hair surmounted by a cap tied with a black ribbon. When M. Sansón, the executioner, entered, she asked if she could not be con veyed to the guillotine in a covered carriage, but was told that it was contrary to the law. "I am ready, then, gentlemen. We can set out." — " But, madame, your hair! "— " I have had it cut, see if it is right." With true courage she had cut the hair short rather .than allow it to be done by an assist ant of the executioner. Only for one mo ment did she tremble, and it was when she stepped into the rude cart, the Abbé Lothringer by her side. To her his presence was an insult, for he had abjured his allegiance to his king, and joined the successful revolu tionists. Her own father confessor was not allowed to be with her, or to give her absolu tion. As the cart moved through the crowd ed streets the people hissed, and gave derisive cheers for " the Austrian." Marie Antoinette stood erect in the cart and her eyes flashed with defiance. " Have cour age, madame," whispered the priest. "Thank you, sir," was her only reply. The cart stopped a little distance from the guillotine, and the executioner offered his arm to the condemned queen, but she declined his as sistance and walked up the steps of the scaf fold unaided. Someone -shouted to the executioner to hold up the head of the Aus trian so that all might see. It was a ghastly sight to see the blood dripping from the white neck, and falling over the side of the guillo tine on the crowd beneath. Many a hand kerchief was stained with the life blood of the unfortunate queen, and the mere posses sion of one of those stained articles was sure to win high regard. The head and bodywere placed in a coffin filled with quicklime, and buried in the same ground as the felons and unclaimed dead of the great city. No sooner is the sentence of death pro nounced in France than the criminal is taken to the adjacent Conciergerie. Surrounded by guards, he is taken to a cell with two beds, of which one is to be occupied by a
fellow captive, of the class known in prison parlance as moutons. Here he is divested of his attire, and forced to don the prison suit of rough canvas shirt, woolen trousers and felt shoes. No necktie is allowed, lest he should succeed in strangling himself. A straight waistcoat of strong canvas, opening behind and secured with leather straps, is next put on, in spite of all resistance or intrcaty, and the long sleeves are attached to a cord which passes round the thighs, so that he cannot raise his hands above a cer tain height or perform the simplest acts without assistance. This camisole dc force is never once removed during the period which precedes his execution. When the day of execution arrives the prisoner is divested of his clothing and made to resume the dress which he wore at his trial. The camisole dc force is then replaced, and an officer guides him along the passages and up the steps of the guillotine. The almoner takes his last farewell, to return only after the head has fallen and then to render the last office to the corpse. The crowds shout derisively, the men will make bets as to the victim's courage, and his calmness at the moment of death. In the midst of the ex citement the knife falls, the head drops into the basket, and the crowds disperse; the body is taken to the Champs des Navets, where those who have died on the scaffold lie side by side with the paupers and the unclaimed dead from the Morgue. The executioner washes the blade and carefully oils it to prevent rusting. In England, after the days of the headsman and his axe, the condemned were executed by hanging. Until 1860 the hangings were in public, the idea being that the scene would have a deterrent effect, but experience proved the contrary; the execution was looked upon as a rare show and high prices were paid for available windows. All classes flocked to the scene and his tory furnishes us with many instances of persons of cultivated mind regularly attend
