Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-29

meager personal attractions, it is true, but of
very ample wealth. This youth straightway
fell an abject victim TO her Seductiveness, and
finally after overcoming q strongly pronounced
paternal objection, led her to the altar in the
year 1721.
THIS IN no wise interfered with the ultimate
plans Of mother and daughter Indeed,
it fell excenently in with them, for, as the wife
Of a man Of wealth and high connections,
social horizons and spheres Of action were IN
eomparably extended Her husband denied her
nothing. She became a recognized queen OF
fashion, entertained on most lavish scale,
and established a salon in which were to be met
the leading Savants and men OF letters and the
arts of the period
Many were the attempts that Mime. de
Etioles made to attract the notice Of the King
= before the moment arrived to put her powers
of seductiveness to the supreme test-the mo-
ment toward which all of the efforts and money
expended en- her training and her own striving
had been directed. The opportunity arrived at
q great masked ball given a most sumptuous
scale in the Hotel de vine, in Paris, on February
20, 1745, in honor of the marriage Of the young
dauphin to the Infanta Maria Theresa OF Spain.
During the course of the ball the King, moving
among the guests was suddenly stopped in his
progress by young woman of most alluring
Diana. A bow was in her hand and a silver
culver dangled at her side, while her light
chestnut hair, garnished with many. precious
stones, fell in rich ringlets over her shoulder
The King was Immediately captivated, and VIC
tory was achieved. He told her very CALAMITY
that her charms were more to be feared than
her darts. His complete subjugation and the
inevitable formal installation of Nine. de Etioles
as matresse on titre (oficial mistress) at Ver-
sailles were details that were worked out with
all practicable dispatch by the lady, with the
willing cooperation of sycophantic fellow con-
spirators Meantime the husband, who idolized
her was discarded as nonchalantly as one would
lay aside a garment no longer needed. In time
the King bestowed upon his favorite the ancient
estate of Pompadour, together with the title of
marquise, and in the course Of events other
rich properties, perquisites and enormous wealth
became hers at the expense Of the French tax
payer, and the conduct of the destinies of
France were delegated to her by the King.
Her rule over him and the realm lasted until
her death, extending over period Of some 19
years, until 1764. Her power was absolute. At
her fat and subject to the varying exacttons
of her ambition, commanders of armies were
made and unmade, statesmen lost their port
folios and the hosts of the nations officials OF
high and low degree were employed, rewarded
or dismissed. All who stood in her way were
either won to her service or overthrown and
crushed; and with exile, the Bastille, or worse,
as Tine lOTIc1L VI 1er oASp1cdSuAcs OpPOSAtlUn W
her rule finally ceased. Ministers took their
orders from her, and all the mail passing
through the post Office was culled to yield her
intimate information of what was passing in
the minds Of the people, and, incidentally. her
enemies. Letters were opened by steaming of
the seals. of which preliminary impressions were
made. The miSSives were scanned by her, and
they were then restored to their original condi-
ton and sent to their destination.