American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-02-21
WTByLOM5 MVHT01UO Of Ss00Ooo 900

ignorant of the high part her agony was to pay IN
the upward struggle of Europe, Marie Antolnette
did not die in vain. What the French revolution
began the world war has finished.
There Is q corridor In Versailles at which the
Hun ENJOYS can look with bitterness only
a corridor and II gorgeous chamber. The chamber
Is that In which Bismarck explained to the French
plenlpotentinrles Jules F0vre and Louis Timers,
the crushing and humlliatlng terms imposed by
Germany after the defeat Of France AZ years ago.
Roles are omewhat reversed In this year of grace,
1919. Near the chamber is that sumptuous corri-
dor known as the Hall of Mirrors, where once the
French monarchs stroled and chatted with their
courts. It is the spot in which William l pro
claimed the German empire, and 1t is the spot
where the peace treaty that skaters his empire
will doubtless be signed.
Strange, musty memories haunt every corner of
this gorgeous palace outside the Paris walls,
thrown open now to the clean. sweet winds of free
dom. De Pompndour, Du Barry and the train OF
lesser lovely harples-their l~ntrigues and their
wicked beauty still lend a dark CLEAN of romance
to the exquisite tapestries against which in the
yesterday of history their brocades stood out In
gllstcnlng relief. Here Is the mirror that reflected
the cynic, appralslng smile of Louis XIV. There Is
the marble balustrade so lately touched by the
ieweled fingers of the Duchess d'Orleans. In that
corner famed the scarlet robe Of the Cardinal de
Rohan.
But because Of her innocence and her dramatic
fate, Il Is Marie Antolnetto most of all whose pres
ence peryades the wide, painted rooms. over these
CLASSY floors her irresponsible feet danced. In the
Petit Trianon across the way she played ut milk
maid. And the gardens stnl hold n faint sigh of
her laugh, ringing out carefree as n peasant girls
when the whole court Joined In blind mans bun.
Such a blind king and court, eyes closed against
the dreadful game impending. They We're children,
The two soverclgns-children In years and in out.
look during those first holiday seasons when the
court played and Paris starved and the first re-
mote STRINGS anne which led by long and bloody
roads to the Versailles peace conference of the
year 1919,
Marie Antoinette was only fourteen years old
when they arranged her hetTothal 10 the fifteen.
year-old dnuphin. She was married at the age OF
sixteen. At the age of twenty she was queen OF
France. Just before her fortieth birthday she was
yuillotincd,
virtually prisoners In the Tuilerles palace, whittier
they were returned after one vain attempt at
flight. At last the revolutionary fury broke. On
The tcath of August, In 1892, the steps of the
Tuileries ran crimson with the blood of the faith
full Swiss guard. Escaping 10 the national assem-.
bly,, the king and queen, with their two children.
were lodged In the Temple, Il prison fortress.
Blow after blow fell thereafter on the defense
less heads of the royal family. The king was
, taken away, tried. and sent back for nm agonizine
r scene OF farewell, Standing rigid as a statue IN
; her cell Marie Antoinette heard the guns boom
forth the tidlngs OF his execution.
A little later she was separated from her chill
Y dren. subjected to revolving indignities during a
! farcical trial. and ten months after the execution
' OF her husband was herself condemned to die, The
fortitude which Maria Theresa hequeathed TO hel
e daughter had been shining with a pure and steady
Z light these many months. Murte Antoinette heart
{ her death sentence with Il smile.
. on a cold and windy morning in October they
summoned forth this daughter Of an empress OF
whom all shame had been heaped. Her brown
hair had turned silver; her body was bent; hel
r voice had grown low and tremuions- Not Tor YEAR
n had amy man heard the gay laugh that once ehal
q ienseI court etiquette az Versailles A weary Won