Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1882 — A Scene From the French Revolution. [ARTICLE]

A Scene From the French Revolution.

Egslite shared the fate of the King and Queen. After his death a Mrs. Elliott was confined for three weeks in a dungeon, expecting death at every moment; but hersojouru with the rats and mice was at length relaxed, and she was allowed to mix with the other prisoners. From the Recollets, at Versailles, she was removed to the Prison of the Carmes, in Paris, where she found many acquaintances, among them Mad Beaubarnais, Mad. de Custine and her husbaud, and others. The details of her life in the prison are full of interest. Even in the presence of death they managed to enjoy themselves; and the dramas of real life played from day to day were at one time a farce, at another a tragedy. Mad. Beaubarnais (afterward wife of Napoleon) had bten on bad terms with aud separated irom her husband, until one day a fresh prisoner was added to those assembled in the large room of the prison, who turned out to be the Marquis de Beaubarnais. It was an embarrassing meeting for both husband and wife, who, under the circumstau03=i, agreed to be reconciled. The day that the Marquis de Beauharnais joined them was the one on which the husband of Mad. de Custine was executed. I never saw a scene of such misery as the parting between the young couple”, says Mrs. Elliot. “I really thought she would have dashed her brains out. Mad. Beauharnais and I did not leave her for three days and nights.” But Mad de Custine was young, full of spirit, and a French woman, and at the end of six weeks was consoled by the attentions of the Marquis de Beauharnais, much to the distress of his wife, who seemed attached to her husband. Mrs. Elliot says she did all she could to persuade Beauharnais to spare his wife’s leelings, but he was not 10 be controlled. “I am far from supposing that there was any thing wrong in their attachment,” she adds, “but certainly Beauharnais, was more in love than it was possible to describe, and the little woman seemed to have no objections to his attentions.” It was but a brief para lise :or Beauharnais, who was among the next fifty led out to execution. His death was a tragedy for the two miserable women who clung to him at parting, and one of whom never smiled after his death. After eighteen months’ imprisoment Mrs. Elliot w T as at last liberated, but during her incarceration she was once so near the scaffold that her hair was cut in readiness for her execution. The death of Robespiere was the signal for her delivery. She remained in Paris after this, moving in the highest circles during the Consulate and the Empire. Napoleon admired her, and, it is said, made her an offer befor he married her friend Madame Beauharnais. Iu the year 1801 she' returned to England,and was reported by those who knew her to be, at the age of thirty-six, more beautiful than ever. It was during this visit to England that she met DeChansents, whom she had so nobly rescued, and she had the satisfaction of liviug to see him reinstated as Governor of the Tuileries. She remained in England until 1814, when she returned to trance, where she lived to a good age, aud died at Ville d,Avray. •1 I » “A soft answer turneth away wrath,” and it’s a mighty good thing to when the iellow is bigger than youy