of the
Atkyns family may perhaps be gathered from a
document we have foun6 among THE Jerning-
ham Papers, a collection which NJ Barley has
apparently not consulted Lady birmingham
writing from Lile 90 her young daughter, IN
the autumn CT 17S4-five wears be Il noted, be-
fore N. Barbey conducts his heroine 10 that
fovn-says: "A great many English People
have taken refuge here. TO fly their Creditors in
England; among the rest a Norwich family and
n Mrs. Atkins of Ketringham. She was q
PLAYER, friend of Miss Younger. You may re-
member 20 have heard OF her and he was al
ways q great simpleton. or else he would not
have married her" A note by the accomplished
editor OF the collection Identifies this Mrs. At
kiRs" with the Charlotte of NJ. Barbey's roman
tic episode-and here come TO the only title
Of reuiensbrsnce which the Englishwonan offers
Us She tried 20 rescue the unfortunate Queen
OF France from prison. and. failing IN that, she
devoted all her energies and the larger part Of
what NJ. Bsrbey believes 10 have been a CON-
out Of the hands Of his prosecutors.
Returning 70 Nottingham, apparently in 1871.
Charlotte began vigorous correspondence with
various refugees and Adventures who seemed
20 her capable Of devising and executing effec-
tive plans Even before the execution Of the King,
Peltier, the royalist editor, who had sought ref
uge IN England. wrote 20 her that he was eX-
pecting most exact plan OF the Temple prison.
and not only OF the Temple, but also Of the
that lie under the tower-caVes that are
not generally known Of. and which were used
from time immemorial for the burial OF the an
oient Templars. know a place where the wall
IS only eighteen inches thick, and debouches on
The next street" He believed that the Dauphin
AZ least could be saved. a well informed man
TOLD me-" he wrote, the DAY before yesterday,
when we We're talking Of this deplorahle busi-
ness that people were 10 De found in Paris
ready Tor "a little money. 20 carry off the Dau-
phin. They would bring him out OF the Temple
~ basket or else disguised in some way"
UntH the summer Of 1898. months after the
execution 81 Louis XVI. nothing practical was
seriously attempted: then, We are told. Charlotte
A,lly-ls herself ventured into the seething Paris
of tte Revolution. and in n disguise which her
theatrical experiences had taught her how TO
Wear-that Of a National Guard-succeeded in
reaching the presence Of Marie Antoinette in the
Concie-gerIe. she won over municipal Official.
who consented TO open The doors for her if she
would wear this uniform and promise, moreover,
that uo words should be exchanged between
her and the unhappy prisoner. NJ. Barley says
Size promised everything. and was 10 content her
the suess of the iuionse emotion she experienced
she fsd non seen since the days az Versailles she
iet tsll mole which She held, and which was 10
have peen put irto The Queens hand with the bou-
Quet TIE Municipal was about 10 tSke p"sseSsien
q II. iut, more prompt thah ne, Lazy AlkA rs
rushed forward. picked i up and swallowed H.
Bu, he English lady did not stop there BY more
sreNag her psih with goid. she bought over fresh
sA4es, and il!is time she opiliieo ne pIlEl OF
Sios mag - n1asinea @ Il iSaI y a se sar ss A@9 p 10
p N49pssho l'uls ~ - aI.1tss ~, - ,,,.r
Wh5 would then leave the Conciergerie instead OF
her. But she met with an Obstinate refusal Marie
AntCueyle would not under any preteXt sacrifice
Ne lie OF another, ana 10 abandon her iT5irisonea
children was equally iHaFossihe 70 heT. But what
emotion sac m0st have iet az Lns signt ot sGGn a q
ST. could but hank her friend with fearful eyes
sLd caHHlsnd her son the Daaphlh 70 ma s1sa @ii ;
,eloeL solieituae. she also gave heF so''S 4s''oS
foT hef friends IN England.
Chsrlotte returned TO England TO plan for the
rescue % the litile boy. and a few weeks later
she received from Peltier outburst Of rage; i
ab.ure forever the name OF Frenchman. wish
] could forget their language" The head Of the
Queen had fallen under the knife.
Was the Dauphin saved? Charlotte Atkyns
never really knew. though 20 bring II about she
poured most Of her own or her husbands money
Into The pockets Of greedy or needy men some
q Der helpers were. no doubt as disinterested as
she was: but il is impossible to avoid the con-
yction. drawn from many pages. that the Eng
lshWoman was egregiously cheated by many
q the agents she was forced TO employ. The
three vessels which were kept plying along the
French coast ready 20 receive the Dauphlh
helped N derlete her resources Her anxieties