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6
NAPOLEON SMITH,
AirTHOF
A WElvIv-KNOVViN NEW-YORKER.
■
TORONTO:
HUNTER, KOi^K AxND COMPANY.
NAPOLEON SMITH
CHAPTER T.
Pistol : Qui va hi ,?
KiMJ Hknky : A friend.
Pistol : J-)iscii»s unto me ; Art tlion officer?
Or act tiiou baae, common, and popular ?
"Who is your fiicn.] ?"
I )eferred to a tall, di.stinctiveiy American person who
stood near the Senator's desk as 1 entered. Hi.s head
was drooped sidewise, as though his neck might be de-
formed, and he hold in his right hand the always proper
silk hat, while he caressed with his left hand an odorous
Havana cigar held lightly between his lips.
A casual glance revealed his apparent standing -j
society, manifested in faultless clothing and immaculate
boots of shining leather. Evidently a man fifty years of
age or a man of forty with a large experience. Striking
in appearance by the possession of that assurance which
comes to a gentleman by success and a sense of power,
and to the villain by the force of circumstances as an
armor. Altogether a man whose six feet two would ar-
rest attention in any place, and whose face would linger
in the memory long after the place of meeting was for-
gotten.
" Who is your friend ? "
« Before answering your question," said the Senator,
I would like to talk with you on a subject leading u.)
to my tall, martial-lookmg friend. Have a citrar ? "
NAFoLKoN SMITH.
Tho Sonatnr is not usually locinnoious, antl with no
dread of buing bored 1 lij^dited a ci<,'ar and sat down.
Jleacliinn; out ono lonij lei,' be kicked tlie door sb.ut, and
with a wi'di of cuntontinunt leaned back in \\\h chair and
said :
"1 should not like you to get the idea tliafc my reason
is dethroned oi- that i)i some stress of political scheming
my mental balance is lost, or more tlian likely you might
jump to the conclusion that last night's meeting at the
League Club liail liiiished up a mania a puta in regular
jim-jams, for 1 am going to talk stiangely."
1 knocked the asbes oH my cigar, and drew my chair
closer. The Senator lesumed :
" When the United States celel^rated its Centennial an-
niversary in i<S70 a very notable event occurred at the
time. Do you recall it T'
" Possibly," .said I, " you I'efer to the resumption of
specie payments."
" Exactly," said the Senator, " and T ask you if you at
that time did not think it a strange occurrence. Look
back at it now and you will recall the astonished look on
the faces of the millions as they jtressed intoPliiladelphia
with their well-worn greenbacks and National Bank
notes, and found them readily exchanged for gold and sil-
ver. Mo trumpet had been blown before the advancing
tide of prosperity. No tedious legislation prepared the
minds of the people for the golden Hood or the cascades
of silver poured into the streets of the city of brotherly
love. F'oreigners who came to pity our straitened finan-
cial condition saw the populace pour out from their
pockets great handfuls of gold and silver, and bars and
counters were nmsical with metallic melody. The mint
was opened to the inspection of the rabble, and every die
was at work, from the golden double eagles dropping into
their padded baskets, to the showers of dimes and half-
dimes falling in a white silvery mi t. No stage on earth
ever produced such a telling scene as the_United States
M
NAPoLEny SMITH.
I with no
sat (li)Wii.
>sl>.ut, ami
chair and
my reason
scheniinj^
you nuLflit
ing at tliu'
in reguhir
' my chair
:ennial an-
red at tliu
mption of
if you at
,ce. Look
ed look on
liladelphia
tnal Bank
Id and sil-
advancing
pared the
e cascades
brotherly
ned finan-
Tom their
bars and
The mint
every die
pping into
and half-
e on earth
.ted States
i
pliiyed before the nations of the earth in 1870 ; " and the
Senator siiiileil an-i si^Iicd with satisfk<-tii)n.
" Of coinse," said 1, " the trold and silver of tlie nation
was lyiiii,' hidtlen, and when conliilcnee was i-estoicd it
came b;ick into tin; channels of trade and linaiice, aii«l
resMiiiption was possible.
" Let me tell yon," sai<l tlu; Senatm-, " not one ilollar
of ;^'old or silver had oiiu! back into the ehanjicls of trade
or linance in 1H70. You l.,(il< asforiishe<l, l»ut I tell you
a fact. Kviry coin i>ut into ciiculatiou was newly niinte<l
and started in its mission from Piiiladelpliia. Trui;, when
a golden tlood started, then t\w. hoarded ndllionslVom the
stocking ami tea-])ot lianks were east into the rising tide,
and resumption was secure."
" I'ardon me, Senator, lait do 1 understand }(>u tliat
the government voluntarily sent out this .^iicam of pnei-
ous metals without pi'e[)aration ami wi'hout assistance
from the people or the banks? You will not thiid< me
rude if I take you at your word, and sus|iect y( (• of tem-
porary aberration of n:iitd."
The Senator la/.ily knocked the ashes fioui Jiis cigar
and resinned :
' Whether by a fixed law of supply and demand, or by
some mysterious inflnenee beyond the realm of la^v, the
fact remains that the precious juetals are always found
among the nations of the earth in about the same (luanti-
ties and pos.sessed of about the sann; value and purchasing
power. The laWe.i mines of Afiica did not glut the niai-^
kets of the world, nor when Hannibal gathered his famed
Itaskets of golden finger-rings at Can;e, did it seem
that gold had lost its value. Spain loaded her galleons
with gold in South America, and poured its veliow tide
into her commerce, and yet it was as valuable as evei'.
Cortez sent shiploads of it from Me.xieo, and still it was the
kingly metal. Sturdy England took the shining Spanish
doubloons brought home by Sir Francis Diake, and it did
not lower the monetary thermometer. Austi'alia poure<l
into commerce her auriferous tide, and, like wuLci , it
6 NAPOLEON SMITH.
found its level. California came in with her offering, and
latei- Montana anc^ Colorado, and no appaient fluctuation
was seen. The golden springs of Afiica dry up, and the
fields of Australia are worked out, Califorina becomes
an agricultural State, and so the su|)ply comes from differ-
ent points. We must remember that the arts use up an
inmiense quantity of gold and silver. Large quantities
are sunken in the seas and oceans. Much is worn out
and lost in the earth. The precious metals will always
be precious.
^ " War always drives the precious metals into temporary
hiding, Ijut the return of peace always calls them back
into the channels of trade, or they are exiled for a time
into more safe and congenial lands. Students of mone-
tary and financial history can always trace the retiiement
and probable return of tiie mediums of trade. This has
always been predicated of the circulating medium, and
events have proved its truth in all but one case."
" And that case i " I said, leaning forward in deep in-
terest.
" And that case I will tell you now. From 1798 to
1815 gold went to retirement, until in all Europe gold
coin became an object of curiosity. Of course I need not
tell you that during that time France passed through
three revolutions. Monarchy went down, the Republic
sprang up ; then Napoleon became First Consul, the Em-
peror, then an exile, and died miserably. Every govern-
ment of Europe felt the weight of the hand of ' the man
of destiny.' He made and unmade kings. His ii-on heel
lang on the tesselatcd pavements of every palace, and his
eagle eye scanned the beauties of eveiy abode of art.
Then, like his own star, he sank in darkness, leaving on
the political horizon the auroral gleam of his vanished
brilliancy, fn that wonderful chaiacter theie was a phase,
scarcely noted at the time, whicli is now clearly seen.
The groat Na})oleon was avvrioiouH ! "
" What," said I, " lionaparto cai cd for money ? "
NAPOLEON SMITH.
bring, and
uctuation
3, and tlio
I becomes
om differ-
use up fin
quantities
worn out
ill always
cnaporary
leni back
or a time
of mono-
ctirenicnt
This has
ium, and
1 deep in-
i 1798 to
rope gold
need not
through
RepuV)lic
, the Em-
Y gover"- -
' the man
iron heel
e, and his
lo of art.
.'aving on
vanished
'5 a phase,
.riy seen.
" Let mo read you a little history," said the Senator.
" In his tii-st campaign in Italy Bonaparte had a compart-
ment in his carriage filled with gold coin. Villages paid
vhcir ransom from fire and pillage in good coin of the
realm. Once, when his carriage was overturned, the
•J guards assisted in re-loading the heavy sacks of gold. In
Spain the strong-box, hooped with iron and crested with
the Imperial N, was a by-word among the troops. He
was the original European dealer in bric-a-brac, and he
■^ sold the costliest statues and most famous paintings of
I Florence and Rome. The denuded walls of Berlirf and
* Vienna told the same tale, and the depleted treasuries of
Austria and Germany attested the financial skill of the
little Corporal. Napoleon, in the year 1812, was the
richest man in Europe."
" What was his purpose ? " I asked eagerly.
" God only knows ! but it is the fact I wish to impress.
When he returned from Elba and placed 12,000 men in
the field in three months, you may surmise that he drew
on his own treasuries. Not so. The fiscal accounts of
the Empire show the means secured by the issue of re-
deemable paper. Let me call your attention to the fact
that in all those ruinous wars France footed the tremen-
dous bills, and Napoleon's strong-box was never opened.
"De Bressac, writing of the finances of Europe in
1820, says : ^
" ' Gold and silver do not feel the general tendency of
improved financial conditions, and refuse to return to the
channels of trade or come out from their retirement. Con-
trary to precedent, the general peace of Europe and agri-
cultural prosperity do not increase the volume of the
currency.'
" Stringency of the money markets was not only felt
in Europe. America, generally so apt to respond to favor-
able conditions, was seemingly devoid of cash.
" Hardiraan, an English economic writer of ^mall note
but much research, remarks of this trying period : *
8
NAPOLEON SMFTII.
"'It would seem as if somethiiijj; like one hundred
million pounds of gold, or five hundred million dollars,
had iis absolutely disappeared from the markets of the
woild as th()uji;]i the around had opened and swallowed
it up. Apparently that amount has ceased to exist.'
" lie Inul stiiDililed upon a (j real truth!
" 1 see the qucstiou in your eyes. What had Napoleon
done with it. 1 lad he placed it in the hands of the lloths-
ehilds or some European banker of repute, collateral sec-
urity would have been found after- his death. Nothinjif ol
the kind had ever been found. You recall the fact that
he made a will, but its provisions called for but a pitiful
sum in comparison to the great deficit in the world's med-
ium of tratlic.
" The Vatican was troubled about the matter, and sent
as commissioners to St. Helena, Fathers Viguala and
Strossi,of Italy. Bonaparte was a good Catholic, and on
the 3rd of May, 1821, Vignala received his confession and
administered extreme unction, but the tremendous secret
of his hidden store was not revealed. Two days later he
ilied.
" Sir Hudson Lowe, at the instance of the English (lov-
ernment, sought to Hnd among his pajiers some clue to
the vanisht'd treasure. In a private letter he says :
" ' To the bt'st of my knowledge thei-e is no evidence
obtainalile by fair mean.s— and 1 will u.se no other — that
Bonaparie made known to any oxw the seci-et of liis im-
measurable wealth. It ilied with him.'
"Among his suite who remained with him to the last
were: Antonunarehi, his e(junselling surgeon ; I^as Casas,
Savaiy, Larrey, his i)rivate physician, and the servants
of a lower grade, who are not mentioned in history. These
were all handsomely provided for, and all disclaimed a
knowledge of any large sums in hidden wealth.
" Thus," said the Senator reflectively, " if the financial
writers weie eorret.'t, the woild's work had to be carried
on with a shortage of about five hundred million dollars
during fifty years ? "
" What" said I, " was it ever found ?"
NAPOLEON iiMlTU.
hundred
n d()ll;ir,s,
•ts of t \\v.
wallowed
Napoleon
ho koths-
teral sec-
fotliinj^of
fact that
a pitiful
Id's nied-
and sent
lala and
c, and on
ssion and
'US secret
s later he
lish (iov-
e clue to
ys:
evidence
er — that
" his iin-
" It reinruod into circulation in the United States in
1S7<), and helped us celebrate the lOOth year of our na-
tional existence," said the Senator witii a suiile.
1 spranjLf from my seat in excitement, and angrily threw
down my hiirned-out cigar.
" Senator, you said I would think you off your base, and,
egad, 1 believe it now."
" Calm yourself. Light another cigar. You used to
pore over "the story of Aladdin and his wonderful lamp.
It was a good story, and had some very strange features
in it. But there is always in the weirdest stories the ele-
ments of prol lability, or we would not read them. Brand
a story as not supposable, or even probable, and it lo.ses
its charm. Give it even a faint semblance of a truth
wliieh is desirable and pleasant, and we read it with
avidity. That truth is stranger than fiction is a solecism.
Trutirwell attested should not be strange. Behold, I tell
you of a greater than Aladdin, and a cave vaster than
tho.se of the genii, and they should not be strange if they
are solidly placed in historical niches and biaced with un-
impeachable data. Now I will call mv Aladdin"—
" Napolc-on Smith, Senator ! '
Thus the sei-vant at the door. Then the introduction
followed, and 1 became acquainted with his friend.
1 the la.st
^s Casas,
servants
V. The.se
aimed a
financial
3 carried
n dollars
10
NA no LEON SMITH.
CHAPTER ir.
Gloster : Come hither, Bess, and \ct mo ki'ps my boy.
'Snugly seated in ,in alcove at the Union Lon^rue riub
the Senator and mvself resumed our interestinix dialoiruc
A week had elai).sed, and every day I detennin'ed to hear
the rest of the remarkable .story ; but business interfered
and ilrove it from my nund. The hunger I thou^dit upon
the subject the more probable did his statements appear
Certamly his story would tlirow light on two important
events long shrouded in mystery. No one had ever in
Jnstory attempted the solution of the Bonaparte problem
and to my knowledge no one had ever claimed to know
the secret of the remarkable influx of money into the
United States in 1876. The history of current events is
easily written. Any chronicler of small beer can tally
events as they occur, but it needs genius of a peculiar char-
acter to unravel the hidden threads that move the pup-
pets on the stage of action and show tne hidden motives
that ripen into great deeds. Such a genius was the Sen-
ator. His lazy life seemed to run quiet as a brook, but
like the brook it tended forever toward its destined sea
of inhnite extent, and singing or sleeping in quiet pools
the force was ever at work. I shall let him tell the story
in his own words, only stopping to say that it lasted dur-
ing the consumption of ten cigars, and at midnight I shook
his hand and was driven to my hotel to pass a sleepless
night in wonderment. He said :
I was an attache of the American Legation in Paris, in
1870, under the lamented and honored Washburne. The
Secretary of tht> American Minister at Paris lias no
sinecure. Whatever it may be at other capitals, there it
j
^n i
f
F.J
i
bei
1
tec
arc
alv
wh
-t
on(
't
I
NAPOLEON SMITH.
n
oy.
fiDfiic Clnh
Tf ciialo<rue.
ed to hear
interfered
u^dit upon
ts appear,
important
d ever in
! problem,
1 to know
' into the
events is
can tally
iliarchar-
the pup-
I motives
the Sen-
rook, but
tined sea
iet pools,
the story
^ted dur-
I I shook
sleepless
Paris, in
le. The
i has no
there it
is a life of hard and earnest work. Our relations with
France have always been so close that the comnKmication
between the governments has been kept open by unlimi-
ted correspondence on many subjects. Undei- the Mon-
archy, under the Empire, under the Republic, Fiance has
always seemed to class the United States as an ally of
whom she had no doubts. Diplomacy aimed at securing
endorsement has never been deemed necessary. Ameiica
is always and ever the sister of Fiance. " ])ip!omatic
business never rises above mutual aihniration and sympa-
thy. Below that strata lies the region of the protection
of the dried codfish tiade or the admission or exclusion
of. American pork. 1 like France. But Paris is the
shoaling place of travellers, if an American has visited
Paris he has seen Europe. If he has gone all over Europe
and not seen Paris, he has not seen Europe. You can
imagine an American Minister's office in 1870.
The third Napoleon was in his zenith. It was high
noon in France. The morning mists of revolution were
r'ls far away in the past as Scipio's wars at Carthage.
Higher an<l higher soared the Napoleonic star until it
shone in the heavens alone. Not a great work of art met
the eye of the gazer but he muttered, " Napoleon." The
Louvre and the Tuileries, twin works of faultless art,
had been joined to form a matchless picture. Where
squalor once revelled in narrow streets, and its hot steams
once arose to stii'le kings, behold the long, wide street
with no lurking-i ;.ice for crime. Beauty on every hand
until it fatigued the eye. Broad [larks that in their very
viistness bespoke a noble originator. The Boulevards, a
nionument to Napoleon which hate cannot destroy. And
fashion— well, Eug(?nie reigned as queen and dictated the
robes and hats of four hundred million women.
You should have seen the lighted streets at night.
You shoidd have felt all Pai-is throb at niidniffht with
universal music, and a million dancers shake the earth.
In 1870 Paris was great— greater than she ever can be
under a Republic- --greater than she ever should be under
12
NAPOLEON ISM IT n.
God, for it was the mad frenzy of the bacchante, not the
hoaldiful (greatness of true strenntli.
The oi-diiiaiy labor of the .Secretary is pleasant. Wo
met all American travellers of any consequence, and the
niere office-work of securing passports leads to many
pleasant acquaintances.
But every pleasant duty has its drawbacks, and the
Secretary ot the American Minister has at least trials
enough to keep him from vaingloi-y. Here at honw. we
have the ticket-seller at a large railway station. Prema-
turely gray, and locked into a small njom where he can-
not get arms with which to destroy himself or others, he
more or less calmly answers questions which would seem
strange to a nurse in an insane asylum.
When a train is about to depart and the station rapidly
fills, you will see tlii.s ticket-seller look out from his den
to see what idiot asylum is being moved now, and a look
of pain which is positively piteous comes over his face as
he sees three men approaching at once with their mouths
already open, and a question sticking out on every sun-
dried tooth, and every right hand containing an umbrella
extended, ready to lay the preeious gingham pirachuteon
the httle shelf while he tortuies the caged dispenser of
tickets.
The Secretary of the American Minister does not
rapidly become gray or lose his reason, but I attribute
this immunity only to the relaxation incident to Parisian
life, not to lack of mental tortures or exasperating
questions.
Here is a New England inventor of a combined potato-
masher and rolling-pin. He wants to know about French
patent laws, and incidentally liow the Fr^mch mash their
potatoes nov/, and what kind of rolling-pins they use.
He is easily di.sposed of, for he is a business man.
Here is a large lady who was floated into society on
petroleum, and is ap{>iopnate!y oleaginous .still, li. a
smooth, gurgling tone, like the melodious flow of her own
Pennsylvania j.ipe line, she wants to know what articles
NAPOLEON SMIim.
13
e, not the
sant. Wo
2, and the
to many
^, and the
iast trials
home we
. Pronia-
e he can-
Dtlit'i-s, ho
Liuld seem
)n rapidly
1 his den
nd a look
lis face as
ir mouths
^ery sun-
umbrella
iichute on
penser of
does not
attribute
Parisian
operating
d potato-
t French
ash their
hey use.
nan.
)ciety on
1. h. a
her own
; articles
Are exempt from duty and what goods she can carry into
Now York as her own necessaiy costume.
Here is the American Thomas Jingle, Escj., with a
dilapidated dress .suit and a glass diamond, who has gone
broke in Paris, and wants to know if there is not a fund
or something supported by a paternal government to
assist gentlemen in dittieulties to return to a land which
mourns their absence. Improbable as it may appear,
such fellows usually, by hook or by crook, are assisted
in returning home.
Then we have the sailor who has knocked .somebody
out while drunk, or been knocked out himself, and is
brought in by two voluble gendarmes, to claim the pro-
tection of the Stars and Sti-ipes ; or we have the really
needy American tar who is laid up in hospital with some
outlandish fever, and turns with longing home-sickness
^ any American face or voice.
It was in the lole of representative of a fraternal
government that 1 met the man of my story. He came
into the hotel of the American Legation and loomed upon
the view in a light-blue military overcoat and a military
cap. The rest of his costume was a presentable civilian
suit of clothing. The military cap he removed, and .sa-
luted me with his right hand in army style. While I
finished a paper on the desk before me he stood erect and
hummed a tune strangely familiar to me. Without look-
ing up I said :
" What is the tune, Sergeant ? "
" Ha, ha, you caught on, hey ! That's ' When Johnny
Comes Marchin' Home, skewball.' "
" In the late war. Sergeant ? "
"You bet! 44th Maine, 1st Brigade, 3d DiTision,
nth Corps."
" Name, please ? "
" Napoleon Smith."
"Napoleon Smith," I repeated slowly and laid away
my pen — and a smile involuntarily wreathed my lips as
14
NAPOLEON SMITU.
I thought of the incongruous marriage of two such names.
You possess a strange name, Sergeant."
"I don't know why it's strange. Possibly I have ^s
much right to it as the big Dutchman I saw inspectinc.
the troops this morning on ilie Champ de Mars " "
"Possibly you have more right to it," I ,aid, as I looked
oyer my desk at him. His cap removed, 1 observed that
his round head leaned to one side, as T Jiad observed the
hrst Napoleon's. He had the same slightly Koman nose
the thin, short, upper lip, and expressive eye— and to
complete the parody, I noted the p.jtruding chest, and
on the lett breast a medal in bronze. " Ey George ' "
said I, " Sergeant, your name was a lucky guess or a
mighty good prophecy. Who gave you that n-ime ? "
A blush of anger overspread his face Tor a moment
and that was succeeded by a look of piide as he an-
swered :
''My father gave it to me, and his name was also Na-
poleon Smith.
I became interested and asked him to take a chair and
said : '
" Now then, my man, what is that medal on your left
' feast ?
c '['^^^f} ^f t "®^ wrinkle in the States. That is a bad^e
ot the G. A. R.— Grand Army of the Republic."
" f-,^ y^^' ^ ^^^^^ heard of it. Now, what can I do for
you ? and I looked expectant of the usual demand on
my time, money, or patience.
" You can't do anything for me. I only came here to
i;eport. I am an American citizen. I am here on pecu-
liar business. I want some backing and moral support,
that IS all. 1 r >
"No claim to the throne of the Empire, I hope, Smith ?
13y George ! you might win b^ your face and name." and
1 laughed heartily.
Again the blush overspread his face, and he said in a
husky tone ;
NAPOLEON SMITH.
16
5uch names.
I have «,s
inspecting
as I locked
ierved that
)served the
)n)an nose,
e — and to
chest, and
' George ! "
;^uess or a
'ime ? "
I moment,
as he an-
5 also Na-
chair, and
I your left
is a badge
1 I do for
emand on
e here to
on pecu-
1 support,
i, Smith ?
me," and
said in a
" Captain, you might make a worse guess several times
befoi-e you made a better one. Have you time to spare
me a few minutes ? "
I nodded assent.
" Can you i-ead French ? "
I nodded again.
"Well, look that paper over and tell me what it i.s,"
and he laid a yellow sheet of paper with a jirinted head-
ing and Imperial N on it, before me.
" It appears to be a household roster of the suite of the
first Napoleon while he was at St. Helena."
" Right you are ! Now, do you .see the name of Smith
thei-e i "
" Yes, twice : Antia Moline Smith and her .son Napol-
eon Smith, aged twelve years."
" Is that a genuine paper, Cap?" said Smith, leanin^r
forward with an anxious look. ^
" I should say ye.s, and valuable as an antiquarian cur-
iosity or as containing an autograph of the great Napol-
eon. '■
He took it reverently, folded it up, and took from his
breast-pocket another yellow paper, sayino- " What is
this paper about. Cap ? " o- ■
"This appears to be an abstract copy of Napoleon's will
at St. Helena, said I.
"Is the name of Smith there anywhere ? " and Smith
breathed excitedly.
"Yes, Anna Moline Smith and her son are mentioned
again, said I.
.i,"?°\J^'®",' ^''P' ''^'^^ ^^''^ ''^'^ which is addi-essed to
the boy Napoleon Smith," and he smiled exultantly
"This, my friend, seems to be an admission of a pecu-
liar interest in the boy, and hints at further revelations
to be made at some future time. He also here speaks of
making the acquaintance of Anna Moline Smith while at
Boulogne in 1803, and her afterward following his for-
tunes. Ihis IS a strange paper, Sergeant." °
16
NAPOLRON 8MITB.
" Ah yes, Mr. Secretary, this is what you men call un-
written history. I am the son of tliat Napoleon Smith of
St. Helena. I am the grandson of Anna Moline Smith,
and while Dutch blood wears the Imperial N, I am an
American sergeant in the United States Ai my. Sinclair-
ville, Maine, is my home. There was a great deal of un-
written history in St. Helena in 1821 and 1822, but lam
going to write some of it, and all I ask is that you just be-
lieve me. Just wait, and when I want a word of advice,
give it like an Am -rican and a brother. Perhaps you
will hear of me again, perhaps not."
So many strange ideas thronged into my mind that ho
had arisen, made his army salute and passed out before I
was ready to speak. 1 heard his martial step in the hall,
and the whistling of the ridiculous tune, "Johnny Comes
Marching Home Again, skew ball," and I dreamed a mo-
ment of Broadway and the returning regiments.
NAPOLEON sMirn.
11
men call un«
Icon Smith of
VIoline Smitli,
,1 N, I am an
iiy. Sinclair-
at (leal of un-
S22, but I am
it you just be-
ord of advice,
Perhaps you
mind that ho
1 out before I
ep in the hall,
ohnny Comes
eamed a mo-
rn ta.
CHAPTER III.
Buckingham : Tlie devil speed him ! no man's i)ii! ii* freed
From hirt ivmbitiou»t finger.
As the rope-walker feels that he is losinfj his balance
when in the most dan^^erous position of his aerial feat he
does not allow himself to fall, nor does he ii,'nomiiiiously
sit down and clin<f to the rope, but as he feels himself
losing his head he precipitately turns a tlip-flap, and
amid the plaueiits of the astonished crowd turns a mo-
ment of weakness into a triumph,
The Franco-Prussian war was, on the part of Napo-
leon III., a military llip-llap to allay the giddiness of the
French, and allow him time to resume his balance in his
aerial feat of astonishing p]nrope.
He fell and broke his neck.
The world stood entranced in 1870, and gave reasons
pro and con. anentthe war. "AuRliinf" shouted France.
^* " Am lihein ! " shouted Germany. England sapiently
remarked that the greed of France aimed at capturing
the Rhenish Provinces. The rest of Europe more sapi-
eiuly said, that Bismarck aimed his armies at Alsace and
Lorraine. To be sure, in 1866, Benedetti had gcme down
in diplomatic skirmish before the keen lance of Bismarck,
1 and his master had ever since felt the sad defeat of his
Minister.
All these were said to be reasons for war, and Glad-
I stone raised his hands in horror at a causeless conflict,
! and the Beaconsfield had wondered at the cruelty of in-
volving millions in bloodshed, forgetting their own blood-
I stained India. But no one had alluded to the real
cause of the rupture between France and Germany.
The Rhine, as it sang on its way to the sea a song of
[eternal peace, disclaimed any knowledge of a cause for
B
18
IfAPOLJiON SMIin.
armoi] tnon ^in;,Mn;' as they gazod on her blue tide, " Die
Waclit o:m Jikein." Alsace and Lorraine ripened their
grapes or barley lietieath a peaceful .sun, or went in and
out of liicturies and huts, and sang and worked and said,
" the cause is not in us."
Up in the very zenith of his power and glory, Napo-
leon, as his head swam for a, moment .said :
" All the world is looking ; now for my greatest tlip-
ilaj) before I lose my balance."
He reasoneil that the Bona])artes came into power
through military glory. The French wonship military
heroes. 'J'he Prince Imperial, a pretty boy vvith his
raTi'^her's fair hair and sparkling eye.s, must see a battle-
fieu.and at Gravelotte must catch a ricochetting a,nd
sp<'nt cannon-ball, and iche Emperor must say of him,
" Ha ! my boy is a Bonaparte." Ye gods ! this is the
clap-trap we put on the stage wlien we make history,
and yet we sometimes argue that melodrama is too stagey
and impossible.
Was France ready for war ? Well, since 18GG she had
been a large camp of instruction.
Down the boulevards had thundered into Paris an<l
out again long trains of artilleiy and Hashing troops of
cavalry. At the Arc de I Etoile twenty-five thousand
iroops had bem reviewed at a time. On the Champ dc
Mars brilliant evolutions had shown the discipline und
elan of Fiench Infantry of the lino. Who could hare
told, amid all that Hash and glitter, that {}m bayonets
were pot-metal furnished by contract, and the muskets
cheap toys, and the powder blackened sawdust. Who
could have told that the munitions for the artillery would
not explode, and the new cannon would burst sooner than
the shells they h. ^ed at the enemy. Ah ! the prepara-
tions France had mu ' . '' wnr were like the material of a
stage war, made ov.ij' ' .>.i shovv, and 1870 was to teach a
sad lesson to Frar^cc
In the meantime hUi: avek had bo on laying the found-
ation for a superstructure of glory as solid as his own
blue tide, " Die
u ripened their
or went in and
'orked and said
id glory, Napo-
ly greatest tiip-
ne into power
orship military
boy vv ith his
jst see a battle-
cochetting and
st say of him,
ds ! this is the
i make history,
ma is too stagey
ce 180G she had
into Paris and
ishing troops of
y-tive thousand
I the Cliamp de
J discipline und
V^ho could hare
it t^n! bayonets
id the muskets
sawdust. Who
saitillery would
urst sooner than
h ! the prepara-
:he material of a
) was to teach a
,ying the found-
)lid as his own
N A Pol EOS SMITU. 19
-talwart frnmc. Silent and stern as fate, the stolid col-
uiniis of Von Moltke apiuoneiied tl;i,' line of disputed
territory, and every grain nf powder, every bayonet, every
piece of artillery was as perfect as modern science could
make tlicm.
"AiiJikln ! An nil a! "
I stci)ped to the window and looked out. It was a
daslnng cavalryman with jacket looped with g.,ld braid
with trousers too large tor the attenualed legs, and dan--'
ling behind the Ic-.s a sabre wliich the little chap couFd
only wield with two hands. Ii was he who sauf^.
Further down the street a comj)any of infantry is turn-
ing by platoons into the main avenue. Ah ! What drums
these trenchmaii have. The windows rattle and the
heart throbs 111 sympathy, and the blood comes up into
the cheek while the eyes brightens as the plato.ms came
m line with the eye, and lifty legs move in a lon^- |i„o in
cadence with the drum. What ! are the tifes playin- the
Mav>,Maisel :Sup(deon, there is danger in that t^ine'
and these volatile Fienchmeii can be sung or played into
demons.
Now the platoons wheel to the left and move otf' by
the right llank, while the files cease their music, and the
dium.s are to.ssed over the left shoulder. 1 .see now why
they clear the stivets-a battery of field artillery is cominfr
down the avenue on the jump. The posLiaons are leant
m- Ic.-wP'd Jashinr their hoi' es, and the c .nnoneers are
''lin<.;J'
)
the hai .' -'.ails of the
caissons as the heavy
«,.;il T ""^f' ^^'? '■^"-^' pavement. A vouthfiil
aiLilleryothcer rides alongside each piece, with the chin-
piece ot his shako in his teeth, and his sword glintin.r in
the sun. ''En avant ! " " ""
battlas '^ '^"''' ^"'^ ™"''^ ^"^^ ^'""'^'^ '^^"^'^ ''''^y ^'"
: Napoleon had said in his heavy, oracular way: "It
.wi 1 be a long and conclusive war. Whichever nation is
^ d^^ will be forever incapable of future attempts el
Poor fellow I A dynasty was to die, not a natioa
20
NAPOLEON SMITH.
" Is Monsieur pleased with the grand preparation for
war ? "
I turn from the window to meet the sneerin<f face of
Marquis Larue. He is of the Quartier St. Germain. His
grey mustache, his padded shoulders, and his eternal sneer
are hatelul to me. I know him for an old Orleanist who
hates tlie Reds, who hates the Bonapartes, and who lives
only on tlu' hope tliatthe aiiiaille, Imperial as well as of
the Fauhouig St. Antoine, will go down in any struggle
which may occur.
" Ves, Marquis — I love the bustle and the glory of an
apjHiuiching contest."
" Qui, Monsieur, and when many die a few rascals
will perish. The devil speed them, for France needs
i^k'cding sadly."
I dislike this old wretch, and yet he is honored, and I
often meet him in the best society. Bonaparte has held
the old aristocracy in expectancy, and has doled out
enougn of the confiscated estates to keep them silent if
not loyal. What have I heard of this old man which
makes me hate him so ? No matter — it is nothing to me.
" We have a proverb, Marquis, ' when rogues fall out,
honest men get their dues,' but it is just as true that when
honest men fall out rogues often get more than their due,"
and 1 turn to my desk.
" Monsieur is a Yankee. He leans to the Reds, and
would rejoice to see again the guillotine at work on the
aristocrats," and the grizzled mustache trembles in another
sneer.
" Possibly you are right," and I bow him out and greet
in the doorway Napoleon Smith.
" Say, Cap, I am going in for this thing."
"What thing?"
"This war. I am stuck here in Paris, and these
French fellers tell nie that I can ^et a non-commissioned
officer's position on my record in the U. S. army. This
(i. A, R. badge takes like hot cakea."
NAPOLKON SMITH.
21
sreparation for
neerin<f face of
Gernuiiii. His
is eternal sneer
lOrleanist who
and who Hvcs
al as well as of
in any struggle
he glory of an
a few rascals
France needs
honored, and 1
ipavte has held
has doled out
them silent if
»ld man which
nothing to me.
I'ogues fall out,
true that when
.han their due,"
the Reds, and
it work on the
ibles in another
1 out and greet
Lris, and these
1 -commissioned
S. army. This
"I can send you out of the city, if you wish to fo,
even after hostilities connnence," and I pushed a chair
toward him.
" I don't wish to go. I came here on an errand of im-
portance, and 1 can go on with it as well if I am in the
National Guard, and perhaps better, for these French
police are devils to follow a feller up and know his Imsi-
luss. Besides, this ain't goin' to he much of a skirmish,"
and he drummed on the desk and hunuued his favorite
time.
" My friend," I said, " this is going to be a terrible
war. Think twice before you endjroil yourself in it."
'' Cap, excuse me, but you make me laugh," .said he.
"There ain't room in Europe for a Gettysburg. It would
lap over into Asia or get crowded into the water. Great
Scott! I wi.sh McMahon could have seen Pickett's
charge. When ten thcjusand men walk at common time
across a field a mile wide with si.xty pieces of artillery
playin' on 'em, and walk up to sixty thousand men
shootin' pint-blank with Springfield rides, and then leave
five thousand of those men in front of the works and
walk to reform under fire, that is fightin'."
" Yes," said J, with just American pride.
"And when you see, Cap, as I did, at Mission Uiihrc,
torty thousand men in one line move up a steep hill on a'
fortified enemy, and in just sixty-five minutes capture
forty-seven pieces of artillery and thirteen thousand
stand of small arms, that is gittin' there with both feet,
ain't it !" and he leaned forward and smiled fiercely.
"Hurrah for Grant!" I shouted, foinettin<r where I
was.
I' And a tiger ! " said Napoleon Smith.
. " \V hy, Lord ' Cap, there ain't no chance of such fi-dit-
ing here. They will just tear around for a while and
burn powder and make children deaf and so:in> cattle •
but now there was Brandy Station, 2nd U. S^ Dra.roon.s
, and .some bully NTolunteer cavahy regiments went in
iWith sabres, Ground shook, heads split open, bu^des
ii
I:
22
NAPOLEON sMrrn.
blowin', whon — T just wish tliese irioiinscers could see i\
fight once, ymn yum ! "
" lla, hii, Siuitli, but wlmt did yuu want of me ?" and
I resJinied a niaijisterial air.
" Have you ever read much about how the Bonaparte
died ? " he a.slved.
" Yes, considerable, lie made a will remembering and
rewarding his friends and suite. He received the conso-
lations of the church from two Italian pi'iests. Ho
wished a post mortem to be held on his remains to
deterndne the cause of his death. Much surmise was in-
duigetl in as to the disposition of his vast fortune a':cum-
ulated by con(]uest. He never revealed that," 1 said. •
" Yes, he did," and Snnth leaned forward.
"What?" said 1.
"Let me give you right here some unwritten history.
He called to his bedside a boy — a boy he was fond of
and who was always with him. And he handed to that
boy a red morocco case and told him to go to England
with Cai)tain Maitland, and from there to the United
States, and sometime to carefully study the papers in the
red moroc'jo case, and he could become the richest man
in the world. Tliat boy was my father, and he was a
weak, cowardly man, and died in Sinclairville, Maine, a
poo!' man, but a go id father to me. (iod rest his soul !
I have been for five years a soldier in the Union army.
I have been a traveller in many lands. I have stood on
the ground where the great Bonaparte fought his first
boyish battles at Brienne. I have lain under the grape
vines of Corsica where lie was born. 1 have stood on
fields where his name was made inmiortal, and of what
do you think J have diramed — I, the Yankee .soldier, the
tmeducated waif, the poor toiler in the poor .soil of a New
England village? I. have dreauied, Cap, that though
fate may have tinged the circumstance with .shame, and
the truthiuust near its sting, 1 liave dreamed, Cap, tlad
in my •■■■ins fiows the only yeniiine Bonaparte blood in
a-
NAPOLEON SMITH.
23
Gors could see a
:■ of iiic ? " and
' the Bonaparte
nenibering and
ived the conso-
i priests. He
'is remains to
urniise was in-
Fortune a':cum-
lat,^' 1 said. •
■d.
■ritten history.
he was fond of
handed to tiiat
go to England
to the United
e papers in the
he richest man
and he was a
I'ville, Maine, a
rest his soul !
e Union army.
have stood on
ought Ids tirst
nder the grape
have stood on
il, and of what
<ee soMier, tlie
r soil of a New
), that though
ill shame, and
nied, Cap, ihat
parte blood in
the world ; " and a tear stood in the beautiful brown
eyes.
" Are you insane, Smith ? " I shnnted.
" No , do I ask any recognition ? Do I come here for
your endorsement ? Not at all, but 1 want one soul on
liod's green earth to sympathise with me," and he turned
away to conceal his emotion.
" But if you had evidence of this," I hinted.
" For what purpose ? To create another worse than a
Tichborne ease. To become the laughing stock of Penny-
a-liners. Not any for me," and he smiled again.
" But for my private satisfaction," I hinted again.
He put his hand into an inside pocket and drew out a
worn red morocco case adoi-ned on the side with a jew-
elled N. From this he drew a folded paper and threw it
on the desk, saying,
" Tell me what that paper is about."
I glanced at it a moment and said, " It seems to be a
memorandum of several large sums of money. As it is
computed in francs it would be nearly or quite two bil-
lion franks," and I turned it over ciriously.
" Now look this over," and he handed me another
paper.
" This paper," said I, " appears to record sums secured
at different dates and different localities. Cities in Italy
are mentioned as well as Spain and Germany, This was
undoubtedly a private paper which Napoleon kept for his
own use," and 1 handed it reverently back.
" Now here," said Smith, " is an object which England,
in 1822, would have given a baronetcy for, or Italy would
have given a castle and all the orders and stars a gibber-
ing count ever wore on his breast. I think the Pope sent
two commissioners to St. Helena for this little parchment,
and even they failed. It is a simple little diagram, isn't
it ? " and spreading out on ray desk a small piece of
parchment he laughed sardonically.
Evidently I was looking' upon what the first Consul
intended should be a revelation to the one who should
24
NAPOLEON 8MITB.
become possessed of it, but to me and at a casual ghnco.
It rovouled notliin^r. 1 will draw horo a rough diamam
ol what the pfirclmiont contained.
" Evidently," said I, " this represents a large bnildincr
fronting on a park. The oblong square represents the
several stories. The figures would seem to represent
length, and location of certain deposits may be taught by
the large N, which, by the way, is colored on the parch -
ment to represent gold or copper. A copper N would
seem to be the idea. On the whole. Smith, I would give
up the military idea and hunt for a large building ^an-
swering to these dimensions and located as this, arul be-
come a rich man. My friend, I begin to believe in your
Utopian dreams, and if I associate with you long will
come to the conclusion that the Arabian Nights is a
chronicle of true Asiatic history. By George 1 this be-
NAPOLEON SMITH.
25
. casual glance
•ough tliagram
}
gins to look tangible, and, as wc say in New York, I be-
gin to take stock in it."
"No," said Sniitb, " I will enlist. Vive, la France! I
will see more of tbe country if I become a soldier. I will
be more tiusted and bave more freedom in my scarcb,and
to tell you tbe trutb my five years' service have spoiled
nie for a (|uiet life ; I will see just enougb of service to
make my blood circulate. And now, wbatever baji|ii;ns
to me, 1 will leave orders for my comiades to communi-
cate witb you, and if 1 die you will fad beir to my ])apers
and my secret. (Jod bless you Cap ! forgive me I'oi- my
roHgb army style in calling you Cap, and now faiewell."
He giasped my band a moment, a tear stood in bis eye,
but be brusbed it away witb bis sleeve and ran down
tbe ball to tbe street, and I beard bim wbistle again tbat
absurd, " Jobnny Comes Alaicbing Home," as be went
down the street.
irge building
(presents tbe
to represent
be taught by
m the parch -
)er N would
I would give
building an-
this, and be-
lieve in your
)u long will
Nights is a
ge ! this be-
90
NAPOLEON SMITU
CHAPTER IV.
Queen Kathauine : My lord, my lo»d.
1 am a simple woman, much too weak
io oppose your cuniiinf,'.
I RATHER liked the quiet aristocratic air of the Quarlit-r
M. Germain, and as I fc/nied acquaintances anion^r the
denizens easily, I found relaxation and positive lest from
my arduous duties at the legation l)y wanderin^r off to
some heavy- portalled dark hotel, and there mixinlr with
tne educated and artistic relics of the old rg(ji7ne If
there is a charm to an old ivy-covered ruin where we may
wander amid silence and decay and yet see in the ma^r-
nihcent fragments evidences of a past beauty, or tracin.v
iunid the overgrown turf tiie worn flagstones worn smooth
by thousands of feet now turned to dust, why may we
not see more of beauty in the ruins of a past glorious
state of society, ruins of agentility of manners, and a sort
oi ivy-covered and dusty courtesy to be seen in the re-
mains of a higher ruling class now gone to decay ? We
may be as democratic as we will in Americii, and as prac-
tical in weighing everything in the scales of utility, but
when we step into the wide velvet-carpeted rooms and
meet one of those white-haired calm old ladies or (re'ntle-
men who are the blossom in perfection of thirty o% forty
generations of well-fed, well-educated ease and restfulnes
there will be an involuntary homage to a perfected man-
hood or womanhood which never comes from the activi-
ties of trade or the muscular development of toil Yes
I know what you will say. You will say that the
manhood evolved from freedom and equality in the race
of life gives us more of the real and true manhood; but
while 1 admit it, I at the same time shrug my shoulders
and remark inwardly that the new type is more of the
NAPOLEON SMITH
27
I the Quailiur
js among the
tive rest from
ndering oti' to
' mixing with
1 riyime. If
inhere we may
3 in the mag-
ty, or tracing
worn smooth
why may we
past glorious
rs, and a sort
Jen in the re-
decay ? We
, and as prac-
f utility, but
i rooms, and
ies or gentle-
lirty or forty
id restf ulnes,
rfected man-
m the activi-
3f toil. Yes,
ay that the
y in the race
anhood; but
ny shoulders
more of the
(Icsh fleshy, and cast in a rougher mold, and I wonder if
the original Adam was not too much like the animals he
named, and whether I would not like better the smaller,
but more courteous, gentlemen of the old school of 1792.'
Did not Shakespeare touch a very deep truth when he
said,
"There'.-, such divinity doth hedge a king,"
and is not that hedge an involuntary respect which
irnoi
A
rsenoi
imness
ranee
ment ?
I have been told that our Union soldiers, when march-
ing through the conqueied South, sacking and plunderinrr
plantations, were often ma<le to desist from their depre"^
dations by an involuntary honinge which brute strength
paid to superior cultivation and calm assertion of a higher
civilization coming from ages of rule of an inferioi' race.
Vituperation the rude soldier would meet with, curses or
abuse he could answer with stiength, but the calm asser-
tion of power by a lady often pnjtected the household
gods from plunder and the house itself from destruction.
Logically, e.iuality is right and is the means of elevatin^^
the race ; but sentimentally I early fell a victim to the
chai-ms of a higher ruling class.
in the Quaitier St. Oeimain J often visited a lieu-
tenant of the Guards, Ilippolyte Boh. Hippolyte was
not of the old r^Ajime, though living amidst its fading
splendors. On the contrary, he was absurdly and most
realistically of the volatile, bombastic French cla.ss which
creates at will a Monarchy, an Kmpire, or a Kepublic.
He could smg the MavHellahe or shout himself hoarse
tor an Lmperor, or toss his cap and climb up on a table
and shout for a King, but love of France was a predoud-
nant color in all the kaleidoscopic hues which flashed
through his brain. As the servant ushered me into the
wide, cool parlour, the Lieutenant had tossed up a-ainst
the ceiling a paper-covered volume, and was standin<T on
one leg, singing "Ze Sahre de mon Phe." 1 stood a
28
NAPOLEON SMITH,
momeni laughing, and then he rushed up to me and em-
braced me.
" Ah my friend ! " said ho, "have vou read the mar-
vellous book. ' L Art de Battre les Prasslen.s; l,y M. Louis
Noir ? See the wonderful book ! "
" How to batter the Prussians ? " said I. " Well Lieu-
tenant, that is what you want to know now, and if M
Noir can show France how to do tliat, he will be the
great benefactor of his country, for, believe me, Lieuten-
ant, as we Yankees say, you have a big job on hand "
"It IS nothing," said Hippolyte, brushing up his front
hair with his right hand and exte.uling his left in an ora-
torical manner; "it is a mrre bagetelle. McMahon will
charge over the ranks of the sleepy Germans in a cata-
ract iJazaine and Tiochu will astonish the dull pi<r Von
Moltke. France will have another Austerlitz, Ma?en<ro
Aboukir. ^ '
" And," said I, " no fear of a Waterloo eh ? "
"Ah, never!" said he, "no more Waterloos-see our
armies Behold the armaments! France was never so
stronof.
" Well, Lieutenant," said I, "I trust vou are a good
propliet, but there is something about the quiet stolid
determination of Bismarck and his generals which I do
not like. There are too many discordant elements in
i< ranee to-day to presage victory. As the Marquis Larue
said yesterday " —
"Yes," said Hippolyte, suddenly (|uieting down and
approaching me; " what did the Man^uis say yesterday?"
'^He said France needed bleeding sadly," and I smiled.
He the Marquis, said it, did he ? " and he shook his
fist and grinned in anger until his white teeth gleamed.
Do you know what this Marquis is, my friend ?"
" One of the old aristocracy, is he not'? " I asked
" The Marquis is a villain, a deep-dyed black-hearted
villain ! said the Lieutenant wrathfuUy. " He is one of
those who fled to England when the Reds set up the
guillotine in the Place de Greve, and when he came back
me and em-
-d the mar-
by M. Louis
Well, Lieu-
', and if M.
will be the
le, Lieuten-
i hand."
ip his front
t in an ora-
Mahon will
s in a cata-
11 11 pii^r V(),,
z, Marengo,
>s — see our
s never so
are a good
uiet stolid
which I do
leinents in
•quis Larue
down and
esterday?"
d I smiled,
shook his
ti gleamed,
d?"
iked.
ck-hearted
e is one of
et up the
jame back
NAPOLEON SMITH. 29
under the Presidency he kept silent, like a watchful cat,
l.ut when the Lnipn-e was set up he came out into the
sunshine of favor, and by flattery won back his title, and
then by lies and fraud turned out his niece from her
l)irtlinght and made her a wanderer and beggar. Let me
whisper niy American friend— what is the Marquis doincr
now ? It IS hinted that he is in communication with
Bismarck and when the German is victorious, which he
never will be, the Manp^s will again bo in the sunshine
ot favor Do I know the Marquis i 1 would to Heaven
1 nevei- had known him ! "
The volatile soldier was weeping.
He touched a bell, and when the servant entered the
loom he said in a tender voice :
"Tell Mademoiselle Ainule I would see her.
He sat with his eyes expectantly fixed on the door,
while a look of pnde and tender love made them lumin-
ous. 1 heard no step, but saw the heavy door turn on its
hinges, and there entered the room the loveliest woman
or child, or whatever she might be called, I ever saw
hhe was not small ; better use the i'rench word petite.
Small enough to be beautiful, with a pure, childish, gentle
beau y, which instantly appealed to the heart for sympa-
thy, tor manly protection. Large enough to be exquisite-
y for.ned, from the tip of the little twinkling feet to the
ow white brow which rose about two large luminous
Ih^i T'{ I^'"'' ^""'^ t^"^^'^ ^y '°"^^ l^«J^es, which as
she looked down m modesty rested in a dark fringe on
her cheek. 1 here is a beauty to the conservatory flower
which IS not found in a blossom which opens under the
(low and sun and has been pelted by raindrops. The wild
riower IS rich in coloring, but the flower of the conserva-
tory has on Its petals a velvety finish which a rourrh
hlZZZ^^T^ u''^^'''^ "^^»^^ disarrange. This little
beauty who stood before me might be th« flowor of the
con«ervatoiy. I imagined a dewy beauty to the lips and
l^^rSt'""' I' '^^ '^^^^' ^^' P^^^^^P^ ^ velvety ^wMte-
ness to the neck and exposed arms, which too ardent
80
NAPOLEON SMITE.
kisses of the sun or breeze might have displaced. Was
she a child ? Her rohes were womanly and ddcolletd to
that extent that the swell of a womanly figure beneath
the white column of the neck argued maturity, and yet
the waist was girded by a wide sash of ribbon which
trailed on the floor, while the nut-brown ringlets of her
hair hung uncontined down her back. Beautiful, childish,
ravishingly simple and sweet, as a French woman may
sometimes be between the ages of twelve and twenty —
never later.
The Lieutenant did not look to see the effect of this
sweet vision on me. He knew what it would be. He
was a worshipper, and had never found a peison who did
not willingly share his homage when they saw his idol.
" This is my daughter Aimde. Aimde, this is my friend
Monsieur "
" I would know my father's American friend. I have
often heard him si)eak of you," and the little rose-tinted
palm was laid in my hand.
Imagine my astonishment. This jumping-jack of a
lieutenant, who had just been giving n\e exquisite merri-
ment by his antics and singing and boasting — this little
wasp-waisted dandy of the infantry, with his waxed
mustache and white gloves, reminding me of an American
militia-man on dress parade — this man the father of this
floating, ethereal little sylph in sky-blue satin ! It was
too much, and I sank back exhausted.
" Was Monsieur in the great American War of the Re-
bellion ? " said Aimde.
" I was in the public service," I answered. " I was
not a soldier."
" 1 am sorry for you, then," said this warlike angel.
" You have seen, though, the gieat Grant, and the brave
Sherman, and the great man with the black horse winch
comes so far to the great battle ? "
" Sheridan," I suggested.
" Yes, yes — the Little Phil," and her big eyes twinkled
with admiratiou, " Ah ! it was great— superb 1 "
NAPOLKO^ UMITU.
placed. Was
I (Idcolletd to
gure beneath
rity, and yet
ribbon which
nglets of her
tiful,chihli.sh,
woman may
,nd twenty —
effect of this
rould be. He
erson who did
;awhis idol,
is is ixiy friend
lend. I have
tie rose-tinted
ing-jack of a
cquisite merri-
ig — this little
th his waxed
)f an American
father of this
atin ! It was
Var of the Re-
ered. " I was
A^arlike angel,
and the bravo
k horse winch
eyes twinkled
^erbl"
" And now you have war in France," I said. " And
you will have glorious names to remember, glorious fields
to consecrate, and new history to be written. I hope,
iMademoiselle, it may not be as long a war as ours, nor
cost so many lives, but may be just as successful. Amer-
icans reuicraber that France gave us our first recognition
in our er.ly struggles, and sent us one of our bravest gen-
erals in Lafayette, and, better than all, there was a Fiench
army stood in hne at Yorktown when Cornwallis laid
down his arms. We can cry with good will, ' Vive la
France ! ' "
Tears stood in the beautiful eyes, and her voice trem-
bled as she answered :
" France, I am afraid will need much sympathy and
long forbearance for her many mistakes. 1 love her still,
though she has been a cruel mother to me."
" Behold," said the Lieutenant, stalking forward and
pcnnting to Aimee in a dramatic manner, " who is this
Aitn(;e, my daughter— the daughter of Lieutenant Hip-
poly te Doh of the infantry ? Yes, she is my daughter,
but she is more ! This Aimde is also the grandchfld of
the Duke de BrinvilJiers. Where the sun kisses the
grapes on a thousand acres is her rightful home. Not in
the Quartier St. Germain, in the shadows, should she be
but in the wide salons of the tall chateau. Hur divine
mother, the gentle Marie, was a poor toiler in the streets
of Pans. Then she smiled on the poor lieutenant of the
hne, Hii)polyte Boh, and he— he drank water, and saved
every sou, that his gentle wife might rest in ease and
coaifort ; and hei- child, Aimde, has lain in the soft nest
wlnle the parent bird has fought for food. Is it so
Aimee V '
"My father!" was all she said, and laid her cheek
against his face.
" And who crept into the courts of kings or presidents
or emperors and poisoned their ears with false tales and
took away the castles and the vineyards, and blotted out
the name of Brinvilliers ? The Murquin Larue ' " he
i '
32
NAPOLEON SMITH.
waTr^? ; " ^'^^ '"V^"^ '''^' '^^"- M"iet home and put,
&r^l"^'^:-::i.^,^''' -testate.^ m.l/a?,ui.
rnrlf ^/^^^'".'".'^'^ ^""^*- " P^'-^'^P'^ Aronsieur does not
care to hoar of these mntter.s. which clo not conce n hin"'
He does care. He .s my American fii..n,l " ul\ !
exc,to<I Lieutenant .-Wh^ els^ ^aVUt ?" Kv ?
ZlJZ ""n^ '"^^ ^" ^*' ^^''^ ''^^'^'•^t police. Who shall
teJ what will come next ? VVill a Bourbon oobLkt
or wil ':' Z^ ^T^""''' '"^'^^ '^''^ ««»'-t at thS TuHeries
or will another President sit above Dele<rat..s in h^
Louvre ? What n.atter 1 Whatever it be ^l^i Whiter
France may fall, the dark n.inded Man.ui; w Htil hla
courtier, a spy or a dele.^ate. and will st'rseekt blood
vnnt.. Vi ^''' ^'''" ^^-c^^^-'^cended from soldiers and
your poor father ,s a soldier. 8ee ! I nmst soon -o a ''unst
the German. If J come back, it will be with tea"'
h!.?'.,^'^'^"" "* ^^"""'- «" "'y ^'^^^t. If I come n'
':^';4 Xv^:- "^^^ '^ ^'""^ "^ ^^^ -'^^ -^ treiic^
cheek ^ ^^'^'' • " ^^^"'^^ '^"^^' ^"^ Pitted the rou^h
iSt^^Sl?-;r^^-^«^P.''-dhetoo^A^^^^
of Sftion •'" f h^rn k"-' ^^^' "^ °'^^ ^^^'^^'«^- ^'^^^'-^y
or i^egation . I had not been a woman-hater but I h-,;!
been too busy m my ambitious plans, which had bo m
io e and ^ 1^^"" -PPointment, to ever seek for wo3
me, and I ha,! nev6r been smitten by the arrow's of Jove
Vas I smitten now ? No, for I woukl as soon have fill '
en in love with the auroral tinge of inorning or adista t"
« ar as with this ethereal little svlph 4 fH hcdv H
stinct in me made me for a moment womanish and i^
was in a thick, tremulous tone I said : ^'''''^''''^> '^"^ '^
^lomo and puts
lift! of my an-
The Maiquin
isicur does not
'j concern hini."
end," said the
:now ? Kvery
e. Who shall
on ^o back to
b the 'J'uileries,
i^'ates in the
and wherever
will still be a
Jeek the blood
lain under his
soldiers, and
)on go against
th the Cross
f I come not
id the falcon
1 the roui-h
er of libeity
e, go to my
ook Aimde's
or Secretary
»•, but I had
h had borne
for woman's
ow's of love.
>nhavefall-
or a distant
fiihcrly in-
lish, and it
NAPOLEON SMI TJJ. gg
'' Lieutenant, you are a man ! That in the hi-hest
\ankeeeon.,diment, and if I have laughed at you rim
•"•St. ami ri<linde<l at times your lively ex,J i\ , I
c-.n.ine.t and glory, you will forgive 1^ Thorn; vou
u'il rvto ^ i I '''' '■"'''"" ''^' "" 1'^''' throne, I
u II t.y to be a I you have been to Aimdr. I wouM di-
h>.. l.er now it danger tluvatened. I can say no' "
I was very French. I know, butsoM.d^.w^ .' d^b
Ainide did not kiss me
the middle of the room with one ^,«n 1 , '^'"''' '"
U
am
54
NAPOLEON SMITH.
CHAPTER V.
Meprenoer : He hath <lone good service, lady, in these wars.
JiEATKicii : You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it.
Pakis in sackcloth and ashes. Paris hungry and thirsty,
and gazing out of darkened windows on desolate streets!
where the few shiveiing citizens who stir abroad aiv
seeking bits of wood, or scattered boughs from lately cut
shade-trees along the beautiful streets. It is winter in
Paris, and yet at night casements do not rattle with music,
nor the pavements jar with rajjidly fleeting carriages. It
is a strange winter for the gay city. At night we cannot
look down the long avenues and see them flooded with
light. No ; all the light we see is the fires at the sentry
reserves in open paiks or at windy street corners, or
along the boulevards where an army is encamped. Paris
is surrounded wilh ibrtifications. Is it a providential
meting out to the noisy, belligerent city of the measure
she would heap for others, that all the blood and hun<rer
and cold of war should at last settle down at her gates—
that the dregs of the cup at which the Emperor drank
and Bazaine tasted, should be poured down the throat ot
Paris ? Hollow-eyed wretches might pour out of thp
faubourgs and shiver and curse, but what can they smite '
where sliall the weight of their anger fail ? On the Ger-
mans ? Ah ! these cold, sleepy Germans. From Saarbruck
to Sedan has been the stolid heavy pounding of an over-
grown blacksmith. No valor, no ^tan, no dash is of any
avail. The German is fate itself.
The Emperor, with one hundred thou.sand nit i— witli
a thousand batteries of his vaunted light artillery witli
an eagie and two standards, hud surrendered at Sedan.
Bazaine had followed the Imperial example at Molz, and
nad laid in the broad palm of William of Prussia a 'com-
t,i»^
NAPOLEOH SMITH.
35
in these wars.
Ii holp to eat it.
Dgry and thirsty,
1 desolate streets,
stir abroad ai'c
s from lately cut
It is winter in
attle with music,
ng carriages. It
night we cannot
lem flooded with
res at the sentry
treet corners, or
ucamped. Paris
t a providential
^ of the measure
lood and hungei
n at her gates —
Emperor drank
wn the throat of
pour out of the
; can they smite ?
I? OntheGer-
From Saarbruck
ding of an over-
10 dash is of any
iand mt 1 — with
i artillery — witli
Jered at Sedan,
jle at Molz, and
: Prussia a com-
plete army with all its equip.nents and stores, and still
V ranee lived ! But she is starving, and it is winter.
1 aris IS France— then save Paris.
The Crown Prince of Prussia has drawn those cold,
ndm German Imes around the gay city, and waits with
phlegmatic patience for Paris to yield. Of course, she
will struggle in her death-agony, and then she will feel
tlie shells from two hundred cannon ; or if her strucrales
push her out far enough, she wall feel the iron hatf of
grape and canister, and be cfrivcn back, torn and bleed-
ing to wait a slower death by starvation. This is such
a strange aspect in which to view the luxurious capital '
The restaurant where idle and fashionable youth used to
order the dinner of a dozen courses is still open. How
dreary the yellow bill of fare looks which isVinned be-
nd the cashier s desk as a curiosity I The wine card is
there too, and It looks also like a flower long dead and
only dear by its memories. Perhaps a faint tinge of the
odo. ,s still there. Now the restaurant offer^s to its
favored patrons steaks and roasts at fabulous prices • but
these savory cuts of choice meat should savor of the' war
Sid tl eT« 1 11 '"' ^:^''^^^°'^^^^ of horses which once
Wsof flr« 1 ' "'' the cavalry or worked in the col-
la s of the artillery And even this food is difficult of
attainment except by the wealthy. What of the nalUd
a e fishing with line and hook through the gratin-^s of
he sewers, and their hooks are baitell with Crumbs of
b.ead and when they are successful and secure a bite
1 y drag out the great blue rat of the Seine, and shout
^ne'dfy :;iorl''"^ '^^^ "'^^ ^"^^^"^"^^ ^^ ^ ^-^^^^ ^o'
he^"^ f^^j^^^.^'-^^^ns have shut Paris in from sympathy or
t on of !i ' '' "T /^^"^Plete. and it is only a ques-
tion of endurance, and then Psm\<^ will faP ^r,A^ ,t ^ ■
otl^W will be complete. The 'city L"lenr tT
French soldiers do not sing as they did two months a^o
Ihey have a drabbled, discouraged V. as of a handsoTe
ill
! i
36
NAPOLEON SMITH.
militia company caught out in a thunaci-.slio\ve' The
drums do not throb as they di.l, nor the fifes scream,
i-aiis IS not enthusiastic-she is only enduring-
iiutm this crucible of national torment th° American
' iTw t^: Z' f" •"'' '\' ^^7^'^'^"^^ Government, a.^he
did with the Empire, and as he will with the Republic
o^ p.?,.! « 'f 7' Z '' ''" t"^^ ^^'^^ ^«- ^^^'^^^ the eyes
lim If' r ' ' ' ^^""^ ^^"^ ^^''^'''' ^"^ «^^« the nearest
J lies ot Germans may look upon " Old Glory " as itlazilv
ev^^Ar'"''v"^"V^"'"^- ^^^^'-^^ supposed that
eyeiy American citizen had passed out before the city was
SintnT''"'!^'*^"'^'^'^^^^^^^ ^'^'^ a long season o
est until Pans became again the centre of t'ashion and
tolly. Imagine then, my surjnise as I saw enterino- the
oftce one day, a full-blooded, athletic, but lank New Eng!
iff his t-dl t?ik l^f ^''^''^ ^T'^''^ ''''^' P'^^«"^« -« h« tool
ott his tall silk hat, somewhat weather-beaten, and reach-
TdWlll i"^""- '!^'Tfi°? "^'P^'^^' ^'^'^^d °"t a red print-
ed bi 1 and pointed to the last line wiJi one finder as he
laid It on the desk. I read ; *" '
"Nehemiah Starcfls, General Agent"
" I hev to git them bills done into French over here
That am t a bad bill, though. Gosh! I could git Ht le
dodgers like them printed in Boston fur a dollar and
SJ;e'[n%r:.'^ '^^"^^"^'- "^-'^ - ^^-^ ^-'
reZred!'Sl'smii: ^°"^"'"» ^^ ^^° ^^^^ «-P'" ^
"Well, I guess, Senator, non-corrosive, non-explosive •
floats in water, as it oughter ; one pound of it will make
sixty-four cubic feet of lather, and it will remove any
kind of grease, stain, iron-rust, mildew, or moths It
will prove stronger, last longer, and will stay sweet and
remain hard in any climate. W« -va a i^"au^?"il
chromo card with every cake. Save" up your ^p;^;'
and send twenty-five of them to tho home office, an/get
■m
NAPOLEON SMITH.
37
er- .si lower. The
tlie fifes scream.
unnnf.
nt the American
)verument, as he
ith the Republic
Before the eyes
3ven the nearest
ory " as it lazily
1 supposed that
'ore the city was
a long season of
i of fashion and
iw entering the
lank New Eng-
Lsure as he took
iten, and reach-
out a red print-
•ne finger, as he
fent"
3nch over here.
iould git little
a dollar and
e about twice
with
soap," I
non- explosive ;
)f' it will make
11 remove any
or moths. It
ay sweet and
a beautiful
'Our wrappers
office, and get
a large steel engraving, eighteen by twenty-six, of the
capture of Fort Fisher by Leonidas Brown— that is, the
picture is by Leonidas Brown; he didn't capture Fort
Fisher. Here, put a cake in your pocket."
" Well, but, man alive," sa'id I, " why didn't you get
out before the siege ? You will starve here or be killeTi."
"Biggest thing you ever seen, KSenator. It will be in
history. ' The agent of the Wild Flower Soap remained
in Pans during the siege.' Gosh 1 look here ; I gave
;iway a thousand cakes to the soldiers, and whenevei^ono
was shot or captured the Germans found the cake of
soap in his pocket, with the clu'onio card and the name
of the general agent in Paris, and the firm's name in
Boston. Look at them 'ere cards ! "
And he spread on my desk a row of gaudy advertisincr
cards, with red-cheeked damsels in every position at the
bath or wash-tuo, and a conspicuous advertisement at
the bottom.
" I want to git," said he, " some photograi)hs of f^reat
paintings in the Louvre, and when I go home I^'will
elevate the soap trade and encourage art all at the same
time. This will be the biggest kind of a boom in ten
years in America. Save up the wrappers and send 'em
in to the home ofiice."
" In the meantime, you will starve in Paris," said I
laughinsr. '
"Yes, in the meanest kind of a time; but the commnv
foots the bills, and I have eat horse-meat till 1 felt as if I
was in a light harness all the time, and fittin' up for a
spring meetin' on Long Island. Oh, I'll come out all
right if the artillery doesn't give out. Say, I used to
hear the infantry volunteers tell about Hghtin' cavalry
and how many saddles thev emptied in a Ih'ht I don't
know how many sa.ldles it will emptv from the under
side to feed me untd the 'spri„gf,i,„e comes a-.ain my
ove, as the poet says, but [ am goin' to see the thini^
through. Put me on tho register, and if I fall shin thi^
remains; but while there's life there's soap I " '
Boom! Ah, that is close by !
^
38
NAPOLEON SMITH.
t''e.e amse a tia.ne of ^ ^ f'Lf r-^:'/".^^?' darkest hou -i
caused her to ior^ ^.J^'J"^ *>' a moment it
amb.tions of the ifopul)!^'^ d /^"r ''\'?y^^^'^^, the
^ociahsts or Reds With p. ..^'"^•'''"<^^^« of tJie
E'-^peror defeated/the^. eennnpT'- ^^^^^.^^'^o". and the
,t^>ance was to 4. t off 'o f ? ^ '"^ ^'^n.s-Trochu.
«shes, an-i see fo. a^ t ine s ch fi ' 1 r ^^'^" '^"^'^^'°<^h and
Jeiia, Austerlitz, Mao-enta 5 f^ .%'^t,nff as she .saw at
- - the den w.ih ^^l^^^t^; '^^^ ^'^ ^-noss
an.;::;:d ^ 1 1^;^ i:i:-r ^^3^ ^-^^--^^ of the
down m a ,.ea of fJame '''" ^'^^^'^^ ^^'""W go
ious :;:::.r i^^,t ^]~ looked out on a glor-
battalions. On tiL aX 1 " t"V^ ^'^^'^ ^^ <^olumn of
aJry. In the fortjfimions on^ • ^'f^^^^^s of the cav-
the artillerists .tood a" eh 'J"n^^ O '"' °^ ^'^^ '''''
boom of a single gun and thpn ? ^'"^'^ "^^^'^ "^ dull
peces di.^.ha.ged\t"C toSve'arorti:' '"° ^^""^^^^
Ihese Frenchmen were huno^-t f? '
and now we shall see how the^ o^i;jer Y w''" f ^'^P^''^^^ '
m earnest. '^"^ soldier fights when he is
^^^ ^ "tW Injf ir^^^^^ — out against
and the .sixty-four-poS she?l T'"?'"',' '^''"^ ^'^'""ans,
»'ass of unifonnedTtnuanTv ^Thf ' '^"'^"^'^ ^^'^ «olid
and the mass moves on Ha"Tnow. f''"^ ''^T^h^ closes,
open at close ran. re wit 1, .X' T^^^""^''ed field-pieces
behind the n.ov^^^g ^ass i^ ti'rfbl f 7; -''^'''^ ^ -w
wounded soldiers and quiet dead N ^^.f'"'' °^ ^^''i^^^ing
and come up close t^ tie re^' .f^'^ ^'^7 double-quick
enemy, and the steady W roH ?^^? earthworks of the
kets open on what L hh\\Lf ''''l^y thon.^nd mus-
-vesTrocln. His aid^l:!; j^ ^ L.^^^ .^^
NAPOLEON SMITH.
39
■e nearly crush-
urryiag out to
tion of France,
I" darkest hour!
^1" a moment it
f rojalists, the
tishiiess of the
^hon, and the
— Trochu.
'Sackcloth and
IS she saw at
'n tiio lioness
^gmentsofthe
ly would go
out on a glor-
in column of
ts of the cav-
' on the left,
more a dull
^wo hundred
"e desperate ;
when he is
3 out against
se Germans,
gh the solid
iiitly closes,
■ tield-pieces
lere is now
5f writhing
3uble-quick
'I'ks of the
Jsand mus-
31-e beliind
' a moment
return with smiles on their faces. They salute, and
and
say:
" They are climbing over into the works ! " Trochu
motions back to the rear, and the cannons cease their bel-
lowing. The French are in the German works.
Ha ! the siege guns— are silent. Do we hear a shout ?
Yes, a shout of victory, for the French hold the line of
works. There is a spot yonder where the smoke rises in
a white cloud, and under it is an incessant roar, as of the
attrition of a thousand grinding masses of granite. It
moves away. The German line is broken. These are
the same blood with those French who moved up the fire-
strewn path of Sebastopol, who cheered the Eagles at
Austerlitz. But what avails it '^ow. Dead-wei"'ht of
numbers push them panting back. Over the works°again,
with three Germans to each desperate Frenchman ! Down
the escarpment, painting it with their blood ; into the
ditch, where they lie gasping for a moment and then clam-
ber out and come creeping back— yes, but they come back
with honor ! With another Trochu France might be free,
but history will linger jongover the terrible sorties at the
siege of Paris. Up the street past us limp men who use a
musket for a crutch. Men with blood-stained handker-
chiefs bound about their heads sadly smile as they hear
our words of prai.se, but they are too weary to answer,
only they raise the right hand to the bloody forehead in
military salute. Now come the stretchers with groaning
burdens, and soon other hospitals will be opened, for the
gay city is now one vast hospital. Said Sturgis, " These
French beat the devil when they do tight, and they gen-
erally want to fight." I felt in no mood for the badinage,
and walked slowly to the American Legation.
In two hours I hear the cry of the street gamin with
the scanty sheet of newspaper which served durino- the
^iege and was sold at one franc. '^
I step to the door and purchase a copy and read as I
walk back to my chair. The account of the sortie is here.
Not in the verbiage of the usual Parisian reporter. No;
Hi
i|
I
(.1
40
NAPOLEON SMITH,
■lo,not !<„„„ ,„.,„, I,„t"r „: t^n S'T '"''""'^^ ^
"ot o.,l I, ,,„„. Ai„ ^''^i'^^t''.^ ""g •"'<= »t,-.ot I h„d not
pt ti,o ,i..„./icr. At tl,o do „ ' ' '""'. ^'""""^ 'he <,„i,.t
Wilhout ivaitin- for f„ ° . ^'"' ""= '"""• swung open
tl"o wide , 1,1 ,,a7|„ ' s i air'n"";"-'' / ?';«-«' ™ mt^
Aiinde!" ■^ """^ "" called aloud « Aimfe ■
ini tn:a:;;;;;j-J^^^-^ f'^e heav^ euvtain. pa.
dwan, Ai..(^e oxtc.n;ls he anL n f'"^'' ^/"'■^^"^ ^^'^'^ '^
the A merican. Tl.ank oJd "" ''^■' •' " ^' '' ^^^^^^^^^
U here are the .servants, Aimde ? " T o t
All, Heaven ! Monsieur fl ^ ^'''^"'•
not remain and starve'" •. , 1 ) ^' ""''' p''"® ' ^^^y would
" \Viiat, is it CO e t, H *" "^T ^'^^ ^ child,
tonislunent. '" ''"^' '^^^' ^^^i^'J ?" I a«ked in as-
-^^^'^^nllV^^^^ -t theA.ontfbra
«oon make a hell of ?h s c f' a' '"'^' ,'^" ^^^''^ ^^''1
father say about n,e at our f«t nf """"' '^''^'^ ^'^^ ^^O"^'
^ier hand. """' ''^^^ ""-'' ^^J < aud I took
NAPOLEON SMITH.
«ee the usual
y lieart for the
ofi' a distance.
'•"*■ C)f course I
it.
lis left (lead on
ivens! And I
■vnand rapidly
'lain I seemed
•eet r had not
med the quiet
• No pound-
of the house.
swung open,
•essed on into
lie xiouse de-
>ud "Aimdel
curtains pass
rising from a
t is Monsieur
they would
ihild.
isked in as-
i front for a
00 am hun-
rd.
nil snon he
t leave this
Paris will
t did your
nil 1 took
41
M
you
r
" Ah, mon Dieu I he said if he did not come back
would be to me a father, and he does not come. Now i
know what you mean," and with a scream she fell back
on the divan in a swoon. I ran for water, and wetting
her face and chafing her little hands, I soon restored her
to consciousness.
" Aimde,'' said I, as if talking to a child, " is there any
valuable paper, or casket of papers, or any thing you wish
to take with you ? You must come with me to a place of
safety. Gather your clothing in as small a compass as
possible, and do it instantly, for Heaven only knows how
long the streets of Paris will be safe ! Secure everything
you value in a valise, and be ready soon."
This practical language seemed to inspire her with
tiiergy, for she soon gathered her valuables and neces-
sajy clothing in a small valise, and turned her back upon
licr home forever.
No carriage could be procured. The streets were de-
serted, and we moved away rapidly. The tender feet of
the little ward who had fallen under my care seemed all
unused to the long walk, but at last we stood in the Min-
istei-ial office. A word to my noble chief, VVashburne,
explained matters, and he simply said:
" Put her in the care of the good woman who cai-es for
oui- litime here. She is the ward of the United States as
well as of my Secretary."
Thus Aimee was in a place of safety daring the carni-
val ot crime which was soon inauirurated in Paris.
, tl
r If
i
42
NAPOLEON SMITH.
CHAPTEll IV.
. " I suppose I could, Cap : but what's fhp „.. ? n/r •
repeat in a ehoir anihl"in a c u„' ^ eh S"" ll'r
.nuled broadly and stroked his waxJd m^tache " a ^
toteaYa„d'^;^U:iJ ASo tXt.*'%T"^^^
^ar, "Johnny
y air of Paris,
mg my office,
■w, not in ap-
•f the ciysalis
L new French
^ap with red-
aide— in fact,
regard to its
'i«ible means
i in position
if you must
ally by sub-
I said, with
1 ^a ? Music
irginia, and
y^ I, is not
durned if I
usure, like a
• " And he
che. " But
de bongsay
devils fight
it sortie a
mounseers
It begun to
o think it
up on the
NAPOLEON SMI Til. 4f
Dutchmen's sixty-four pounder sie;^o-guns. and a little
lieutenant spiked two of them, anrl then when he had
lead enough in liim to anchor a Hat boat, Ik- just veiled
out ' Vive la France ! ' and passed in his checks like a
little man, and we fcH back and left him light tliere
aiuongr^t the dead Germans and broken gun-carriji<res,
and 1 know now that a Frenchman will finht. Lord (Tap'
yoir knew how it was at Fredericksburg, when the
Johnnies laid behind that stone wall and sliot Yankees
until their muskets got clogged, and every time they told
us to go up, we went up— and nearly the whole army
went up on that occasion. But I beg the ladv's pardon;
I don't generally make su.^h long speeches." And ho
looked over my head, as if talking to somebody. 1 turned
in my chair and saw Aim6e who ha<l become accustomed
to our hotel, so that .she came into all the offices like a
child. She stood with open mouth, tlashino- eyes, and
erect form listening to the words of NapolcoTi Smith as
d she was entranced.
•' Who is Uie girl ?" .said Smith, with a profound bow.
" Aimde," said I, " this is an American friend who has
enlisted in the French army. His name is Napoleon
Smith. ^
And then what do you suppose happened ? Of all the
incongruous occurrences of a sportive fate this was the
(jueerest.
This little hothouse flower— this carefully guarded
child— this little hazel-eyed fairy, fell incontinently in
love with my noisy, rude, military friend Napoleon Smith,
and he— well, he stared for a moment and then blushed
an.l then turned pale, and lo ! he was dead in love. Occa-
sionally I think that the two congenial natures out of the
l»iJlion or two of the inhabitants of this earth come into
contact to make an exemplary case of human love for the
gods to rejoice over, or perhaps they come together by
accident However it occurs, it is a sight to rejoice heaven
and earth, ''
Aimde floated across the room and seized one of the
great hands of the soldier, and said ;
t .
■ I '-■
. 1 I
if *
44
NAPOLEON SMITH.
have been in theynTetaiadfoVF "5' ?f T*''- Y""
heart , in »y,np„u,y wiXttuie'r'-''""'^''"'-^- ^^
fast, hL teti'r^d lnd'l??'""\'"'»^- »« breath came
bright-eyed enthns Jt who hll"'/- »'?'^'"iPP-^d the little
I'l'-cked up courage to s"y ^" '"""*• ^t last he
■sol^ttZ'^l'^rttntar ^"'' ""> r- P"-'e
a..^heran.s^no.rrrunfaVr;S^;„1
•■Y:s;":E.^eT£;'?«'''^'''-''--'''^>-^"
bayonctr ""' «" "P '" ">« ■=»■>»". to the hill, to the
."If ' Maderaoiaelle, always."
you. Ire's'p^etTo"^,^ ^ou are a b„.ve man. I honor
apa1tacnt"'"'P*'™' ''™''<' ^"-l *»t back intoanother
" Who is the little ano-pl ? " o»; i
"You are promot^nT^'L f^^^ ^'^^^*^^ visitor,
with a smile.^ ^yXZ Zl^^'' Pf'*/ ^^<' «^id I.
already, and I don?\nn ^. ^^'' "'' ^° ^^^ '■^"k of an^el
"Sheislrthvof /h V v,"^^^^^^"^^'^^' g^^des." '^
he ans.erer'^^'ot^^f^^^^ - the gift%f Heaven,"
of such women. InTlZys^lJZTl \ '^^-^ ^^^^
Legation du in^ the st-I of pf '''^"^^i ^'^" '^^'"^ *« ^^^e
vva^s done, 1 saw Napofeon SrnVl ^"^ ^^^^" "^^ ^^ory
wiping his eyes. St'Suf?^'^ tr^'T ^"^^ ^^^
It w a clear case with xZ'' M." ^"^^^"^/'"^ voice:
gentleman, in.o more, a„'S I'-^ll^ou'^rarJ^i:..^- ,«
NAPOLEON SMITH.
46
• I heard you
lied. He died
srican war, of
^otomac. You
cksburg. My
s breath came
ppod the little
. At last he
poor private
the ranks- -I
e praise you
hill, to the
n. I honor
into another
d visitor,
ist," said I,
ink of angel
ades."
•f Heaven,"
have read
lescriptions
father and
ome to the
my story
awa.y and
; voice :
I am a
ve as good
a right to love a woman as any man ; but never on this
earth have I seen a woman before who touched me as this
little enthusiastic Frt-nch girl has. I woi-sliip ber, and I
tell you now, as I should, that as her guardian I ask no
better privilege or right than to be allowed to share the
responsibility of her care. Heavens ! I hear ber voice
yet.
" Mr. Smith," said I drily, " we will talk more of this
some other time. I believe you to be a genl.leman, and I
only stipulate that you meet Aim(^e always in my company
until your prospects, and hers also, are better assured in
lib.'. In the meantime, what brought you acre to-day ? "
"I accept your conditions, and in the circumstances
surrounding us all in Paris, I think my chance is as good
as yours or anyone else's to assist Aimde. In regard to
my visit : Well, I am afraid that my quest after the con-
cealed hoard of the ;.;reat Bonaparte will be a long and
serious one. I am afraid the diagram will prove too dai k
a chart for me to siil by, and now 1 confess I see some-
thing more impoitant to live for than money. Well, 1
will tell you, in short, what brought me here, I may in
the next sortie turn up my toes, as well as the thou.sands
of comrades who fall around me, and I wish to leave with
you for a time these papers in reference to the treasuri-.
If I live, I will call for them ; if not, work out the prob-
lem yourself or let it sink into oblivion." And he took
out the red morocco pocket-book and laid it on my desk.
I took it and locked it up secui-ely in my desk, and turned
to speak again to Smith, when the doir slammed shut
and a voice said :
" It will float on water, as it oughter, and will make
suds with hard or soft water, and doesn't waste with
dampness or crack in dry weather. Save every wrapper
till you get twenty five, and send to the home office in
lioston and get a set of silver knives and forks."
1 heard a groan, and turned in time to see Napoleon
Smith slide to the floor in convulsions.
rJ
■ i\
1 '
I I
46
NAPOLEON SMITB.
Ucen hurt somclimc II, ,v 1? '• , ^"'«"<»n by Jocks !
and the bullet cut out. B a , atll'ct'T ''?.'"'• J'^''" "he.
«"y without bullet., in 1 , , ?'■ F,""*^ '""y "'at
armnid all rlRht. NoJ "],'„ " ''""<'''■ "•^''o I'e co,ae»
f » tvtir till- int ?:r ''«^ ) "vS'
again in n.y liead." ^""^ ''»^^- ^ feel the shot
remaitd.'''' " "'^ >'^" ^--^ your head so one side " I
no;eI:.nJufuLlt inuelfaii^^ ^-t da, ' It
of iate I am often render:'] I^-m "^ ^" ^ ^'^'<^^k. But
e^use." And he a o e^eaklv1"'''l^' ,^'^^ "° '^PParen
put on his hat. ''''^^' ^^'"^'^ed his elotliin,. and
^^^{^^"^^^^ "Lord, I
and Nashville. You thon,:].? "^ ^^^'^ov, Chattanuo-ra
-nd you had a fataJ wouSnlfi? ZT. ? ^>^ ^^^''^'^% ^
tmie when you are not exieet/n 'il"^ *'^' ^'^^ ^«" «ome-
^£r^td^:;!K^-^^theWIiarN^^
'^i« right hand with thTuiji^lp"^ good-humorediv rut ouT
. ."Toobyshure," sa d S ^ir^r^^''^^^^"' ''Scaler
thing. Four cakes to th.. * '. ^"^ '" soap. A new
a sunflower in the e 'ntt KZ fr^'^. "^ ^^^^^ ^^
goes with every cake. Here 1?.^'^"'^^"^ ^^^^"^o card
IS made from vegetable oi^ wiifr ?T '"^ >'°"^ Packet. It
spoil. Save the" wrapp.^ Tnd ^^ J^'"/"^^ ^"'^ ^^^^ never
the capture of Major AmL ^f ^ ^^'^^ mezzotint of
ing.
NAPOLEON SMITH.
47
J'_>y him out
givohini air.
an by Jocks !
• Boon .shot
J<J iiumy that
■e lie comes
nd and then
J whispered:
I Jiave them
-;el the shot
one side," I
ast day. It
«^eok. But
o apparent
ofcliing and
"Lord! I
Ijattaiiooga
ightly hurt
J ofFsome-
tiiliar New
b' F«t out
" Shake !"
A new
nold with
omo card
ocket. It
viJl never
szotint of
ked in a
:;tions on
t>usiness
t.
i
" There, I will know him again," said Sturgis. " There
is nothing like soap to introduce a man into society and
make friends of the women. But say, he wants to send
that head of his to the doctor's and get it fixed, or it will
leave him in the lurch sometime, 1 am pushin' business,
and when peace comes 1 will coiitiol the soap trade of
Paris, I put a cake in every hospital in Paris this morn-
ing, and put a cromo card in every ward. Strike while
the sun shines and make liay whih; tin; ii'on is hot. Bon,
jour, my friend : " AnW he jauntily placed his tall hat on
his head and bowed himself out. IJe lingered for a mom-
ent at the outer door, and I went and looked at the cas-
ing. He had stuck some kind of an iutemal plaster on
the wood which I could not remove. It read, " Use the
Great Wildflower Soap I"
i
48
NAPOLEON SMITH.
CHAPTER VII.
ent to listen. He Cd 113'. ."""P';''^ '°' " "•"»>-
musketry and the M unde tone rfZl '° *''^ '°^' «*
andaboveitallthe hih t„„T t , ^^ heavy artilieiy,
teS:Sa7t:et1? fe" wT ^- "^-^ f-O -"-h the
The thunder and nllli- ^ S'Vlng forth.
«torm. and the pede tn o"„iT °°""r '"'J"™'^ "f -
shelter before fho storm br/akrto^f.S''''.''' """i"
dreadful murmur preceding th. 1 I, """''' '' » 'ow.
West which arresrfhe IrclLfon .; T^T^ °' ^^e
leaves the cheek colorless aid /h! T °^ .""* '''°<"' ""d
fear. The cattle listen with f " ^I^^fes tremulous with
and stand for a mome:f likTl^et oT'b'™''' ''^'■™''
birds Ay low anH o^»^ "^e statues of bronze. The
safety amiHeep low lfl\'^"" .^"^^ ^^^^^ «eekin'
listens to tCZ<rio^'^:t^:n :? 7"" ^°'^^^^«- ^^''^^
stinctinhim, like thaT ?f X f "f "'^ ^"d .some in-
him to lie down under some rtk ^^1 ^"^. ^^^'^' P^«'"Pt«
the earth's surface and w^^'*^^^P indentation in
terrible onslaught itis ct o^l «^ ^^'-^^ breath for the
as of a stiflinS creatni ^7 *,"'^ '" ^^^«P of agony
Hot blasts of air as f ' o^ '? /'^'^^"^^^^ air'-chamber^
ceeded by cool, IZ3SZLIT^ f ^"'""^^' ^^'^ «»«-
norther torn away in shred s^fTn^' f/^J^'^^nts of some
of the storm. ^ ^'^' ^"^""^ ^^^ fluttering mantle
he?o hTaTrd:^' '''""^"'"^ "'' ^ ^^"'"^" ^J^clone which our
**'^*if«^a»-r..
>^VJfc.7Kfl4i!^5ifc»n:iWK^-j.=^
11 Hack a city.
le street he
for a mom-
the roar of
yy artillery,
en forth in
^ which the
iunets of a
t to attain
is a low,
3ue of the
blood and
ulous with
ase nerves,
nze. The
e seeking
Jiis. Man
some in-
I, prompts
itation in
th for the
' of agony
chamber,
, are sue-
' of some
g mantle
i
NAPOLEON SMITH.
49
hich
our
As he turned into the Rue Honord he heprd a roar as
if the lid had been lifted from pandemonium. From a
side street he had passed a dark tide of humanity poured
mto the Rue Honoi-d behind him. In the air above the
surguig mass fluttered a red flag. Here and there red
caps glinted on the surface of the packed street like
petals of flowers on a flood which has ravished a garden.
They close up behind him. He turned into a side^'street,
but down that came another tributary rivulet of seethino!
humanity to swbll the river in the main avenue. The
Commune is up !
When Paris casts out her devil of tyranny it seeketh
rest in dry places, and finding none it returneth to the
house whence it was cast out, and finding it swept and
garnished it taketh to itself seven devils worse than the
first and returneth to its house, and the last state of
Paris is worse than the first.
Napoleon cast out, and Favre in power, the red devil
of the Commune comes last to make bloody the dre»s of
the :;up of Paris. "
" Down with the Garde Mobile ! Kill the mouchard !"
Our hero feels a stinging blow, and partly falls. He is
on his knees. His gorgeous cap is tossed in the mud. A
hundred feet trample on him, and his coat is torn from
his back. His face is covered with warm blood, which
trickles from his head. He feels faint, and is about to
repi'at a simple prayer and die, when a strong hand
grasps the collar of his bloody shirt, and he stands on his
feet. The crowd closes round him, and though he is
faint he cannot fall. He is wedged in the inass^'of yell-
ing humanity. A red cap is pulled down on his bleed ina
head, and he turns his eyes downward to view himself °
He is not now the dapper member of the Garde Mo-
bile. His shirt is his only garment in sight. It is
stained with blood. A voice wliispers in his ear •
'• He who enters here leaves soap behind. He's got to 1
Save the wrappers and send 'era in. Oh, no, this 'aint no
if
Mi
-;-j
I' i
50
NAPOLEON SMITH.
which „,i„g,o wTth ■*,!;", ':a o^ h™Ct:r 'f 'r^
strong, nervou. hand «ei.ing hi, t/t K,l:,::,,^Hf;L^
Warranted to £p in any c ;,Z^ ''"',"" >?"' 'y"' '°° '
any water. ])own Zhh^u'i ""'^ "'"''«' ■» I""-'""- i"
devil and all hi^angd t h"i1 ^'s^i f '' ' r -^'^ ,""]; "^'
Once in a while tl"e eras of,? ^^''''"l^'^" ^'^ ^^^^'^ *™e.
was gutted and left desl ' ^T ™ '''^'••^' '^"^' ^^ «tore
tell it. Onee oVt vice hi t.- ^ ^'''" ^' ^'"'^^'^ *°
like the sharp cry of a It' • °^ '^ '^''^"^" ^^'^« '^^^rd
over and the^ro^d .u '^ T'' ^ZT\r' ''''''' ^'^ ^^'^
large square. Jn the oonf ,.n •' , ^'' ^''''•>" ^'"«»"go '» a
columa It is tl e Place V 'n r ^ ^'"^i"*""^ heroic\-o„ze
joy goes up as tl,: tW u d te^l^^rfh' d"'"' ^' '"^^
are stretched from the tor f ft T ^^^^^^y^i-eat cables
to pull doM-n that ti^t Born f L'"^',"^"-!"^' ^''''^^ ^^ants
shipped. ^onapaite whom they once wor-
and throats swell in^on, as tl?p °''' ! V'"^^'^"^^ ^^°»«-
a moment, and then era if L T'l'^^'^ ^^"'"^ «^ay«
in fragments. It « ano k ' ^ / ' '''"i^J""""^ ^^"^ lies
the enemies who came out to uT'"''' ^'"*^ ^^"^^ '" ^^^ ^^U
.sets in another diSion and n ^^ "^7\ ^""'^ *^^« ^i''^
is to be made he will S the . ' ''" ^''^' '^''' '^ ^'^'^o^Y
of a broken head He cannof ^''"^ '''V'^ ^^^ ^-^Pensi
rying on he knows not where ^^^"- ^' '' ^ '""^'^ ^"^-
" lo the Pont Morale / "
NAPOLEON SMITH.
jrace up and
ik the owner
weak tears.
it he feels a
I ins its pres-
>f them now.
Lir eyes, too !
' a lather in
Up with the
oe la Com-
leev, and on
l11 this time,
and a store
I it takes to
I was heard
lien all was
merge in a
loic bronze
ek of mad
rreat cables
^aris wants
once wor-
^ the beau-
I'ed thous-
'ure sways
id and lies
' in its fall
>v the tide
if history
B e.xpense
waif hur-
61
Dreamily he knows they are near the Seine. He is
jammed against the rails on the side of tlie bridge, and
for a moment he tliinks of dropj)ing over into the' chill
blue tide and ending tiie agony. Now a ribald song starts
up near the head of the advancing mob, and a thousand,
ten thousand, forty thousand voices swell the horrible
music. That was what he heard and should have fled
from.
When Paris sings it is time for the guillotine in the
Place de Greve. When Paris is happy, then make ready
the cemetery and the lime-hole.
It is the murmur of the human cycle- Vow the mob
is approaching a magnificent building fronting on a beau-
tiful park. Those behind crowd on those before, until
the front of the mass of gasi)ing humanity is jammed up
against the facade of the grand structure. Now the red
monster of the Commune has suitable diversion. The
paving stones are torn up and sent flying throufrh the
splendid windows.
" Crash ! ha, ha 1 It is
" More, many more !
down ! "
A crackling sound is heard, and as our hero looks up
he sees the sky filling with smoke. He tries to move
back. He might as well put his shoulder to the Pyre-
nees and stai't them from their base.
Great beams are brought, and he hears the crash of fal-
Img walls. Beautiful carpets and tapestries are tossed
rom upper windows and wrap the o-owd in ga.ver colors
White marble statues, of great cost and exquisite beauty
are hurled out on the crowd, levelling in death all beneath
Gold and silver ornaments twinkle about the mob as thev
fall into the mud. ■^
The fire gains on the dismantled and crumblin^y ruin
It is warm whe"e Napoleon Smith stands, and he looks
for a way of escape.
" Here comes the guai"d. Death to the guard ! "
good for the aristocrats ! "
Down with the nest ! tear
it
ft
§
62
NAPOLEON SMITH.
pact ]ine. 'luuta at ttie liand.some, com-
Our hero hears a short comma nrl Ti ^ ^ ^ ^
to a level -nirl I. a , 7''^"''^'"^" '• i he muskets drop
^ua lev ej, and Jie looks alon^' the blue barvpl« ^^ n
bowed pompoj.s 01, the caps. ^° ^''"^
Another sharp command
'J'liPV Dress ha,;.- Tl i " ""'"' ""'»■' of HcJi.
can.furfall ''" ''"''"' '"" """ «" '"". feot. They
tanee, a„,l il ll^^,',;.™?!;.;. "" ''"" '"""'"S^y a i...,g di.s-
When he awakes he is vfi^' /^.,J i vi -^
The moonlight comes in th.i "^^^t«"P ^"^1 shivers.
blood. He puts one hand nn i f ^ ^'"^ f^^'^^'^^*^ ^^th
ered with fi th and d le 1 .f^, 11 '' ^"'' '"^"^^ *^»^^« ^^cov-
breast is naked and on hi Z ^?'^ ^"""^^ ^^ ^^'^«^'- His
^ shirt, nt rous ers .r^ ' "^''''' '"T ^'^^' ^'^'""^^ts of
a-ied blood '"'" now covered with fro.en and
He speaks wireast'cnllv "i «.
teeth dratte,..u., hei; d\./,> " ',7Lt,„f 'I j" «-
garment to shut out the on].] th i ^ , '' ^'^^y '^O'^e
Ms liu.bs creak vvithif5hi''"/f "^'^^^ "«t die. How
.spot on his bod/whicl a no r V^'-"'^'^ ^^^ '"'^'^ ""^ ^
tlmt window s^aSt^ma ea^'^^Hr^'^^'^- ^°"'^-' ^^
pulJs it in and exaniines^it It % . .''fP' ^" '^ ^"^^
time ol Louis Xll He h Ls . "' / ^''P^'*'"^' "*' *^he
bis shoiJders. "°''' ^''""'^y ^"^ ™P^ it around
Now, what time is it ? Vnn.lo,. i- • ^ • ,
the moon. It n.ust be midnH.t 'sfelf l ^' -^^1 ^'^'^^ ^*'
til mornin.^. or -^ssa- tht f . '^ ^^® ^'^ ^o^n un-
night ? He' is spiv/;: td l^'J^'^and ttl^ f
NAPOLEON SMITH.
53
salon. It must have been a dining-room, he argues, or a
kitchen in some grand hous(\ and it had this costly in-
laid pavement for a floor. He follows the figure dream-
ily with his eye around and around in flowering convo-
lutions until the lines reach the centre of the pattern, and
there in the centre is a bright copper N. That he thinks
a curious design. Now the moon wheels along as he
dreams, and at last one long beam ends on the glittering
copper N. It is strange, but somehow it fixes his atten-
tion. It looks familiar. It dawns upon him. His heart
beats tumultuously, and on his knees he creeps to it. He
touches it with a reverent, trembling hand, and then says,
in a gasping tone :
" Across the room is another pattern of this arabesque,
and in its centre is another copper N."
What a sight! The bloody, dishevelled wretch, the
rich floor covered with ornament, the wheeling beam of
light ! Square across the room he creeps, and, measur-
ing the distance with his eye, lies down and gropes with
his hand.
" Here it is. Another copper N ! " and his head whirls
in a mad waltz, and again he becomes unconscious. How
long he lies thus he never knows, but as the moon sank
and the dull dark precedes the light, he stands shivering
on the pavement and looking up at the smouldering ruins
of a palace. The wind whistles through the open case-
ments, and dully, from time to time, is heard the fall of
loosened blocks of stone or masses of brick.
" I shall know it again, if Hive," he says, with chatter-
ing teeth, and creeps away.
He passes a group of night-hawks with haggard eyes,
and as they see his smeared face and wrapping of tapestry,
they merely shout to him as he passes : " Down with the
Aristocrats ! "
He shouts a hoarse reply and passes on. They find him
asleep on the steps of the American Legation, and the
servants are about to call for gensdarme to carry hini
away when I recognize him.
H
i; I
'1 1
ii
64
Napoleon smith.
!| I
cared lor in a roval mimw.,- . ^ 1 "'^^Z^'^^"- -He must be
girl manages to "wtrh™: i ";'o,:'tl"*'T''-''';S'"a ""o
ever; and Snnth-weH l,fa ° «. tV '"'? l" '°™ "'""
willinir to pass tiiiom, ' „ , ■ *■'"'»''' •"» "OuW be
the same r.'n«.. S f vc„ .TT" "/''J' ''" "''«'" ^ave
humming his lav, ,■ e ZL f '"'"I'''* /» '^"■"ole hira by
scene foi- a staid ri.,n, etabi. , K^ f " T"" " ^''■'"'g«
istry, and I confess /w •^" "^ *" American Min-
soi/the so,-,.; i„ i ;- ■ t ..'",ir"r ''""'"■ °" ">■
•■fiiee-chair at Ids side \1« ■ " V'."'-'"""« ' "■> an
andsieKe,,ndthel'o,n„',, ',"'"''' '^*'^''- ^ut war
I was t!.r„w„ "to e Z ;r;;: h:''''™"«^'^"»™^- J^"'
the Mar,|uis Laiue ,sk in,? / " ;rn"»"eeir.ent that
ceived ld,„ at t^doi u s . ",'"'"=""" "^ '»"■ I re-
in a fdendlv tone "" "'"^ ■'"""'"^' a"'' ^'e said.
I eat'e' intnUy^ t'';'t1,e"';i,rtS. ""■'-»-!'» Ai,„,e,
heard of the laiiwntal.l, . , 1 r ' Gern.am when I
..y eh,,d, CO,.,: i^:,;:'titir „:' 'i'ls mf • ^''"^^'
— E^:rrft!;;^R::,'rS™'^"°-
ofmySt'r..,trhr"'"-^'^^^^^^^
piain it at the Palai, de Ju "ce ' and l" "'■''"'='=,'° *^-
anger. Jusiice, and he grinned with
NAPOLEON SMITH.
56
" Monsieur," said I, " I had strict orders from Lieuten-
ant Boh to care for liis daughter if he should die. In par-
ticular he warned me to beware of Marquis Larue. You
perceive this is the oihce of ti.o American Minister, and
under the Stars and Stripes all shall be protected alika.
I will make no explanation unless it be to a government
which puts a demand in legal form."
" I see," he hissed in answer. " Well, adieu, Mademoi-
selle. VVait until the canaille is put down. Wait until
a better class come into pov\-er, and then we will see who
will govern my niece. Remember Mademoiselle, I wanted
to be your friend. If I be your enemy it is because you
choose it." An'l he left us, white with anger.
" T would like to meet him once face to fdce, as men
meet, and see what he means by threatening women,"
said Napoleon Smith as he sank back on his pillow.
'{
^' 'W
M
xafoleon smith.
CJl AFTER Vlil.
MtKCUTJo : rC„, 'tis not 8„ d.ep as a well n ..
P!e!::r,;::;'s:T„aft:i',';i,;r"r;,'i.t''i' r^r^^ »
his sorry appearance an rl f • w , ^'"""^ explained
installed a^tl,: C o 1 Z r Ho '/", was instantly
a raid of the CV,ni,nune nr 1 "l "^ ^''''^'^ ^^''^^^f^
was a miracle Bu at tho l" ?T^ ''"' ^'^^^' ^"^ ^^
noon, when he had b en Lh?! S 1 ^"i't ^" ^^^^ ^^■^--
uniform, and white cross bei;. ''".'* '1'°"' ^" ^ "^w
name read aloud in a "ne rd orde'r wt't' '' ""''' ""''
now ? A trial for desertion o. ? 1 '^- "^^^ ^'^ ^^"^«
ranksforhi.sahsenf^Pnfnf 'i ^ fjnurunm<r from the
treatment o^lr .t , :"c .If^i: ;!" 'Z'T'II «-"'
called to the front and w\ih T n , ^ ^''''^ ^'^ ^^^
n^^htand left fa.ed and ma .hi f . ./'*^°^''" ^^'^^'•«' was
the gorgeous Adjutant "nc^^ iM^'-'r^r"" ? '^" '^ °^
the Adjutant advanced and Xl i • 'i ^^^^'^o^^^^t. Then
RibbonoftheLe i^' of H n ?^]'' ^"tton-hole the
comnd.sion as ll^:^:!^" ^t^dt j? ^"^ ^f?^ ^
about the sortie of thp^^Ofh « Y.i .,' .^*^^^^ someth ng
guns, and then l.e telr.'^^C^^^^^^
swelled tumultuoUly Ah r u \^'^^^'^ and his heart
how to make soldi; ■rh^.h pL'h v i'l ^'ff''] ^"^"
ers to wisely or<rani;.e t1 em m rl^l ?-^ .^"^ "^^ ^^^'^ ^^^d-
1«70 as in other yea's mhf '^'^ ^''""^ ^° ^'^^ory in
the rest of the tilis"o"men ";,""": .Tth""''"'' ^^
face, mareli, and lie was in l,i„ „ ' , ' ""'"• ""'ward
the con.pa, ie. h Z Ja„K ^iu" '" ""= '•"'^''- When
iVench e^n.husiasm W„k"';„i" '•"V'l'P™-'', ■*-^^'^' ">«
cries Of .. ,,.. r^««,.t>T?-fi,SteTi;'. ^£ ^
NAPOLEON SMITH.
67
J, and it
le after-
1 a new
lear his
was flushed with happiness, and his last franc went down
to the nearest cafd for wines and cigars for the merry
comrades.
The next morning he was .summoned to the presence
of General Trocliu. After passing the guards at the door
he reached the office of the great General who was only
to hold Paris for a time by the bravest defence men ever
made, and at last yield to the inevitable and surrender.
But in that short decisive campaign he was fated to be
the leader who should make French valor show once more
at its brightest. As our hero entered he noticed the look
of weariness on the Commander's face as he bent over a
map of Paris and its fortifications, Hopelessdespair was
written in every careworn wrinkle on his face, but it was
the dangerous despair of the feline race, which shows in
spasmodically working claws and gleaming teeth. A
dozen subordinate officers stood about him, respectfully
waiting for orders. With a hasty word and deprecating
motion of the hand he dismissed them all from tlie room.
When he was alone with his visitorhe turned his chair and
faced him. He looked with wonder for a time and
then said :
" You are Napoleon Smith ? "
" Yes, General."
" Ha, Smith, do you know who you resemble in fea-
tures?"
"Yes, General."
" Was it for that they call you Napoleon Smith ? "
" No, General ; I was named so in infancy."
" Will you tell me why ? "
" It is a long story, General, and I would rather not.
I am not ashamed of the name, and, so far, the name has
not been ashamed of me."
" I have heard so, and it is for that reason I send for
you. You were in the American army in the last great
war ? "
" I was, General."
J!
J: ii
68
Napoleon smith.
ImIZV'" '" *''^ '""" "•■ "« 20th, in f,,„t of
" Yes, Gonoial."
At this point the line is vet far avv.v Tn fi ^ ^ '
tweenthV iinp« TTU i ^^'^^■^^'ly- in this space be-
mnsom Tn t^; ' ''"'" ?"^°"'^ ""'"^ 1'"^ villages to
oers Who lob the hvuur aiK the (Ip'ul ff .v. m. i /
eel. I wish you to take a detail oT ten men and niakp l
road, and as far as possible between the lines and d
%ht, b„t.ee to'-da? a llnol™! 1.' SaS'^o"
umiTOw an Imperialist, and, bah ! „ovt dav ^ (V
S':te^""^""'°^°'— '" »^ '.i'lipTt^e^So;,
" But rny American friend, am I askin<r too much if T
General.' said Smith, '<it is tvhat we call in Amerio.
a roving commission. Give me a furlougrfor a week and
a pass through every line of our armyrand I wIlTtrv t
bring you some news ; or if I do not come back you wi
FreTch^'cJdL?'' ^^ ^'^^^ -"^^^^ with ^i^' SaiTof
"Said like an American! And see. I have written ■-,
untUfurthlroS-TLcLt(?«;:!:i".^-"' '^" Sua.d,
Napoleon smith.
69
1 front of
you soo
■fiy iniiiv,
space be-
'ii la (res to
Is of rol)-
! ad van t-
nd make
f France,
be shell-
be tfii.st-
iiiakea
5t. JJetiis
and dis-
d if pos-
who rob
'cople to
nist, to-
1 Coni-
rembletl
uch if I
lain and
prei)ar-
h blood
America
sek and
I try to
ou will
etail of
ttcn m
le may
juards,
"Lieuttnant Smith, not Captain," said our hero blush-
ing. " It may make comment, and cause delay, if the
guards see the mistake."
'; My friend, if I w.ite it Captain, it will be Captain.
It IS no mi take ; " and the General swun<r around in liis
chair and resumed his .study of the map. Napoleon Smith
saluted and went out.
The terrors of legitimate warfare are always supnle-
mented by the lawless acts of mercenary wretches who
hang on the outskirts of an army to enrich themselves
by the blood and suffering of patriots who lay all on the
altar of their country. What is left by the tax-collector
who gathers money to support the army, is gathered up
by the camp-follower or the wild, dashing cavalry of the
enemy. The guerilla, like the jackal, follows to "lick the
bones left by the lions of the army. The old men and
children and weak women fall victims to the cowardice
which hides from the face of the soldier, but is brave in
the presence of the weak and unprotected. The scourge
of the peasantry of France was the Uhlans, If we con-
demn the British for invoking the aid of savage Indian
hordes in our own Revolution, or the same nation for
arming the Sepoys in India, what shall we say of the
half-savage Uhlans used by Germany in the Franco -Prus-
sian war ? They fell upon France like locusts. Every
scene of rural felicity was marred by these screaming,
shouting savages. They rode like Centaurs, and had
roving commissions to levy tribute and frighten France
into subjection. Vineyards were forgotten with their
vintage, and grain was trampled into the earth. Smoke
went up from burning villages where some drunken
Uhlan had met his death, or the village was ransomed by
the paying of its last franc as the price of indemnity from
destruction. Added to this list of terrors for non-com-
batants was the raid of tlie local lobber. Shivering
travellers were left naked, and cowering villngers spoke
in whispers of the bandit and his followers. Who was
it in every case ? — " Le Noir."
f
I-
60
Napoleon smith.
No one could (lescril.p j ;,« xi
little defail of ofH,rr ami a '"^'^ '"'■'•^^•t>' ^^ t^'^
unspoken farouvll an fon ,• .. ^^'.^ '''".*''-' '^adneHs of an
preciate tl.e danox,:\;n , . ''r' ^X^' -^'"'e-Uo ap-
J'.'Ht <-on.ino- intcrM-u ht a\e : .?• ,^''^ ^'^'^'A' •^"» ^^as
ritory l,ot^veen tl.e I os f;""*-^'^'^^!' O'l the dispute.' ter-
«way fo, f,;, I,,, f • ;^,/ V^.^-;'"' ^';'",^^^ The tree, cut
occasional domjstic fowl I., i;. f"' ^'"1« '''^' ''^"'^'^^ ^n
ground was furrowed thicLlu vv;fi ^^ '^"^ l'"i»t the
white frost was res in, on L 7'^' '''T^ ^^^- The
rounded up over Oe " an o F, T'' '^''^ ^^^^'''^ '^ was
here in teniWe contli t Tun^T^T 7^' ^'^.^ ^'^"-'
way, Smith led his little r-n . " .'''*' ^'"^"^ ^he high-
standing in a field! the Jef^T'^' '"''^'"'^ '" '"^''^Se ^tiU
No sn.oke arose from the chinV'^' ^^'r^'^^''^^^^^^««»-te^l-
down about it, showed loW; ' 1 'f l'"'' ''" ^^"^'^^'^ ^«••"
tl)e two armies. Here for . i,. T *''"""'^ between
wait until he couhl asce.lain I'ln^'r'''" .^'^tennined to
videttesand the road; L "Is ^ ^Sed V ' *'^^^-"-^
connoitie. expected to guard or re-
You ,„„st depend on me and 1 °"' ""<' "'* ™»>a«e.
go back into Pa,.,-, wiJriS "tetir" '?^" "^ *^"
value to our General h^nnZ ^,*^'' ^"format on of
load it carefully, :^,, ti ;„ K'e^r'^ ^^ke your musket,
m front and soi'what ]>e ond Ti'""^'^' '^' little wood
report. Francois, ^'ou will <^o ovp- .1 '^m''"'^ ^^'^^ ^nd
"0 enen.,, and »- Ww^^n-nrir^fd.tl^LTte'ra:.^
NAPOLEON mi I TIT. ^-^
the videtten, and if possible tho army. Then come Lack
an<l roport.
The two S(.Mi,,rs silently in.ireho(l awMy, and the rest
ot tie little coiupany, sat (h>wn to rost in tl... .l.H,r-vanl
ot the cutta-e. ( 'onteinplativ..|y th., litlje l..,„l nnindwMl
heir .scanty .MorniM- ration of hard brea.l and waited for
the return ot the scuts. F.a.H-ois ivti.n.ed Hist.and le-
ported that on pa.ssin- over the hill to the irout he had
come upon tho vidette of th. Oenna.i anuy, wh.) was
comtortal^ly ensconced in a ei.uup of hushes sniokin..' a
long pipe. I.yin- ,luwn and listening Fran.M.is had dis-
covered that the in.uls were beini,^ prepared to brin-r for-
ward heavy guns to the hill in front
'•Very good, Franeois," said Smith; "you have done
wc I ; and he made a memorandum on a map he carried
m his pocket ^ -^aiuuu
Very soon Jacques came in from the little wood in
front with his cap very much on one side, and his nuisket
carried in a very military an<l precise manner
"Monsieur le Captain," said he, it is a liitle villa-re
beyond the wood, St. Mane le Brun, and it has a famous
•' Whi'tX r' ^' ^^^ '"'^' '^ ^''"' '^'^'''" ■'^"^^ ^'"it^'-
" The Uhlans have been there, and a good man who
ran away rom them is dead in the road. Tho houses are
closed, and I had to pound on the door of the cabaret a
long time before mine host appeared. He has o-ood wine "
and Jacques drew a lon--necked bottle out of his pocket
A laugh went around the circle, and Jacques was^ voted
the king of scouts and general of tho com!aissariat
We wdl visit the village," said Smith, "and learn
more of these Uhlans. I wish to make their acqu'dnt
ance. Hurriedly slinj^ing their accoutrements, they went
u-ough the woods and entered the village. Here^ind
U,ere a ^s^nitter was carefully opened as they passed
Some of the houses were pierced by the heavy sdid shot
Of the siege-guns. A few bullet-marks we^ the wX
;ri '
i
62
NAPOLEON SMITH.
!
of the houses, and how silent was the little villacre as it
rested horror stricken beneath the bare boughs of the
chestnut trees ! As they halted in front of the little
village hostelry, Smith heard a familiar voice within
" Hang her right here behind the bar. That 'ere is a
genume American chromo of Cleopatra in her golden
barge as she appeared after using the sunflower soap only
SIX months. These 'ere little yaller bills are in French
and will tell you all about it. Save the wrappers till
you get " ^^
" What the devil ! " said Smith ; " it is my friend of the
Commune.
• 1?'4'V^°" ^'^" '^^^ ^^"^S^^- " So you got out all
right, eh ? " o
" Yes, but what under the blue canopy are you dointr
here between the lines ? Great guns, man, you will be
picked up by either side and hung for a spy ! " and Smith
looked angry.
" Business is like a hand cart, and all it wants is push-
'"^i .1. ^^^'7^^ ^^f ^'y^^^J get the bulge on both armies,
c.nd the Teuton arid the Gaul both alike gaze with rap-
ture on the advertising cards of the Great Sunflower Soap
Company Try a cake It'll wash, shave or shampoo^
It imikes the skm soft, the gums hard, and the conscience
tender. It removes freckles, tan, pimples and warts.
Every cake weighs a pound, and every pound make-^ a
family happy ; and Sturgis winked profoundly
'' That's all right," said Smith, " and it's all very f-nny •
but, my friend, you are too brave a man to fool your life
away here. Believe me. I am grateful for your kindness
Paris^^ ""^ ^'^'''''^ ^""^ ^^^ ^^^^ i'l*^
"Thanks, Lieutenant. Perhaps I have my duties in
Pans and a mission as well as yourself All the same. I
thank you. And Sturgis spoke seriou ^ly
the door™'"''' ' theUhlaas!" shouted 'the soldiers at
NAPOLEON SMITH.
68
Gentlemen said Sturgis, " I will have to ask you to
excuse me. Uh ans do not use soap. Pictures would be
fooled away on em. Bye-bye!" and he ran behind the
little bar and disappeared down cellar
" For Heaven's sake," said the old tavern keeper, " do
not stay and fight those savage devils or they will burn
the village! and he wrung his hands
"Fall in! "said Smith. " Forward, double-quick ! '^ and
he ran with his men across the open fields
The squad of Uhlans dashed up to the cabaret and im-
periously demanded wme for the whole thirsty party It
was instant y brought out by the trembling, obsequious
old tavern-keeper, without a thought of mv There
were about a score of the rough riders, mounted on ner-
vous little horses as wild as their masters. They were a
fearful looking foe to meet. Mustachioed and bronzed
and fierce, they were detested and feared by the French
as the devil might be After drinking, their leader turn-
ed and gazed across the open fields at the retreating squad
of scouts. A smile went over the fierce face and he mut-
tered a word of command.. The troop wheeled like a
and mI detai'^'^ "^^"^ ^"^^^ ^^^^'' ^^P^^^o^ Smith
pr "n?°ii^ri 'ST-^ ^'^ *^^'™ • " ^^''^ ^^« ol<i tavern-keep-
er, as he shaded his eyes and looked after them ; " and
Im Xd'ie ?" ""^^ ^ ^o^^le-looking youth, too. Bit they
Our hero saw the Uhlans coming also, but he did not
hurry his pace at all. In fact, he smiled more b^oaSly
t an did the leader of the Uhlans. In front he saw a
stood the wild bunch grass, indicating the morass or
quaking marsh found in the Paris basin He ciossed the
rivuet on the shaking bogs, and then turned anTmar^^^^^^^^
parallel with the stream. "laicueu
The faces of his little band of followers turned white
as they saw h,m take out his heavy revolver and sTiikP
on the stock to «hakc down the priming
64
NAPOLEON SMITH.
" Heavens ! " said Jacques, " you will not stay to fight
the savaji;es ? "
You have heard, it is possible, of a device sometimes
called the Yaid<ee tricl
and Smith smiled.
" Yes," said Francois, with chatterino- teeth, "but it is
not a time for such child's-play. Show us the trick
lieutenant, when we arrive in camp. Now is a good time
to run.
" Will you stay and see the Yankee trick now ? " said
Smith fiercely.
" Yes, Lieutenant ; " and they cocked their pieces reso-
lutely.
" Well, then, behold ! " and Smith turned, and raising
his revolver, fired it at the advancing Uhlan.s.
A jeering laugh was hoard, and the long lances were
laid in rest ready to transHx the little group of infantry.
" Ijie down," said Smith ; and he set the examjile by
calmly lying down facing the thundeiing squad of Uhlan.s.
On they came, with heads low and knees well in, while
the lances were iirmly gripped under the right arm. The
Frenchmen hear the horses snort, and some curious oaths
roll out as the fierce riders strike the morass. A few
plunges and the whole mass are fioundering in the half
frozen quagmii'o.
" Now, aim low and empty those .saddles," said Smith.
" That is my Yankee trick. It seems too much like mur-
der, but these lascals need a lesson."
Volley after volley the Frenchmen poi ed into the
M'rithing mass, and only sto])ped when a half-dozen mud-
dy Uhlans had pulled their steeds out and wcr9g«lloping
back toward the village.
" This defeat of the cavalry of the Prussians will never
be written, but it was a grand strategic victory ; " and
Francois swung his cap.
" It is well that J had read of this peculiar soil and of
tiiess same morasoca in the pans baain," au,id Napoleon
Smith.
I
NAPOLEON SMITH.
66
loping
" Well, and what next ? Is it a fete-day out at Ver-
sailles ? " said Jacques. " Look and see the cabriolet
driving alon^' the road as if it were going to a fair."
It certainly was a strange sight to see a cabriolet, close-
ly curtained, with a driver on the front, demurely beating
a tall horse which trotted along at a stolid i)ace. Smith
turned his little company of men toward the road in or-
der to intercept the carriage. As they filed into the
highway and drew up in line the cabriolet approached at
a trot and our hero said " Halt ! " in a sharp tone. The
driver reitiod in the tall steed so abruptly that he nea^-'y
sat down on his haunches, and Smith heard a querulous
voice behind the curtains say,
" If they be French soldiers, tell them I have a pass-
port from Trochu."
" Well then," said our hero, " they are French soldiers ;
so let us see your pass."
" Here it is," and a trembling hand reached out through
the curtains a written pa{)er.
After a glance. Smith said, " You have made a strange
niistake. This is a pass from the Crown Prince Freder-
ick of Prussia. I think you will remain hero with us."
" I gave you the wrong paper. Here is the right one ;
give me the other one back again," said the voice, which
evidently went with the hand.
"This pass \s all right," said Smith, "and is signed by
Trochu. It is strange that you have a pass from both
armies. Let me see what is the name of the bearer. The
Manpiis Larue. Alia ! I will keep the German pass. I
smell a rat here ! Well, drive on ; I dare not stop you
when you have Trochu's pass; but I am tempted to doit.
By Geoige ! if I had my way, you would walk," And
as he turned away he thoughtfully sang a stave of his
favorit'i, " Johnny Comes Marching Home."
As the notes rang out a scream was heard in the close-
ly curtained cabriolet, which was quickly smothered, evi-
(iently by a rough hand. The driver whipped up the tall
£
II
66
NAPOLEON SMI'/H.
i. I
horse ari'l ttiod to go on, but Napoleon Smith cahnly
cockod ii icvolvur and said :
" Sto}) :liat infernal hearse instantly, oi I will loophole
you in a minute !"
The tall horse was again pulled up o/ his haunches,
and our luro rudely tore aside the curlaius of the cabrio-
let, and with a scream of joy, a little weeping, dishevelled,
angry woman sprang into his arms.
" Good Heavens ! Aimde ! "
" Monsieur Napoleon, the American !" and the plump
little arms w^ere flung around Ids neck. For one ecstatic
moment our hero pressed the wet cheek of the beautiful
girl to his own and tnen asked aiigi ily :
" How came you here, my darling ? "
" It was my uncle, the Manpiis, in the carriage. Stole
me away while I was walking in the street. Ah, for
what, God knows ! " and she wept again, and laid her
face on his shoulder.
"Snatch the old villain out of the carriage, men! " said
Smith,
Very hastily this order was complied with, and with
his wig awry and his cravat under his left ear, and his
coat split up the back, the cringing old scoundrel stood at
the road trembling with rage.
" Is it so you, a F»- nch officer, treat gentlemen who
travel on Trochu's pass ? " said the Marquis.
" Y"es, and maybe worse, if I find that they also have a
pass from the enemy signed by their chief officer. I could
hang you and then make a clear case with this paj^er,"
and Smith took out the German pass.
" Tie his hands, men, and put him back in the carria<ve.
Aimde, my darling, you will also get in and we will go
back to Paris. How fortunate I found you here ! " And
ho placed her again in the cabriolet.
With a military escort on each side and Napoleon
Smith walking sedately in front, thus they turned down
a by-road into the forest through which our hero and his
company had approached the village of the cabaret.
NAPOLEON SMITH.
67
Scarcely had they passed through the low undergrowth
which hedged the forest, when a dozen rifle-shots rang
out, the tail horse was shot dead as well as four of Suiith's
men, and in a moment a crowd of red-capped demons
surrounded the carriage.
" This may be called a rather busy day," said Napol-
eon Smith, as he shot down a tall, bearded desperado, and
tried to reach the door of the carriage, where for a' mo-
ment he saw the agonized face of Aimde ; but even as he
cocked again the smoking revolver he lelt the sharp blow
of a bullet smiting his head, remembered dindy hearing
the words, " Captain Le Noir," and some orders to cease
Hnng, and with a warm tide of blood pouring down hia
face he became unconscious.
fil
ill
68
NAPOLEON SMITH.
CHAPTER rx.
rATKOCtns : To this effect, AcWli,- ;, have I mov.^d y<iu ;
A woman impudent and rnannisl •.•■,(i\^-/i
Is not more loathM than an . tfonii.i'iie niaa
In time of action.
" Tt is good lor the toilet, lauiuLy or tbc Sath. War-
rant .'d free from deleterious oils or harsli siikalie.s. Well,
if this ai-'i't a picnic in a side-bar bugoy, you may stuff'
me for a trout ! If music be the food of love, play on :
play it on me <>I1 you want to. If this is French eti-
quette, why jest send me four volumes with a supple-
ment, and take it in soap ! The dramatic William re-
marked something about a tide in the affairs of men, if
taken at the flood, would lead to fortune. Well, I'm tied
now bring on your flood ! The only sojjj) that 'will bear
a chemical analysis — "
" I should know that voice. Is that you, Sturgis ?'
and Napoleon Smith tried to open his swollen eyes*
"Yours tvixly, Neliemiah Sturgis, General Agent ; " and
Smith heard a terrible sigh.
" Where are w ^, Sturgis ? " said Smith.
" Somewhere between the forty-eighth and fiftieth par-
allel, and about two degrees east of Greenwich. That is
about as near as I can come to it." And again Sturgis
groaned. ^
" How did you come mixed up with us anyhow ( " said
our hero.
"I heard a woman scream, and some rapid firing, and
I lit in and took a hand ; but I didn't have capital enough
to stand the assessments, and they froze me o::l before I
got any dividends. Great Scott! Cap, I !>,.'! got a
lump on my head as big as a gooss egg ! " ^,/ai'n he
gi-oaned. °
suid
NAPOLEON SMITH.
69
Wh(
the M
arquis
Where is Aimde ? Oh, Stur-
gic., wuc.-:; .^ HUB 5 iinci Smith tried to arise, but dis-
cover 'i that his hatuis and feet were tied.
"^ Why, the Marquis is tied, over in a corner yonder,
anc^ Aimd.- lies aslci-p on a bunch of blankets in the other
coriH r. CV n't you see ^ " said Sturgis.
'"^^1 ^ ^^^"°^ ^^®- I suppose my eyes are covered
with blood. Where are we, anyhow ? " said Smith.
''I give it up. We are in a big stone building that
looks like a skating-rink gone to seed, or a democratic
convention wigwam sold out for rent. It has a stone
flooj :\nd the tall windows are all gone. Part of the roof
is goro and the door is made of planks. If the devil
didn'tiippearto be running the establishment, I should
say it was an old church. A durned sight of use churches
and soap would be to this ungodly crowd ! But while
the lamp holds out to burn, ' the nimble penny is better
than a slow sixpence ! ' " And he tried to whistle.
" Why do you speak thus ? " said Smith. Whose hands
have we fallen into ? "
" Captain Le Noir's, as I make out from what Fi-ench
I understand, and he is the biirgest robber and bandit un-
hung ! " And he kept up his doleful whistling.
" Where are the robbers now, Sturgis ? "
" From the noise, I should say they are in another
room, behind that little pulpit, playing pool for the
drinks, and a big row going on over a disputed ball.
Can t you hear 'em ? " said Sturgis.
« Ai'r^^^^^' ? ^^^'^^ ■'■ "nfJ'2i''^<^and it now," said our hero.
"We are m an old ruined abbey or church, and this is
the re:-d.-zvous of Le Noir's band. We are held for ran-
som, i . 4mt is all. Money is what these scoundrels
want, ,/e are safe enough. What time of dav is
rod
iskered
gueas, I would
rder to be accurate, you will have to ask the big
' devil who got my watch. Tr make a
say it was about ten o'clock: in the fore-
st?
I
70
NAPOLEON SMTT0.
noon, and no preparations for breakfast yet." And Stur-
gis sighed like a porpoise.
" Well," said our hero, " I think I am about as near the
enu of my rope as I ever was, and I don't see any way
out of this."
" I have alius desired to make the tour of France, but,
Cap, I guess we struck it in a bad time. France has
been called lively, and Hike to see a nation have some
grit and push, but blame my skin if I wouldn't like a
leetle calm for meditation about now," said Sturgis. At
this moment a couple of the women who lived with the
band in the ruins, came in with towels and a ewer of
water and asked in Fjench :
" Which is the Captain Smith ? "
Sturgis pointed to our hero, and they knelt beside him,
and, placing the ewer on the floor, commenced to wash
his wounds. As soon as the coagulated blood was washed
out of his curling locks and drabbled mustache, our hero
struggled to open his swollen eyes.
^ It was as he thought from the description Sturgis gave
him. They were in a long room with stone floors and
lofty columns of carved stone, and in one end a broken
chancel or desk. It was the ruin of an old abbey in an
obscure, deserted graveyard. Great trees had grown up
among the graves, and their bare boughs reached in
through the empty casements of the windows. Beyond
a little door behind the desk he could hear the shouts
and laughter of the band of desperate men. With his
wounds bandaged and his face washed Smith felt that he
had a new lease of life. F'ondly he turned his eyes and
sought out the childish form of Aimde asleep on the
cushions of the cabriolet and covered with a coarse
blanket. When his toilet was complete one of the
women went away and returned with a cup of coffee and
some food. His hands and limbs were unbound, and he
stretched himself and fell to with a good appetite. When
the women left him one of them told him in French,
NAPOLEON SMITH.
71
in an
which he be<?an to iinrlerstan'l, that after his meal the
Captain Le Noir wislied to see liiiii.
"Sturgis," said Smith, in a low tone, "I am goinrr to.
get away fioin here. My duty as a soldier comes before
all else. I must get into Paris and report to Trocliu.
But yonder lies a little woman for whom I would die.
Yonder is her uncle, Marquis Larue, and he would profit
by her death. How can I leave them here together ?
Sturgis, I begin to think there is method in your mad-
ness, and that yon are a brave, cool man. Will you
promise me to remain with Aimde yonder and care for
her until you hear from me ? "
" I will stay by her, Cap, as long as there is a tune in
the accordion. I see you are onto me. Cap. Go right on
and do business, and your drafts will be honored at this
office as long as there is a nickel. They are coming after
you now. Whenever you think of that leetle gal,
think of Sturgis somewhere m the same town with both
eyes ojien." And he wiped away a tear.
" We will see the captain now," said the woman who
approach 3d him.
As he passed the sleeping little Aimde he stooped and
pressed the first kiss on the tear-stained cheek, and then
limped on behind his guide with a swelling heart. Be-
hind the chancel the door swung back, and they passed
down a long room filled with the desperate followers of
the cruel Le Noir. They were mostly young men,
scarcely bearded or mustached, but here and there were
the rough-bearded desperadoes of the faubourg, or desert-
ers from the army, thieves and murderers by profession
and practice. Contempt, not fear, filled the mind of our
hero as he passed amid the offensive crowd. He noted a
look of respect which he did not understand hs he passed
along. At the end of the room another doov -'vas passed,
and he was pushed in with the rem.ark :
"Captain Le Noir, this is Captain Smith."
Smith looked around in astonishment. He saw only a
boyish figure sitting on a divan, and as he looked up he
72
desis
hand
NAPOLEON SMITTT.
jted for a moment from paring the nails on a shapely
" 'f;hfin you are an American ? " said the lK)y, in trood
iiii^jlisli. -^ *=
" J am an Amoiican. Perhaps T am the one you wish-
ed to see;" and Smith smiled.
"You are a brave man. I saw you and your men an-
nihilate the squad of Uhlans. I read also Jf you at tlie
sortie in front of Mont Kouoe. I love to m.'et brave
men ! and the boy's eyes llashe.^ with excitement.
"I Uiank you for your kind words, but I came in to
meet Captain Le Noir," said Smith.
"I am Captain Le Noir," said the youth.
For a moment Smith was angry, then he looked care-
tully at the dapper little youth who sat before him The
trim little loot was cased in patent leather, and on the
heels were silver spurs. The lace was guiltless of mus-
tache. Ihe hair was cut quite short, and fell in curls
around his head. On the table were lyin.^ a pair of Am-
erican revolvers mounted in gold. As Smitli noted the
smooth cheek, now carrying beneath its brown a tincre of
" Welf rm°" ^"' '""^ ^'^' a provoking smile, he "aid:
" Not hardly," said the smiling youth. " You expected
to meet a fierce giant, armed at all points and bearded
like a pard. Ihat is not the kind of bandit who ,.a. eeds
in the nineteenth century. Then you have heard that I
kill tor sport and wade in gore. I know how 1 am re-
garded.
" Yes, all this I have heard of you, and I wonder at
your power over the class of men in the other room " said
femith. '
"That is only a portion of my men. I have bands in
raris. 1 have other rcnci.n.ais in other places. It is
all Le Noir, and yet but few have seen me. As to con-
trolling these men," said L.. Noir as his eye flashed " I
would as soon kill a score of the vermin as shoot a'uh-
if
NAPOLEON RMITn. 78
f Ian. Bah ! tboy fear mo as tlic devil \ " Am] ho rose and
wallv'cd the floor. Then he turned iind said : " Stay with
mo, my American friend, and he my Liuutenant. You
are an adventurer. You aic in tho army for ndvonturo
it wealth IS «.vhat you want, behoM, we will })uv and sell
on the bounce in a few yeai-s and carry the' banks of
r ranee.
A look of disgust crept over the face of Smith, and he
said :
" I could never be a robber."
_ "But lor a time," said Le Noir. "Then we willlive
in the salons of Paris. We will be kin<r and queen on the
thnmes of tlie demi-monde."
" King an-: '.ueen," said Smith, thoughtfully. " What
do you mean ? "
"What do I mean?" said i. Noir. "I mean this: I
am a woman. I love the brave, ^"ou shall be my kincr.
We will gather wealth and live ' a blaze of happiness
ami excitement" ^^
To say that Smith was astonished w. be weak ex-
pression of a great sensation. He was a man, and his
iite had been much in camps. His morals were not per-
tect. _ He was only an average man of his time, vvith
piinciples only strong enough to kee[> him from crime
Here was a dark-eyed little woman, with rod checks and
cu.ing hair, standing in front of him, telling him she
oved him for l-s courage, loved him for his manhood—
the subtlest fiaUery woman can apply to the stronger sex
But asleep in another room of this nest of robbers was a
true woman, gentle as a child, sweet and pure as the pet-
als of i.owers. A humid look came in his eye, and Lo
Loir mistook It for the melting of his heart toward her.
fehe advf -ced with outstretched arms.
"Not yet," said Smith. " I am a soldier. My first duty
IS to my superior oliicer. I must return to Par- inst
ly and report, or si
are my comrades ?
an
report, or shame will co ae upon my name. Whe
:^(i
i" H
74
^^APOLEON SMITH.
" All who lived fled bar-k to the i-ity. Without doiiht
you are reported dead. K.>niain here ;'" and with a bluHJ.,
she anf.-iin extended her arms.
"Duty first. I am a servant of France. Let nie n-o
and report, and T Hwear to you I will come a^raju ; " and
he looked re.solute, Me thouj,dit for a moment. Should
he plead for Aimde, for Sturrris ? No ; lie knew some-
thn)<r ot woman \sJ(>alousy. " Your prisoners," said Smith
" what will you do with them ?"
" I will hold them for ransom. They are the grist of
my null. I take hoxw them my toll, and they pass on.
Ah Captain, it is a brave life. Come back to me and we
wijl rule royally the rou^di men in our band. Stay ; you
can hear from meat any time l)y leaving in Paris a mes-
sage at the ' Three Guardsmen,' near the Champ de Mais
You will remember it by the story of the great Dumas.
See, I let you out of this door and you go out to the hi<'h-
way and then turn to the left. Follow the highway un-
td you reach the videttes of the French arruv Fare-
well ! " •^'
^ Looking back as he limped away he saw the boyish
hgure standing in the ruined (ih^orway. All he held dear
on earth was in the sombre old ruined abbey ; but duty
called him back to ruineil, starving Paris.
When he reached tlie videttes ol" the army he was held
as a prisoner until he showed his passport and demanded
instant release and guidance to the General's headciuar-
ters. When he presented himself there he was taken
into the presence of Trochu.
" Ah then you were not killed, Captain ? " said the
(jreneral.
" Not quite. I only got another revolver bullet under
my scalp ; but it has opened an old wound, and I am bad-
ly hurt. I will report and then visit the hospital. The
Germans are placing siege guns on the little hill near St
Mane le Brun. The Uhlans are at work between the
Imes. We met and defeated a squadron day before yes-
terday." "^
out clon))t
li ablush,
in ; " und
Should
^w some-
id tSinith,
a grist of
])ass on,
leand wo
bay ; you
•is a ines-
(\o Mars.
; Duuias.
the hitrh-
iway un-
r. iare-
ic boyish
held dear
3ut duty
was held
amanded
ead(|uar-
is taken
said the
et under
am bad-
al. The
near St.
v^een the
fore yes-
NAPOLEON SMITH.
T6
"I have heard of it. It was a brave action," said the
General, kindly.
"You wish to know who mingles in your councils and
then visits the German lines. This pass I took from a
prisoner will show you. Tt was given i)y Oown Prince
Frederick to the Maniuis Larue." And'Sinith gave the
passport to Trochu. He arose and paced the tloor with
a white, angry face.
" Ah," said he, "if I had him now, I would make an
, example of him on the Place de Greve ! Curse the
white-haired old scoundrel ! But, my brave comrade,
what of the robberies? who is it terrifies the [)easants
and robs all the travellers ? "
" You will be disappointed to know that it is all done
by a beardless youth called Le Noir. The terror of his
name is all the power he has. I was his prisoner last
night. When peace comes his trade will be gone." And
Smith blushed at his own subterfuge.
" God bless you. Captain. France cannot reward you.
You are a brave man, and in happier days might be field-
marshal, but France totters toher fall ; " and a tear stood
in the brave General's eye. " But, what ails you, my
friend? You totter, you turn pale. Alas, do not fall!"
But our hero sank in one of his fits of vertigo, and laid
prone on the floor. Wine was forced between his tight
ly closed lips, and water sprinkled on his face. In a few
moments he sighed and looked around, but could not arise.
He wrote with a pencil on a scrap of paper, which was
brought to the office of the American Minister :
" I am afraid I am dying. I have found the copper
letter N. I have found Aimde and think she is safe. I
am going to the hospital.— Napoleon Smith."
Was this to oe the end Oi a series of au ventures vvhlclt
I had neverseen paralleled in any work of fiction ? I read
again and again the tremblinsr characters on the scrap of
f!!)
!*■
76
NAPOLEON SMITH.
the r.reat-hei,fprl l?l f^^^^^ }^^^- ^ l^ad couie to love
NAPOLEON SMITH.
77
'gret over
le to love
wn proud
s courajife
id souglit
i
CHAPTER X.
Provost : Come hither, sirrah ; Can you cut off a man's head ?
A MILITAUY hospital. The savagery of the battle-field
IS mirrored in the hospital. To be sure the noise and
shouts thediscoidant shriek of bullets or scivai.i. of hurt-
ling shell IS not heard here. The nipid tli-ht of the
shrapnel or grape and cannister does not shivd tiie air
like the beating of wings, as we hear it overhea<l when we
climb the earthworks, and the puff of cai.nou-snioke
carries the murderous mass of lead and iron and packing
ot brimstone into the mass of sweating men We miss
iiere the angry curse ani the panting .hout of the cham-e
and the repulse But the groan, or the sharp shriek of
pain or the bubbling gasp of death we may hear here as
on the battle-field. We have the blood and carnage here
also ; but the blood drips from the operating table, Avhere
stand the collected talent an,i .kill of the surgical pro-
tession, calmly drawing the knife across human nerves
and muscles, and plying the slow saw athwart stron-
bones which are held in human hands as in a vise Th?
carnage IS manifest here in the dropping of pallid arms,
which shall never toil again, into waiting buckets smear-
ed with blood ; hmbs which are now sodden masses of
tiesh, and will never more carry a joyous heart to waiting
homes, or move merrily in the mazes of the dance. Ah '
when ambition turns its eye upon a coveted throne, or
the sneering lip gives anger to the insulted ambassador,
t would be well if the instigator of war might first see
the dull background to the picture of glory which his
imagination paints, in the military hospital There is
speech here, too, but it is the ravir-g of delirium ' The cap-
tain waves an imaginary sword and calla hL visionary
III
i i
^ I
■'If
78
NAPOLEON SMITE.
followers to the charge. Here a smooth-faced boy is talk-
in.or with closed eyes, but he is talking of a mother he
will never see again with those rolling eyeballs. Here
another sings in a sephulehral tone, and reaches out a
handless arm in getting to some friends he dreams of with
a smile. The nurse tenderly replaces the mangled arm
beneath the covering, and lays a cool bandage across the
hot forehead, and he sleeps.
These nurses are men, too. They are soldiers with
pallid cheeks, themselves but lately occupants of these
same iron couches. Women may minister in other wards,
but not here. This is the operating ward. It is a cham-
ber of horrors, where Satan sees the perfect work of hu-
man sin and ambition. It is a hell, whose torments are
earthly and in the suffering flesh. These surgeons are
men with square, savage jaws and set teeth. No pity
must stay or prolong the agony. They have iron hands
gloved with velvet pity^ To be strong is to be true, to
be rapid is to be tender. Their ears must be deaf to every
call only that of duty. Their hearts must be steel to
everything but science. It is a workshop where man is
sawed and cut and torn, but it is done to repair the
ravages of war.
Down the long room are rows of iron cois. With their
high bolsters they bring to view a row of white faces.
The dark stubble of the beard shows plainly on the rio-id
features, and the youthful mustache on many droops over
the tremulous lip with pathetic ghastliness. These oc-
cupants turn away their eyes from some of the cots, for
they will not look where they know a rigid form is out-
linsd beneath the white counterpane which will uever
move again. The groans are stilled there. They heard
him last at sunrise, and he was praying in his delirium.
" I wish to see Napoleon Smith." '
The steward takes down a book, runs his finger alonw
a line and says :
"No. IGii. In the operating ward. On the first floor
above."
)y is talk-
lother he
Is. Here
hes out a
IS of with
gled arm
icross the
iers with
of these
ler wards,
i a cham-
'k of hu-
lents are
^eons are
No pity
on hands
i true, to
: to every
steel to
e man is
pair the
ith their
ite faces,
the rigid
ops over
'hese oc-
cots, for
n is out-
ill never
}y heard
lelirium.
er along
irst floor
NAPOLEON SMITH. 79
" Then the personality is lost, is it, and my breve Ameri-
can nend is already a number in a ceiUun^ ward% "
ere he is n1 1 A '.r^ ^" ^ numbered cot. " Ah,
isconsLnt T^vHl ^Vl'^'^f^'^" of the skull. Syncope
is constant^ 1 will examme him. American too is he ?
Seirn^'^TV T''^ ^^'''^ ^^Id mT'of'h'im. A
t;;CSand^hL "• 'j;^^;^^:,--^- ^-n and
rolling head. That is all tlTmo'ti^n a paC" tirhead
lolhng rem .side to side, the wandoring^r c' hrnd and
the twitching, involuntarily, of the muscles! ^
-It is a bad case, mv friend Puic.fj^^ t
Breathins stertojc.; tL^, t^tCLlX"^^;
has irritated and inflamed t,; „n , " " r«'=«"'7»»"d
J3eaitiruicci.se You w^^^ remain ? Thanks" Anrl ha
bustled away for the attondMnf « ur,.w '"*^^- ,^"^1 he
The use of i]Z ilt--^'' ^"^^ ^^ prepare the table.
read on his SarA "'""'''• °^ '^•'°"^. """"i"." I
" Thiy wIh X''a 'ZT ^■"^ "'" ™'-'"^'' ^''i-l Mortlake.
rr.
80
NAPOLEON SMITH.
Poor Siiiith was strapped on the table and I hold one
uneasy hand while the scalp was opened and a thin cir-
cular trephine saw be^an to eat into his skull. I felt sick
for a moment, but braced up and tried to for<ret the naus-
eating sound. Soon all bent over the table as the old
chief surgeon lifted out the circular bone in triiimi^h.
" See," said he, " the deposit on the under side of the
bone formed a spicular needle wliich pierced the brain.
Beautiful case ! " and it was passed from hand to hand.
The old surgeon was in his element.
" Whenever the spicular bonu ii'ritated the brain there
was syncope and paralysis ; now that it is removed, the
brain will be calm, the heart will resume its functions
the nerves will be qui(!t. A few stitches in the scalp and
our friend is a new man." And he rubbed his hands in
glee.
" Doctor, may I retain tins bone as a souvenir of your
wonderful skill ? " said Dr. Mortlake.
•' Certainly," said the pleased old man. " You are wel-
come to it. Put the })atient in his cot. Give some bro-
mide and a little wine. See ! he breathes easily and his
eyes open."
It was so. When he was placed on his cot, the head
remained quiet, the breathing became regular, and he fell
asleep.
" When he awakes," said Dr. Mortlake, " he will be
conscious, ;uid in a few days he will bo on his feet."
" 1 hopeso," said 1, with a sorrowful look.
" What is there important about the man?" said the
Doctor.
' Much," said I, " that I cannot explain now. The hid-
]ng-i)lace of a ward of mine, a b.autitul French girl whom
this man, Niipoleon S.nitli, had recaptured after h.er ab-
duction. Then he possesses a secret involving an im-
mense treasure. 1 am in hopes, too, lor his own sake,
that this ojjeration may prove a success. He is a brave
man, a good soldier, ami a compatriot of both of us. I
propoise to remain ai hi:i bwdside, if you will remain with
hold one
thin cir-
[ fell sick
the naus-
s the old
nph.
le of tlio
le brain,
> hand.
liu there
ved, the
unctions
calp and
lands in
of your
are wel-
)me bro-
and his
;he head
d he fell
will be
t."
aid the
^he hid-
1 whom
I'.er ab-
an irn-
rn sake,
i brave
' us. I
u with
NAPOLEON SMITH. gl
cTnsdou^:: '^" ""'"' """^"^^ ^"' "^^^^ ^^« -t"- to
ihJC' ^S'f 'V said Dr. Mortlake. "and I am confident
two w-in ^ l^e all nght in the morning, and in a day or
two will be on his feet. ^
. ^°, \^ ^Pf "t a night in the military hospital. At mid-
night Smith manifested a desire for food and drink and
his pulse assumed a natural tone, and his breath . ^
regular when he s;,nk into sleep *=
bvTnwf^^ r'w"'"''^ ^'"^^^ '^■•^Pt ^"t° t^^« windows, one
by one the lights were extinguished, and that sa Idest
ai'ved 'Hf, rf'^V-^- for the nurse in thehospiulS
auived. Ihe dead were here and there awaitino- the
house ^ T, ^h'- T'"''"';^' carry the.n away to the dea U
bieathe, and the windows were raised to court the morn-
mg air.
A decided yawn M^as hoard from 1G8, and the deli-ht-
ed Doctor sprang to the cot with a joyous cry. A va wn
meant health, meant consciousness. "
l..k ^^' ^""^*^' ^'*^^^ ^^"^ -^^^ ^^^"^ morning ? " said Mort-
Smith looked up M'ith a dull stare
" Here is your friend the Secretary. He has watclied
all n.ght with you," the Doctor said again.
iNo answer.
The Doctor sprang away and returned with a ni<rht
< B^Gr^Vl^ 1 ?' ^'t''^ ''' =^^^-- Smith's dull e;es
Jy George ! look here, Secretary. Here is a queer case,"
said the Doctor, in a tone of suppressed exeitinent.
What do you think of him, Doctor ? " I saV \v
anxious tone. '
wnnM""- '^'"/''''^ ^^A"",?til I call up the chief SUlg.r..
want him to see this ; and he hurried away. "
Smith, said I, " do vou know me ? "
A djdi roiling of the eyes was the only responae.
" Where is Aimde, Smith ? " ^
an
m
82
NAPOLEON SMITH.
Another y<a\vn, and then a chihlish cry for food or
drink. I turned cold and sat down in des[)air. I saw
Dr. Mortlake and the chief apiu-oachini,' hurriedly, talking
in alow tone. The old doctor stooped over and liftino- the
eyelid of one eye jxazt d ioni,' and carefully into it. Then
he felt the pulse, laid his hand on his forehead and said:
" You are right, lie is normal in health, but the brain
has played us l:ilse."
" What do yon mean ?" said I,
"1 mean," said the old man, sorrowfully, "that the
patient is as healthy as either of us, and will be on his
feet in a f(>w days, but he is as dead to the past as if he
were buried. Some defect in our treatment, which we
cannot understand, has cut otf the power of memory. He
is a baby new-born. He must leain at the beginning and
grow uj) to manhood again. It had been letter if he had
died. I saw one such case once ijefore in iha galleys, at
Toulon. They led him by nhe hand like a child." And
he giized on the calm features of his patient.
"No cure for it ? " I asked.
"Yes, the same cure which you use on the infant— edu-
cation," said the old man with a sigh.
" And any secret which he knew, any help he could
give—"
" Is entirely blotted out. Look at his eye."
"I this your idea too. Dr. ilortlake ? " said I in de-
spair.
" Mine is worse. He is an ind»ecile. He will never
know a familiar face on earth again."
Then I turned aw;iy and wept, and the patient again
childishly cried for drink.
W
NAPOLEON SMITH.
83
CHAPTER XI.
TiMON : Lft mo look back upon thee. thou wall, that yirdlest in those
wolvt;.s I
"We i:,-i.st commnnicate with our Government," sai.I
my chief, Mr. Wasl,lnirne. "William of Pni.s&ia is
crowned Emperor of United Germany at Versailles ; closisr
and closer the Oown Prince draws his lines around Paris ;
1 ranee has become a llepiihlic, and the Commune is tear-
iniT down and destroying this beautiful city. To be sure,
the flag of the United States is respected, and we pass
through the streets unharmed, wliether France be Empire,
Kepubhc or a Commune. But we have been shut up here
too long. We must receive ordei-s fVom the Secretary of
State and know M-hat attitu<Ie to assume toward the new
oi'der of things."
" But how shall we escape from the city?" I asked.
''Our last repoit went out by carrier pigeon, and the
bullets of the Piussians failed to bring them down. It
was a sti'ange thing to see in the next Xew York Tribune
we secured, a report Avhich went out of Paris under the
wm^ of a pigeon. Of couise we knoAv the sentiment of
the Home OfHce, but, as you say, it would be pleasanter
to see the Secretary in person and make a report after
our long sequestration."
" Would ycu like to return to America?" asked Mr.
Wash burn e.
" I will be outspoken." said I. " I would like to escape
trorn lans. The disappearance of the little French
mademoiselle, Aimde, whom I had learned to love as if
she were my own child, has made me very sad. She was
left in my care, and the Lieutenant is dead and she is sur-
rounded by enemies, or it may be is now dead. I am
guilty of no negligence, and yet I feel depressed and
84
NAPOLEON SMITH.
sorrowful over the circumstances. Tliere is another mat-
ter which I have not confided to you, Mr. Washburne
which lies very heavy on my heart. Had you observed
the tall American, with the Napoleonic features, who fre-
quented this office ? "
" '^^^V' s^-i^ my chief, " I have often noticed him, and
l^eneral Irochu a short time ago was commenting on his
heroism, and lamenting tliat the sorry conditioai of French
military affairs would not warrant his rapid promotion
His name was Napoleon Smith. That is a veritable
Anierican way of overloading a child with names. Well
what of him ? "
'; Mr. Washburne, that youth Smith was, I honestly
believe, involved in one of the most romantic mysteries
evei- known m Europe— a mystery involving the history
of b ranee for the last half century, and involving the un-
earthing of hundreds of millions of francs. It would take
too long to tell you the whole story, and now it has come
to an abrupt end."
" How has it ended ? " said Mr. Washburne.
' Napoleon Smith had an old wound he got at Gettys-
burg. In a reconnoissance last week he received another
wound at the hands of a bandit, and came in to report to
irochu after vvhich he fell senseless and was borne to the
hospital. While still conscious, he sent a scrap of paper
to me, hinting that he knew the hiding-place of Aimde
and had also secured a thread which would lead to the
unearthing of the treasure. Now, look at the strange
denouement At the hospital he was trephined and^'a
portion of the skull removed. This saved his life but
left him devoid of memory or judgment— an imbecile in
tact— and incapable of recalling a single incident of the
past. How is that for a romance ? "
"Strange indeed!" said my chief; "but is he hope-
less j ' Ihey have wonderful surgeons in Paris."
" It was the surgeon-in-chief at the hospital of the
Jiernaruins v/ho declared his case hopeless," said I.
ity.
NAPOLEON SMITH.
85
'Well, well ; I flo not wonder that you feel sad. In
regard to tlie m^-stery of the buried treasure, have you
any papers or evidence you coidd use without the help
of bmith ?" asked iMrWashl,iune.
"I have all 8iuith'H i)apers, and some time will reveal
to you the strange story in which I have been involved.
At present I am heartsick, and having failed in all my at-
tempts to discover my lovely ward, and xNapoIeon bein<r
a hopeless idiot, I wish to leave Paris. It you will de°
vise any means to send me beyond the German lines I
will carry any message you wish to the Home UlKce. '
Mr Washburne walked the tloor for a time in deep
thought; at last he said: '
« These imitative Frenchmen have made a new arm of
thejni itary service out of an i.lea an.l experiment which
McLellan started on the Potomac. They have quite an
efhcient balloon corps, which takes observati.nxs Irom
captive balloons, and in one case an adventurous aide-de-
Cfunp has entered Paris in a luiUoon. The expense wouhl
be small in fatting out a hydrogen balloon, and securing
an experienced aeronaut. I really wish to get positive
orders from the Secretary of State, and once outside you
could communicate with him and then return to me.
What do you think of the balloon project ? "
niood.-Taid'f ^ ^"^ undertake anything in my present
"Well then, get your papers together in a compact
orm to be earned in your pocket. Pack onlv what cloth-
ll^"- ''.f'J'^''':y "^ a gripsack, and be ready for orvlers.
I will visit President Favre and General Trochu and
h^vlT^^TTu ^r}'^''^'^ '^^ experiment of escaping
tiom Pans. And he left me. ^'
JJT^^ """i^ ^''"'' "'^ '*"''*'' ^"^' «^^'"^etl '^^^""t me the
pieciou. red morocco ease of Napoleon Smith, an.l the re-
ports I wished to transmit to Americ. Imo^^-v ^l ^nv
articles 1 was to leave in my desk was alittlJhisti ument
which my nend Thomas E<iison had sent me L a Cn""-
ity. It washisfarst mo.lel of the phonograph. The wond
^■i
86
NAPOLEON SMITH.
had not yet heard of its wonderful powers, and I had
shown It to only a few scientific friends in Paris. 1
te t sad as I looked upon it, fur it was the last toy with
winch Amide had pjayed ere she was stolen away. Plac-
ing It m position, I set it in motion, and a l.arof her fav-
orite song rolled out "LeSabie de inon Pere." A tear
stoo(l tor a moment and then rolled down from my eve
and I wiped it sadly away. Yes, I would leave Paris!
JNew scenes will drive away old griefs. The concierge
throws the door open : "^
'• Monsieur, the Marrpiis Larue."
Of all the hateful names to me at tliat moment, the
most hateful one sounded in my ears. I shut my hands
liard together and thought, if he was not a white-haired
old man I would like to take him by his .vuizened throat
and shake the scant life out of his hypocriilval body. As
u> cam;; in I
It was, I never rose to greet him, buv ,.^ J„. ^^,,,, ^^ ^
glared upon h.ni in anger. He smiluJ. with his thin lips
and beauti ul false teeth, and ventured tlv, remark that
he hoped Monsieur was well. I motioned him to a seat
and made no answer,
" I caHed," said he, obsequiously, "to visit my niece,
JVlademoiselle Aimde. I trust she is well "
"You lie .' " said I fiercely. " You know as well as I
do tfiat She has not been here for several days "
"Ah, Monsieur makes me sad. Is she dea.l, or has
Monsieur sent her away ?" and he shrugged his .shoulders,
bhe has_ been stolen away, as she walked in the
street tor air. She went out and disappeared, and T
think you know more of her whereabouts than I do "
said I. '
"No indeed ! I come to visit my beloved niece, and
you tell me she has disappeared." And he took out his
laultless cambric handkerchief and wiped his eyes. " She
18 dead, then. Ah, this cruel Paris ! This awful Com-
mune ! She was destroyed, and will never be seen a-ain "
Absent-mindedly I was playing with the handle of
the phonograph and studying the fine acting of the old
NAPOLEON SMITH.
87
scoundrel, and without thinking of tlie effect, I gave a
turn on tlio handle. The tiny voice, clear as a bell, trill-
ed out, " It is, it is the sabre of my father! "
With a .shriek, the old Marquis\spning to his feet and
approached nie. H is hands were working and his features
convulsed,
" Are you the devil ? " he asked.
" I am devil enough to tell you, Marquis, that I know
you are a murderer in your heart. Yuu and your son
wish to get Aiuiee out of the way so that the rich estates
you know she is entitled to will fall into your hands.
But I tell you beware. God will bring you to' account for
every tear you make that sweet girl shed. Go ! I know
you, and I. tell you that others know you, and your
career is a short one. I spare you because you are an old
man, do not tempt me too far ! "
^ Cringing, like the old traitor he was, he passed out.
This episode, so accidental, put a great duubt in my mind.
Was Aimee dead, that ho showed such guilt ? I was
very sad.
" Are you all ready ? " said my chief, entering at this
moment. " I can send you away immediately. You will
have no one with you but the aeronaut, as a military
escort or a military order in your possession would render
you amenable to military law as a spy. But if you are
captured alone you will be protected by the United States
as a non-combatant. You will be sent u{) from the rear
of the cadet's quarters on the Champ de Mars, so as to
avoid cannon-shots from the Germans. This sealed pack-
et, addressed to the President, is all I wish you to carry
for me." "^ ^
" I am as ready as I ever will be, andean depart in-
stantly. My dear sir, I have only one request to make.
If you hear of Aimde, care for her as you would for a
child of my own if I had one. If you can assist my poor
imbecile friend Smith, do so, and I will be forever grate-
ful. Adieu 1 You will read of my ascent in the eyeninj?
paper." ^
li
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
k
/.
{./
/
i/s
V
<^
/y.
°% >
1.0
I.I
t us 12.0
L25 ill 1.4
14
1.6
Photc^raphic
^Sciences
Corporation
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580
(716) 872-4503
iV
■^
w^ y.>\ WU\
^v<^
^U" ^1,^
^
88
NAPOLEON SMITE.
'' Farewell, Secretary," said Mr. Wasl.bnrnc " Yon «rp
■Protegd., Aimde and S.nith, I w 11 do al? S; H V''''
...,", "t^ .''" '^°'''''*' ""J tl'e ac d tank eiiintv 'l'l„.
took "s"; ;,T ;':;:tx";' ro??i;„^c?er„7 ?r'
w,,te,,„irof »„,oke and after seem^ngly'aTon. time :
the seatterinif of the crowd in I ?i. ' 1 • ^°"'*^ ''^^'^ ^"
woun<led ^"'* ^^"^ gathering up of the
NAPOLEON SMITH.
89
san.l. So said so done ; but itill we passed German
camps and steadilj^ moved south. He stood for a time
wiuh a white face and troul.lud look, ami allowed the
bahoon to rise until the scenery of earth became blurred
and we shivered with cold. '
"I have another expedient," said he. "We will rro
down until we strike another current. It must be sonfe-
where.
With a convulsive jerk he opened the valve, and a<Taiu
we deseen.led, and the world began to enlarge upon^he
view. I he villages rollod beneath us rapi<lly, but we
were still going south. With a shake upon the cord he
sought to shut the valve. It would not respond, and ob-
H'cts became larger and distinct below us.
" What is the matter ? " said T.
"The spring of the valve is broken," said he, as his
teeth chatteied with fear. He looked up as thourrh he
would chmb the shining cords and replace the valve
with his hands. Then he shouted : " Throw out all the
ballast !
Over the side it went ; but still the earth arose with
speed as though it would come up and strike us We
lieard a fluttering sound, and looked up. The muslin of
the great globe was collapsing, and the lower end, throufrh
which the hydrogen was introduced, was swinrrin^r idly
against the ropes, empty and wrinkled.
" Throw out the valise ! Throw away the anchor and
ropes !
We go sdower and slower now, but the aeronaut looks
at me as if to measure my strength, and fixes his teeth in
Ins upper lip until it bleeds.
''Dees Monsieur pray?" asked the trembling aeronaut
fecr.etimes, when it is necessary. Not now I have
seen ir. America a catastrophe like this. Have you a
knife ? I asked. ^
"Yes Monsieur."
"Then cut one cord on that side and one opposite and
tie them together," I saici. He was cool now, and' tied
the severed cords tightly together.
90
NAPOLEON SMITU
I lui'"' ■"" '"'' "'"'■''* °" "fP™"^ ^'-^o' ^"d Us them."
»icu '^ "Mia tliTn .w" "'^Yanko<,•triek, i. it not, Mou-
M.ur . sai I the now grinning aeioniiut.
V ge .stieet a crowd gathered around us. A dozen
if ml watch T. .1 nn ;!!;.■' '■'■'"" '■">' "'""""a "'1 felt to see
«;I^L 1 '""" ^'"'"' ""'•<:'. I felt a hea- "-and
laid on u,y shoulJor and a voice vociferated IoJ:i ' ^y
bi^'?,";T'„'il'''''-^r "'■e .P'-»fe»«onals I wiilgiveyoua
o,a a, you tioat ov^r^'ui^lrantrf •e.nUltn':;;
the b'-eezes as it were. I'll crive von fm,.- ,i .ii Tu
QTii,! o.> I II , , . »* *" y*^u lour uollars a thou-
sai d, and all yow got to dew is to chuck '-nn out Tht
wiJl encourage science and elevate the taste wh e t int o
duces a really valuable soap. As Webstei' !-v d ' F Tl
t^y-fi:::.^ itS^;ew\:rfi..:tef^^ ^^^-^^^
of Jiiclnv.l fiw. Ti.;. I • • "^1 , a*- ''^^^^ engravin<x
isLiKix^ou, iUr. fciucretary? Where on ^nrHi .iLi ,
come from?" And Nehemiah Sfn.^ ear h did yew
-n.au ^Nciiemiah bturgis put his arms
tis them,"
e secured
c and sat
sords, and
not, Mou-
iffced first
ing. Wo
er a thin
B chateau
truck the
A dozen
)re seized
Lit leaped
iy pulled
?lt to see
'' hand
\ny
ve you a
) a thou-
uck 'em
down on
i a thou-
t. This
it intro-
' Let mo
tes their
yew git
igraving
of Mary
graving
ly skin 1
lid yew
s arma
NAPOLEON SMITH.
91
! i
around my neck. His American twang was music to my
ears, and I said :
"1 was crying to get through tlie lines to return to the
United States, and here I am. What village is this ? "
"Brinvilliers, they call it."
"Ah, indeed ; and what chateau is that over there, and
who lives thore ? "
<i T
'J'hat is the Chat3au Brinvillicrs, and just now it is
run by the Mai'quis Larue and his intcrestiiig son," said
Sturjris with a scowl.
" Well, there seems to be a Providetice in this, and jier-
ha])S I had better not leave France after all. How long
have you been here, and how did vou ouie hero any"
way?" 1 asked. " *^
" That is a long story, Secretaiy ; but, land, we can't
talk here. See what is coming ! " 1 looked around and
saw a squad of German soldi. rs approaching, I hurriedly
shook the hand of Sturgis, and said :
" You will hear from me again. They can only send
me back to Paris. Keep an -ye on the old Marquis and
his son, and I trust soon to tell you more."
Sturgis pushed his way through the crowd to the
officer commanding the troops, and tried to put a yellow
dodger and a sample cake of soap in his hand. The sol-
diers and the crowd laughed uproariously as he fell back,
and my aeronaut and myself were led away to the tent
of a commanding officer.
As I entered the tent of the German Colonel, I felt in-
stinctively the cause of Prussian success. Every soldier
moved like clockwork. Every officer seemed a cold, calm
machine. The Prussians seemed only an instrument in
the hands of Bismarck, to accomplish a desired result.
No thought or reason seemed inaiiifestanyvvhere. These
men simply obeyed. The subordinate otiicer told his su-
perior uf our Jhisco, and the landing of the balloon. Ho
then asked me my business, and 1 told him. I also took
out and showed him my despatches to the President. He
made no answer, but turned in his chair to a table or
92
NAPOLEON SMITH.
for an n^l? HffPhic instrument, and drummed away
I am mv^eff .„™^^ ""J "'''''*'** ' '"'^ "»' ""dorstand, S
left^ne^tf ? """^^^ "P";*""' ; ""<• ">"' >•« waited and
answer andhl S;n„f ""^ ^ "■"''"'''"S instrument made
" Tlie Prin? , "f-^'^ '^"^- '" » respectful tone :
mml,. 1, ™^ °'''''";' """ y™ l"^ "»' searched or incom-
uettrnt[yTo%a^^7„r'r.rr"'''r'°" ''"""'
nearest videttpf'^SliVl^h „" 'e^atroltn:;^'" ""^
tl.en we will^;;;"'' r'advttures"toTn"S- ™°J' *"'*
scenes to recount, which we woi.M Lt 1, 1 ' ?'■!' ?™
not lingered in Paris duril Cs "„" Have f' ""^ "?
forget i-our .lisappointraeui' ° * * "S*' ""''
NAPOLEON SMITH.
CHAPTER XII.
Othello ; She loved me for the dangers I ha.] ed ;
And I loved her that she did pity them.
Dr" m^JIt "^^'^^^^^^ ^°^'' P«^'^"^ '"^^ *^« hospital," said
Dv Mortlake. when 1 met him next mornincr on the street
.l\ZtT.rrX'^ psychological matters, he is a good
out Tnd 1 i; ^ "^1 '"i^"^" ^'^"^ '' absolutely blotted
Tof J„ -fl " ^"^f ^ "^^^^ ^"^ ministers to him. Why
not go with me and see him? I shall keep Inm in my
ward .>s long as I am in the hospital, and shall care for
him and watch his case."
I' Who is the little French woman ? " I asked
1 do not know. She will give no name AHf^r^A. +^
ng. It IS the most touching scene you ever cast eyes on
to see her nursing Smith like a great baby. ShTtelks'
ta^f Shi "".' k' ""^ ^' ',T"^'« ''^'^ Smith how to
talk. She must be some old flame Smith knew in some
previous experience. Say. that is woman all over^ Zl
her something to pity and coddle, and she will love it to
death. A man wants to be proud of his wife or sweet-
heart, but just touch his pride and make him ashamid of
the loved object, and, presto ! love flies out of the win-
dow And the Doctor snapped his fingers in derision.
I never heard him say anything of any lady acquain-
tances, and do not think he had many. In fact. Sm th
was no lady s man, though he was handsome and mi.dit
have been," said I. ""oiii-
" Well, come down and see the little touchincr drama
case. You are Smiths nearest friend, and I want your
consent to an experiment. But I will speak of -this
94
NAPOLEON SMITH.
lOS-
latcr." And we sai.l no moro until wo reached the 1
]iital.
When we reached the ward where Smith was now in-
sta led the Doctor made a motion with his hand for me
to bo silent as we passed in,
Na}K)leoii Smith appcanHl as hearty and stronrr as ever
am sat in a lar^ro easy chair, and lield in his hands some
nghly ornnmental l.locks of wood containinir the alpha-
bet. A childish smiJe was on his face, and he was play-
ing with the blocks as an infant miulit. Jn another chair
in trout ot him sat a plainly dressed woman, and I never
saw such a hx.k of h)ve and id(jlatrv on a woman's face
as 1 saw on hers. She was bending foi ward and callin-
tlie names ef the letters, aii.l trying to induce Smitli t?>
repeat them. It was the strangest sight I ever saw, and
there was sometlung lionible in it. 1 knew Smith to be
a man of powerful intellect, so that now the pitiful sif^ht
ot h.s imbecility was a hundredfold worse to look upon
than death. Have you ever noticed the dawnin<T ot love
on a baby's face ? 'J'he crooning prattle an.l the^stretch-
ing out oi the hands towards the loved object ? In a baby
It is beautilul, but in a grown man Hke Smith, it was
something too sad to look upon. As we came forward
the woman divw back with a deep blush upon her cheek
"Ah. Doctor," she said in French, "my baby is learn-
ing to t;dk. lie knows his name, and laughs when he
heaijs my step, and wl en I sing he claps his hands."
" Did Madame know the Captain before he came here ? '
1 asked.
" 1 had seen him," she modestly answered.
"The Captain," said I, " was my friend, and I did not
know he had any other near friends who would be so
kind to him m his trouble. I thank you for your kind-
ness. *^
"It i.s nothing. I know once he was brave and stronrr, and
could ( o brave deeds, and when I found him like this I
was wilhngf .T sweet cliarity to nurse him back to health
and reason. Do you know," said she, eagerly, " the Doc-
1 the lios-
s now in-
d for me
li? as ever,
nds some
he alpha-
was phiy-
:her cliair
d I never
lan's i'aee
id calUn*,'
Smith to
saw, and
ith to be
itul sight
)ok upon
g oi h)ve
! stietch-
n a baliy
it was
forward
ir cheek,
is learn -
when he
ds."
e here ? '
did not
Id be so
ixv kind-
ong, and
e tins I
J health
he Doc-
^AP LEON SMITH. g .
career. Is it not V,™',';;''' '"■" '"" '""' ■"-'" " "-
•■ R will ...ake ;;'\;';, ,,,, ' i:','';;;,vi ;,';, "•-r'^ii-u" -ye.
whom he nevpr L-,,.,., ;.. i.- ., , ..V"„'''^'" to iove otlicrs
d,
:ind
"■■^ee' alre.„k.." 1 ,'"'""'"'-* '"'I'e "n ti.is
in his life'hf ™tu' i:;t;'':.v?i''" ■ " m'"''t '"-y ''^- -"^^
lie will find newfri, I '^''," '' '" '"-^ »"v li/„
a tear sto";^ Tn her ;.;,;■ ' """'^' ^'i'' f'"' 1''"'." and
of "4'pSfo"r" ""^ '• " '"' ""'"^ "f "■« --'tod year,
dark'tirtl' smit;:"°l^'r ^''^f/'""' «""'^od ti,o
.year. i„ other Ih" ' ;.Av o' ^I^' ""^ "'" ''" "■■'^'^"'
itie., to othe,.sto be.:i„ tl Iwt "iV" T "Pl"""'"-
And she stoon«l d" " n^ t ■ , T°" f '" '"•'■ '"''" ; "
»ei.ed and held he, i™,"] '"""'"' '"» '"''■'«''">. ""'1 he
me-I know S 1 ? vhu"' ' r;'"' '^'■'^"''' -'"'— xcuso
over him." ■* "='" you exorcise this care
Ah, said she scoinfiilN- -< Ar„. ■
take him hon.e and m "e { n blr^ To""' '' '"'^ ^'' ^'^"
he will lind a mother or n • . .*° '■^''•''°"' °'' ^"^-A'^'e
handsome baby 11; iUo?^ '"" *° '"^"^ ^^'^ ^^^« ^''^^^^
tli ^^ 'ir ;^^eZ 1, t^ ^^ '^"/^ ^^ ^-^ -
the hospital ? c\rtainl " o " ^ ,T f" "^"" ^^^^^^'^^
tlian she was duina- Ir J ,? '^'"'''' '^^ "^^re for him
away saying- °' '' "^ "'''*^'-^' ^^^««. and 1 turned
i
96
NAPOLEON SMITH,
'iiiji
" Pardon me, Madame, or Mademoiselle— I know not
how to call }ou — "
'' It makes no difference," said she with a blush.
" I was ahout to ask yourfor-riveness for my apparent
over-carehiiness, but I tell you again, I know his history
and am his nearest friend."
•' His history is <j.)ne !" said she, in a tone of triumph.
Alas ! said I, " too true I "
" Why do you si^^di ^vhen you speak of this chanrro, this
loss of memo.y ? " said this stran-c nurse. " Because you
say he has lost Ins education, his reason ? But how many
with rich endowment of reason make a wreck of life and
end at the suicide's grave ? Eihicaticm, you say. Well
go down among the demi-monde, and do you find ordv
the Ignorant and the base ? Has education kept the soul
pure, or can it bleach away a stain ? What has love or
reason or education done to stay the tide of sin ? Ah
messieurs, many and many a man has prayed to God for
an opportunity to do what my baby here will do by force
ot a bullet— forget the past and begin a new life free
Irom memory and free from prejudice. Perhaps I would
rather win his love and go hand-in-hand with him, and
both ot us learn the new life in a new world."
I believe I began then to see the drift of her argument
1 did not know this woman, and I only remarked her
beauty and intelligence ; but 1 could see that in some way
their past had run together, and this volcanic woman was
basing a hope of Smith's love on his forgetfulness of the
past.
" Well," thought I, if Aimde is alive and could see this
wreck of a man, this drivelling infant, would she still love
him ?
" Doubtful," Dr. Mortlake broke in on my musinrr with
his resonant, practical tone. ''
" H was to speak of something else I brought you here
I hav-e a theory I wish to speak about. First, though, I
would ask— did Smith ever have trouble with his head
beiore this last wound ? "
know not
ish.
y apparent
hia hibtoiy
if triunjpli.
lange, this
-'cause you
low many
)f life and
.y. Well,
find only
)t the soul
IS love or
sin ? Ah,
oGod for
by force
life, free
i I would
him, and
-rgument.
irked her
some way
)man was
Jss of the
1 see this
still love
in.fj with
^ou here,
hough, I
his head
NAPOLEON SMITH. gy
;; Neve.; he had a wondorful memory," I answered
"Well f l..wJ „, li n.uKi.s with satisfaction,
of i^:!!; are'r!;:; •^:^d7'^ '' ^''^^' ^"^' "^ I ^^-k
^^^^::'((^^'::!:^^t^^^'T^r^ ^^ ^ook from
eular piece of bone ''He i ./'"•' '" '°''°°' "" ^"-
Smith'shead Onthi.nni ^ "" ''""" removed from
lar bone ab ut one x^ . " h' ^f ^'"'^''^^^ ^his spicu-
we could have z:::^^ :',:i '::^- y^^^I' '^
avoided" ' ^ '"" ^^ ^"^^' ^^t it could not'be
"Andtha
was-
said I.
J.™ ot the .„o,,t so„..,ive ,L.tiro.';7.:tt; Sth^^^
■•' Anfri'l '"''' ^ • •"•'""' "'° <^"''' '« impossible ? '>
Now," said the D°ctur' « rim ° 1 '"'"' '^'*"'''' ™^«^
tion. I pmpo e to eopen tha Zn7 '""■""'? P'^^-P™'"
jjower can so niepiv n,iin f o '^ '" »p' ucns nead. iNo
L thh sam. ton« wm''do Twi'l'l S' "%'» """kne.,,
° ""* ""• i Will repJaee tl«i matoial
i;!
lii
NAPOLEON SMITH.
ifj
!
lost by the cuttinrr of the saw, and sew the scalp over
that bone, and when the pressure is e«|ualize(i, 1 real!"
believe Mapoloun Smith will take up his life where he
laid it down a lew weeks a^'o, and be not only a well man,
but Jilso be in full possession of his faculties. Ah, ' Wo
are fearfully and wonderfully made!' and no writer in
physiolo<,'y or science has got beyond that expression of
the IValuiist.
^ While the Doctor explained his project, I watched the
oeautiful nurse, who sat and held the hand of our hero.
As he went on she grew i)ale, and panted as if she had
been running.^ ^ Then she bent down and kissed the smil-
ing patient. Then a look of fierce anger swept over her
face, and she said :
"Why not let him alone ? Must you cut and torture him
again ? I will care for him, and take him away where
} ou will never see him again, lie will love me and be
my cliild."
1 think the Doctor understood what was passinor in her
mind, ft)r he ymiled and said : °
" That is like woman's love. You would keep him a
weakling and a child, if only he would love you. Yes,
you would rather nui\se and care for him, however weak,'
that to see liim again on his way to glory— spiking the'
guns again in It out of Mont Rouge ; again pouring death
uito the ranks of the Uhlans, and standing before Trochu
to receive the epaulets of a captain. Is that woman's
love ? Then 1 want none."
She arose and approached the Doctor, cat-like, with
gleaming eyes, and her hand fumbling in the folds of
her dress lor a knife. The Doctor only stood and smiled.
She stopped and looked at him a moment, and then
laughed and cried together. Then she said :
" You think he will hate again what he hated, and
love again what he loved. Is it so ? "
The Doctor nodded his head in acquiescence.
" And you .soy for this I would see him a baby. He
my brave captain. No; if he s-purned me away with
3alp over
1 real!'/
wlieiu ho
iV'cIl mail,
i\h, 'Wo
writer in
ession of
died the
jur hero,
slie had
'\\^ .smil-
over her
ture liiiu
y where
e and be
ig in her
jp him a
u. Yes,
ix weak,
Icing the
ig death
3 Trochu
woman's
NAPOLEON SMITH. gg
his rojt, if he cast me out witli curses, and bruised the
hand tliat has bound up his wounds, still the love of a
l?rench woman would say: " Doctor, make him a man
agani set his Uct a;rain in the paths of glory, and again
1 will sit and worship the star which does not see its wor-
shipper ; and she went up to Smith and laiu her blush-
ing cheek on his shoulder.
"Go and leave us now," .said she, "and when the ter-
rible ordeal comes I will sit and hold his hand When
memory comes back my face will be the Hrst he shall .see
A kind God will give the wicked a chance for happiness
and a new life ; " and we heard her weep as we passed
out. ^
" A French woman," said the Doctor, in a meditative
tone, " is in her love like lightning— it never strikes but
once in a place. It don't have to— once does the busi-
nes.s ; and he whistled as we walked down the street.
" Yes Doctor," said I ; " and yet I found much to ad-
mire in her argument. It is the old (piestion in a new
form : ' Is life worth living ? ' That little woman with-
out a history would die for the privilege of curintr for the
object of her love, but tlio failure of her plan restores a
good man to society. GooJ-night, Doctor," and we
parted.
ke, with
folds of
1 smiled,
id then
;ed, and
y. He,
ly with
100
NAPOLEON SMITH.
I'
C^IIAPTKR XUr.
TlUNio : N,vy, tl,..„. 'tis li.no I,.. Kt.ir l,i,„ f,,„n his tninco
I I'niy awak... mr : If y..,, lovo M, ,u.l.
I't'i.d tlioiiglitM luid wits to luliii'vc luT.
tl.nt hw.K '^''•"'^'' 1''';'"'''"^'"*^" """ >••>" <l''-^-nlH-, an.l on,,
in d.iof, Mr Washhurno.as 1 [\n\Aw,\ ti,,. .ocitMl of the
stra.i,i,H> ofiso of Napoleo.i Smith.
"I tlo not tliiiik 1 i;vt your 111, -iuiinn" ^^i,! I-
•\ouare "U'rHy lo,.k.,,o ut tli.>a,.i\;uont .vsn'hs ,,f tl.u
r^'l'nJ"' T 'r'^' 'r'''^"' '''^- plHM.,>,i...na as
tlK^> aiect .your tn,'n,l Nin.tli, luit liis is only on,, eas,. in
ahundrod.an.lyou know (ho .-.nis.. Tl...sanu. , !.!„
ncna ocenr muI. no apparent c-auso, an.l wc el it
ahermtion o n.nui, insanity, softening, of the b mi
or some other fancirul name, witho.^^, seekhi.. the
cause U--_ tlie -leat w.^taumleuv of N,.w York city
HI full health, ci.sappearH from society. Ho is ..one foi'
weeks ami months. At last, in the rural districts of N,^
Jersey, he is c.und ni a forest, fro/on to ,leath. J)etcc-
tnes tollow his waiulerings, un.l lin.l that he has hcon
actn.:j- in a perfectly sane manner durini,^ his wan.lorin..-s
but absolutely hymg in another worl,'. ^ He did not know'
IS own nanie in tnat last state of existence, yet he drew
checks and ham led money in his own i.lentity as if pe^^
he stv \Z ff'"'''''}'^^- I^« l^ought railroa.l tickets,
he sto,.,,cd at hotels, and he was courteous to seryants an.
all whom ne conversed with. No one suspected insaiu
and there was no insanity. His past was blotted out
and he was slowly forminn; a new experience around las
new iJeut-Ly When tound, liis hands were carefully cov-
• leU with ittulUees ^oves and his attire was that of a goa-
c
c
a
1
u
\
b
M
T
0]
ofti
lU
^'ApoLEoN smrn. loi
'1^'>!"U.. llis .Icall, in the forost was no ovuhuoo of in
---with hi. „..oxp.;n.r^ri'M ;!:;;;, ;^
; ;;-■' t., Ins n.vv ulruilty, ho was fn,;;;:,. an i !^
oil Sn.wl..,. I w ^ '■ "•' I"'*''1<''H!(I (,'()(|IJ,>Ilt|v
n ' .;u' v'" ^'^"" '^^' !-•'<-''- valiso Jn-fnl V
.. Ih';,-.* . • ^^^"^'•^^' • *'l'^>t. . hen he vvmm r.ot seen
' e ' I • -r' ";';i'""-t'"y trans.,ctionH left ui-
V m wmsh j,,) ,1 h.n,, an.l never SMsn,.cte.| his fi,l,.litv
At the en.I o a y.av ho was found in Now ( e- h
'^[.oken to, nn.l h.s nan.e nttenul.he di.l not r-Tnon I .^
k,n.Iy were inn,nne(l of his whe.eahonts. and e^ ti^
( t.avelled inuier a new luinie. Jfc ha<l sold securities
an'J chan,:je<l n.oney at banks. He was well- hcTsed e o
q ont.anda perfect ^.ntlenutn during the w X tirni^"
to build m, hy experience a new i<lenfity. When Ts I v
gt^^!:^t ;T,1ri:;[n -i:^i;^Si!
nrwl';,v;o'N"„' v'f "'/"^ '■■'"■"' ^— ° .' uti ".N (-:
bank. H
usniess entirely arran<'<'rl at tl
was also on the
IS name appeared on a hotel lo'ristei'. '^H
Th
on yucli a steai
register of an ocean stea
iO
IS namo
e police of Liverpool were cabled! N
nier company.
ner. The steamer
o such person was
stopped at the Bermudas.
in
t|!
102
NAPOLEON SMITH.
No such person by name stopped there. A person an-
swering the description, but of another name, had stopped
there. Was entirely sane. Had walked and rode over
the islands. Had sailed for New York. When he re-
turned to Utica no one could make him believe he had
been on an ocean voyage, or had ever been out of sight of
land. He was a Christian gentlemen, and did not drink.
For a time his memory was gone, and wdiile in that con-
dition a new memory and reason controlled the new life.
Now, when I spoke of this phenomenon involving eternal
issues, I allude to this psychological problem : What mem-
ory will accompany us in eternity? The pressure of a
drop of blood on a certain spot in the brain obstructs
memory. In these cases a physical operation could not
remove the pressure. During the temporary obstruction
of the old memory, a new memory is formed. Gradually
a new life and life-theory grows out of the new exper-
ience. It is really a new life. Well, is it not possible
that we are all of us, by causes we do not understand, led
into new experiences and new lives, and that a drop of
blood, a rap on the head, a fall from a carriage, creates a
Bonaparte out of a sous lieutenant, an emperor out of a
sturdy Dutch prince, a murderer out of a Robespierre ?
Take a step farther, and outside of our own volitions to-
ward good or bad, and for how much will we be respon-
sible in eternity ? "
"Ah," said I, " Mr. Washburne, we are getting Frenchy
in our reasonings. Responsibility will be always com-
mensurate with reason and choice."
" That is good, practical American theory," said my
chief ; " but take this Smith case, now. In his new ex-
perience he is clinging to this little i'rench nurse. He
has no past, and he asks no questions as to her past. He
will learn to love her. She will worship him. Now Dr.
Mortlako replaces the functions of the brain, and Smith,
we will say, forgets the experience of the last few weeks
and takes up life where he laid it down, in General
Trochu's office. Will he go back to the worship of
Tson an-
i stopped
ode over
n he re-
! he had
f sight of
)t drink,
ihat con-
new life,
y eternal
lat mem-
ure of a
)bstructs
ould not
itruction
radually
T exper-
possible
iand, led
drop of
reates a
3ut of a
spierre ?
:ion.s to-
respon-
Frenchy
/s com-
5aid my
lew ex-
56. He
St. He
low Dr.
Smith,
weeks
jreneral
ihip of
i
NAPOLEON SMITB. 103
him t^M P,""^^;-?', ''"" '""^^ ''"^^^^''"^ "^«™^ry bind
Toiioi^ ?'' '^'°"' ^'' ^''' '"^ ^"^ '"^^^''3^ ^^i^i^ ^"^y
"Ha ha!" said I; "you are too metaphysical for me
I only look at the present duty, and that is to restore a
!v 11 ^' (n ° ''"'^^'' f "'^ ^^"" ^^^ ^^'^"ts follow as they
will. Will you come down and see the operation ? The
Doctor would hke your official endorsement in case of
accident, as Smith is an American"
you low "'^"^ ^^''' ^^'''''''^"^"^' "I will go tlown with
\wY}Z'^^'''"'T^ f the hospital. I noticed that Mr.
Washburne was deeply touched at the scene of love and
compassion presented there. As you have seen the
mother linger about the sailor lad who is to sail on the
morrow for a distant port, and gaze upon him as if she
would feast her eyes to satiety, or with tender hamls
aid on his head or her fa^o placed against his in mother-
ly affection so the little .lark nurse clung to Smith Sh-
had combed his curling chestnut locks, and waxed his
mustache, and he sat and smiled upon her with infantile
1 m'xv , ^^°"H ''^^''■'' ""^ 1^'« 0"ce powerful hand and
hold the skirt of her robe in his hand
"See, messieurs" said she, "my baby is ready to re-
ceive company. He is a good boy, and I will soon take
him out on the streets. Is it so, vion brave ? "
And Smith showed his white te^th in a smile so child-
like that the eye grew humid in spite of our shame
_ If messieurs Would leave him to me I would take
him away and care for him, and the cruel operation
would be useless. See, he will soon be a man acrain He
does not care for the past. He will be happy in the
present, then. Let it be so, please," she said.
" We will administer ether, that no p.wsible .stni-^Ie
may prevent the most careful a.ljustment of the bone"
said Dr Mcf,lake. "It is a simple operation, but must
be carefully performed. 1 must press the bone down ex-
164
NAPOLEON SMITH,
If
actly to its old position ; a jrrain lower will cause svn.
cope and not low enough will not effect aTu e We wfl
pe.torm the operation as he .sits here in his chair The
K: he>.:d rest t t'r"^ '' '''''• V ^I^^d---!^ wil/l
tlble. "Sai ''.hSToctor?^'^ ^" ""^^'^^ ^^^^^ -^« ^^^-P"
" Notice here a hard rubber band to take the place of
the b n . wasted by the scarf of the saw ! Notice^ J press
It down until I see the edges evenly joined and t%rnT
thZ n^ ^% - -^^^'" ^ *^''^ ^"^'«e stitches and leave
this opening for suppuration. Then over all a TnL
pre.s, to be kept we[ with cold ^rei- a d'we ar 'dTe"
Now we will wait for the effects of the ether to pass off
and see how our patient appears " ^ '
With what dillerent emotions Ave watched the wix^n
^atures reposing on the nurse s .shouIderT Dr AL^hke
without doubt, had sunk the man in the su ■i.eon AH
o^Sifate^ht 1 '^" V"' ^" '"^ «"^^ inJiZlcZe .til
orainate to h s love of science and surgery. The nuisP tn
him was the hand of the clock, showino. how fa7or low
the human mach ne was markino- H,n.° ti ^f "^^f '^^^^
only the engine „f life,;""^' s'4p' ^ t wu'vM vZ
motive-power was all the study. Hecared i fH» f -^
in physiology, l{.a\t;,;tSll^:r '"^ -™-
nJLI ti r pt ir,tr,h°e"et r''" ''^'^''^
. l-ossibly. Or was she praying that if he came
)
)
I
^APOLKON SMITH. 105
back instantly to memory and manhoo.l he mio-ht fin.l-
ing her h,s devoted n,r,,se a,.d friend, .still ch'ng^to her in
his strength as heha<l in his weakness ? Who can read
he hun.an heart? We only saw that as the reTcame
back into his cheek it left hers, as if transferred by t S
very power of love. As his breathing beca.ne lon.^ and
legnJar, hers became huiried and diflieult. When he be-
came uneasy am! struggled to come out of tlie ni-ditmaie
of etherization, she loosened her noldupon him, .Ts i ap!
prehending h,s Hight irom her loving grasp, or rom fX
lest her too strong restraint might be preMunptuous
He I.S about to wake; open the window and give him
air, said the Doctor. *=
His eyes are open. All lean forward to .see if intelli-
gence be in their depth.s. Ah! he is about to .sp^ak
Let^l-us hrst word be oracular and determinate of his
"Aimde."
An ashy pallor overspreads the nurse's face, and she
would withdraw her arm, but it is under his hJl
^^r^l^^l^. '''-' ""'• '''''^'' i-^'^-^ "^ ^'- of
;; The operation is a succes.s," said Mr. Washburne
^^^ Gentlemen, let me go," sahl the nurse, in a hollow
As Napoleon Smith heard the voice he turned his head
unti he stared in the face of the nurse. A look of hon'
crept over his face, and she cowered visibly before it
^^ Le Noir, where IS Aimde now ? " said Smith.
_ Me,s.sK.urs, for the love of God, let me go!" and she
tried to disengage her arm. *
" Do not let her go," «aid Smith, "until .she tells me
where Aimde is. Ah, you devil ." '.aid he, atten.pin. o
"See, me.ssieurs," said the nurse, in a fierce tone, " I am
fo? weeks ""^V'^''^'''^"^^^V'^^^^^^^^^ -^^'-^ ^»"
tor weeks! 1 his is your work of science. You could
106
NAPOLEON SMITH
notleave the providence of HoM von alone! Oh Napo-
leon mp^ brave man brave ! " and she wept like'a child.
sai^l^'^S/dwi;^ ^-^^^-J-t about a month;-
" A month ! And where has Aim^e been all this time ^
^}!%^^' '^'f ^ov her ? " said the excited man. "
rl,.;vi f ■ ^^"^ '^^' gentlemen ; our patient ^vill be
driven to msanity now. As soon as he resumes the use
of his memory he commences to rave over the past You
must be quiet, Smith. In order to pursue theCject o
your love you must become well. First secure health
theii you can work," and the Doctor prepared rsle^ping
/'True, Doctor, but Le Noir here can tell me what I
wish to know, and then I will rest," said SmitlT
Your thoughts are all of the little baby-faced mrl
an™ :;ked t^ ' Tt ''^ ^'"^"^'^ ^^^'^^ foldU her ar^^
Lll h! 1 T.u^ ^^' ^^*^^ l^^^^*^"*^- "■ You do not re-
cal the love of the past weeks, or the lone ni^dits o
watch.ng. You held my hand, and I was yourl^nly nd
Is It o, mon brave ? " and she looked dovvn at him wkh
her pleading eyes and her nostrils working with The n
tensity of her emotion. °
" Le Noir," said Smith calmly, " if vo„ have cared for
me as you say, I am grateful. "l know 10)^.0 These
rftuTavetir'r''^" '^^^ andmyreconnotance
i; W followed me in a mistaken hope that we
might be more than friends, I am sorry for that too I
have no room in my heart for another love, even i your
past would warrant it. Forgive me if I appear rude hi
thus plainly speak.ng. but I am only a rude AmerLan
soWier,^^ and speak directly from the heart f^nd Le
" Le Noir ? " said Mr. Washburne. " U not that a
famous name ? Where have I heard it ? "
tfAPOlEON SMITH.
107
3h, Napo-
kea child.
" Has she
a month,"
;his time ?
it will be
is the use
)ast. You
object of
re health,
a. sleeping
le what I
'aced girl
her arms
not re-
nights o
ly hiend.
lim witli
1 the in-
cared for
of these
oissance.
that we
t too. I
if your
rude in
American
and Le
> that a
" I will tell you where you heard it," said the French
nurse, fiercely. " You heard it in the caf^. and in the bar-
racks, and in the salon. You heard it from pale lips of
cowards, and from the braggart tongues of the police.
You heard of Le Noir as the cruel bandit chief, and the
leader of desperadoes of the faubourg and of the highway,
and yet, you have seen that Le Noir in the hospitJiT, nurs-
ing an American soldier back to lite. You have seen her
love s|)urned and her last chance to leave a life of crime
wrenched away from her, by the skill of the surgeon, and
you will hear of her again. This Le Noir means tSie
black— these eyes, this hair, and this black heart within
this bosom ! Yes, you will hear of Le Noir again, and you
will know that she had at one time a woman's heart in
her bosom. Napoleon, take care of the little doll you
worship — a French woman's love, once spurned, turns to
hate. Watch her closely, then, for Le Noir will always
be near your path," and," white with anger, she passed
through the door,
" Should we allow her to escape ? " said the Doctor.
" For shame ! "said Smith ; " the love of such a woman
would be a compliment to a king. Let her go, and wreak
her vengeance if she can. I trust I may soon be on my
feet to assist in the warding off of danger to Mademoiselle
Aim^e. Gentlemen, 1 thank you lor your kindness ; I
am strangely sleepy ; farewell—" and his head fell back
on the cushions, and he was sound asleep.
Thus we left him. It was one of the most terrible
scenes through which I ever passed, and I was not aston-
ished when Mr. Washburne placed his arm in mine and
said :
" Whenever this complicated affair is concluded, let me
know, I have a strange compassion for the wayward
French woman, and a deep interest in your patient, Na
poleon Smith= Be sure and keep me informed of the di-
nouement"
108
NAPOLEON SMITH,
M'
CHAPTER XIV.
my UuSt^/'""' """■ '''"''^'' ' -'''^t "«^« f-n. Genoa? Hast tho« fou.nl
will ^?' '' ^'"^ '^'"',''"" ^'-'" ''''^''^ condition tlie In-dier classes
si,, u- 1 ^ '^''^^'\^^'^';'"' now instead of Mamuis v Bah
rinlon the rave, n^ "'^ooden shoes of the canaille
Ah ! '^h^\rr :;^j 'Ji^not ti:r"^"''' '^t^^^^
battere.1 down the Vails of 1 ^ 'f./'V'""'^'»f ^^l-'^'^dy
then, \ic one.., we wonhl again .^iar.d in the c m't of
orp'l^f"/r^''-^n^'^ '^*^"''^^' °»' ^^'« ^^'ould hear a-^tin the
w .1 of f .•' '■?.'•>' ^^^"'^' ^^^« un.'avellir.cr the
NAPOLKOy SMIT/f,
109
"Was it left for my old a-o t.. l.,.l,o!d mv son tmninr^
a KepuMican ? sai.l the old MarquLs, irl a trenihlin"
voice. "
" Ropul.lica.1 ? No ; curse the Kopublicans, and curse
the Commune, and also, if you wish, curse the Empire
Down with them all ! my venei-ated pai)a. lJ„t what
shall wo -am then 1 The paint is hardl v .Iry .,n the panel
ot the earria.re where we put our goldem crest before we
have a pi-esident. Presto ! we scratch it otf t-. the music
ot the massacre of the boulevards, and then we t.-onib-
ingly paint the crest anew and we have an Emperor i
Citizen, as a title, -ives way a-ain to Duke and iMa.«|uis
and Count. Hey ! be caieful and rub cff the crest a-rain
or the Emperor is flown and another President rulesrand
Utizen IS in fashion again. Faith, we are busy in France
to tell ari-ht horn day to day, what is our true title. I
am tiredof It, ray amiable parent, and I will take no
chances in this lottery of the gods ; - and the young scion
of the house of Larue lit a fresh cigarette and lay back
on the fauteud. "^
The iMarquis looked at him in scorn, and a tear stood
m his eye as he answered :
"It is for this that I have schemed for two or three
generations It is for this I won the heart of Louis and
drove out the last scion of the house of BrinviUiers and
Beauharnais. For this I saw her die in poverty and her
daughter a beggar in Paris, and married to a lieutenant
of the Intantry lor vvhat ? That my son might be a
noble and lord it oyer the wide fields of the BrinviUiers
estate; and now when I am old, he hesitates to carry out
my wishes and let me die in peace. It is the curse of the
kst days of France that they give birth to no noble sons
with the courage of the aristocracy which once followed
F.n fr? """' i Navarre, or the golden lilies of
S n h r ^T'^- S'^^'""' • ^^^ ''''^'^^^ ^a^« courage
enough, trod knows! ^
pJ^iln^'Sr^^' Ti '""'-^ ^'""^ ^^^' "^ ^'^^ Frenchman of
rajTis m li^'J. iht're la no siuuC so and to tho iover or
no
NAPOLEON SMITH.
his country as the slow but suie deterioration of the race
to wbich he belongs. We may attribute the defeat of
the J^ rench in the last great struggle to a hundred causes,
and many of thein, without doubt, contributed to the
genera result ; but when the student of social problems
ca. dully compares fact with fact, he will sadly admit
that a iiait-century of luxury and licentiousness found
Its overripe fruit at Sedan, Metz and Paris. As the de-
generate top of London, on visiting his ancestral halls,
stands aghast before the suit of armor which his ances-
tor wore with ease at Marston Moor, but which he could
not carry on his shoulder as a burden-or as the lisping
dude ot America, on visiting the old homestead, gazes
with awe on the long riHe his ancestor aimed a hundred
nnes at Bunker Hill, or lifts from its sacred shrouding in
lavender the heavy uniform coat which he can nearly
double around his attenuated form, he realizes with a
pang how far away a race may drift in a century from
the type which lurnished the vitality that he now wastes
in midnight orgies. One could hardly believe that the
tiemulous legs which performed the evolutions of the
held in 18/0 were lineal descendants of the sturdy limbs
which crossed the Alps behind Bonaparte or made the
mad charge at the bridge of Lodi. In more ways than
one a nation advances on its le»s.
Victorien Larue, we say, wasVgood type of the ripen-
ed truit of a half-century of debauchery. At thirty his
head was bald and shining, while on his lip reposed a
terocious mustache. A decaying tree sends forth moss in
protusion, and a decaying and attenuated race, which has
no locks of strength on the head, has often the moss of de-
cay on the cheek and lip. The hand trembled with the
eth^cts ot incessant absinthe-drinking, and as it caressed
the mustache it shook as with age. The form was short
and stunted, and was an evidence of the truth of the start-
ling tact, that the average of the French army was an
inch below that of any other army in a dvilized nation
i
•
NAIOLEON SMITH.
Ill
)f the race
I deleat of
ed causes,
ted to the
problems
dly admit
3SS found
LS the de-
tral halls,
lis ances-
he could
be lisping
ad, gazes
hundred
3uding in
in nearly
es with a
ury from
w wastes
that the
IS of the
dy limbs
aade the
iys than
le ripen-
liirty his
iposed a
moss in
hich has
ss of de-
ivith the
caressed
as short
he start-
was an
nation.
1
.
The legs when in motion, hnd an uncertain hinge at the
knee, and seemed to respond but weakly to the will of
their owner and wcie liable to carry l.im, at times, to the
ri<,^lit or to tiie loft of the point aimed ut. The eyes were
sunken, and had the haggard l„uk which indicates watch-
tul and wa>stet.d nights. On the whole, any sensible per-
son would tmd the alert and wholesome age of the sire at
eighty more pleasant to lu-k upon than thedecayin<r youth
ot the man of thirty. This unwholssome fag-end of a
burned-out manhood, was the only hope and scion of the
Marquis Larue. Languidly he looked ui) and asked :
U hat would you have me do ? "
"Who is it that stands between you and the fortune
ot both our houses ?" asked the Manpiis. with a sneer
" A beautiful little cousin, Aimeo Boh by name," ans-
wered Victorien, with a smile.
" And where is she now ? " hissed the Marquis.
" I have reason to think she is in this chateau " Victor-
ien answered coolly. '
^ "Yes, she is here, and in our power; and then, what
hinders us from taking away that obstacle, the only one
between you and the vast estates we see from this win-
dow ? and the old Marquis pointed out across the lawn
toward the forest. It was a pleasant sight. The chateau
had been built with some regard to its surroundings. At
the left was a dense forest which had been spaiJd the
ravages ot war, as it was so far from the field of active
operations. Down a gradual descent in front rolled the
meadows, now quite brown, and only in spots, where the
warmth of springs had protected the roots, was the grass
still green further down in front ran the quiet liver
now sparkling beneath the sun, where it was stirred bv
hnLr""f?K "^M,^- ^" /^' "Sht stood the scattered
houses of the VI lage, and just beyond were the tents of a
detachment of the German Army. Here and ther« ove.
the brown helds roamed the cattle, as yet spared 'by "the
hand of the German army. As Victorien languidly sur-
i
"I
112
^'APOU '>\ SMITH.
w
"Yes. it is h..auti' ul " ^ '"^^'"' '''^■^^•''. tlunu^hmif:
'' ^viiu';:!:;:,'^^::- -^ ^-tion %ai,i the m..,,.:.
l-y «'-e WHS J..ft in ea V ^ the AuZ 'T !'''"'«••• ^ou
;^'^" V'>^, I'e safe uifl. A* ^ all'' J;*/"'^, ^'"- ''^t. W,
J'«'- Jt-ath. an.l f|,,n-w ut ? \V ," .^'^'"^ "^^ prove
"o^v. And n.oro. I <lu L; i^^' '^'". *^« ^he same as
P'T^.; -.1 he went on w",; i^'e^: •Lti"'?'^?''"^ ^'-
•as the scraps that^re J t Jt ,r H ' ""^'''^'''^ ^'^'«-«'^e
«7 . I u-ill nua, rv Ai ml u i'h' ^'^'^ '^ '"^^^^^ ^^^ over.
" ^'^'Hl .' " .sai.l tl e \ . -^ .^'\' t'.s.s.d Jiis mustache.
[;i-Ul.otenJr-I;:a^ :^';.^^^^
tliat nmr,.iago n.eans free lo m T 1 "'"^V- '^"'- '^'^''^ J>^^r
^e J.er hon.e. J think she is too " ""' .'''^^^^^" ^^^^1
«ny attachments. ar.,l you w II in/'T^ ^'' ^-"''"^ ^^'■'"ed
"i^-.^ibly." sai.l Vic:^to Jn"' •/ "^ '\°^^ ^o win her."
"^e of the «ex ; possi hiy o ' T ' T ^' "'""^^•^^^'"^^ ^^ ^^^"
■^rnational hiw L 1 know of tho I T ''' "^"^'^ "^"in-
to go as minister to lit^sX L.. I ''' / """''^ vohniteer
•spocte,] papa." ""• "^'"^^ "^^ to my fate, M,y re-
.-on. Her roo/./waf one o7 a ^"- "" 7^ ^" "« ^"n-
mshed, an.l her window Zl i . '""^ «plendi.lly fur-
^'.- father had taug ^ h r trthinrr" '''^ ^^^^'^ ^"^--^in
;^?^'^' TJ.is window was ec, I ,^'' ^^'" ^^ ^^i'-^li-
Otherv. f. ,!.. ,,,„, '>^^, •''eoned by an iron oratin-r
Aprot.Mc.. .vt. ma.1. c/SV ^T*^ ;n the cliareau.
- t^ iitat ciue ior her saiety, but
^#a^
tho village,
'lOllglitfulJy:
the Marquis,
inder. You
'try in Paris.
or her. Wo
"0 not prove
the saino as
ce, my dear
okin »•.
e Alarqris,
else, and a
' vvil'e— .siie
is are over.
I I'o safe ; "
cho.
hur as the
Tell lier
ateau will
vo formed
in her."
»'y to tell
uch of in-
vohmteer
'6, Miy re-
no Uun-
dly fur-
- domain
y birth-
grating-.
1 treated
cliafeau.
«ty, but
^'APOLKON SMITH. ' ,jg
c^lir'^^Xf :r a'r"^%,,^l"-^ ^- "'-th of
hci' father, an her ,• .T ,. T''V^^'"' '7^'' ^^"'">^^'"^ ^^^
fron.ai.y.ar.a'r oh^ l-V; distracted her tluH..! ts
of the A.nericivn wl o l^ i w, Tr''"'^ '^ '^' ^"^'' ^'"'"^"'t
moments she wonde vd Lr n " ''?''^' ^'"^ ^^ those
feared viole,,ce fn m \ ''^^^- ^\? '""' "'-'ver r.-aily
sire to«eeur horfo u a l';'''r;, ""';' 'V'^^^ ''^ ^'''^ ''-
would not drive t^^"^^"^ fr^^''^''''^'''''''^ -^"^"^
elastic natures which s4r.?n ho ''"' ?"^' "*" ^'"^'^^
strength hy a.lverse d ',, l '''w^^ '"^^ ^ "'-'^v
had ttken on a mat, ' 1 ?'•'•, ^ "'' '■''''•''^•' '"''^tures
ar^n,^eedt^M:;;;;f,l;^,— -ope^
son
ex4it^^i:;io:ien.'''t\ri'"^^fr'^'"^ -''^ ^'^e
that pleasure. A low "e ' ' ?^^ 'r V"^'" ''"l"'^'-> <^f
''^'^•hand. With a l.ol nF ,' J^^',^^'"'"''^'"- ^o kiss
'•ack and con emp td f) '"'" '^'^^"T'' ^'"'^^^ •^••'^'^
^^^^^^^^ ntcn.plated the gnrming burle.sque of a
•so many years an.ong the^tl'lfi'^'^" ""^^^^""^ ^"^^
the wcJlir? ^r/:^^"^ ^-rf^y charms ft.m
"If you or your itw" :^r;ea:^;i^'fof ^' 1'? "^^'^^^•
here, do not attempt by Hatter J toT ^onhumg me
" Mademoiselle L uiLton^M°"Tfr >'""'" motives."
should furnish a home ?rifn'; '^^'^ ^^^torien. "Who
To whom will you iro it^ ' fr^^'''"'"''"'*'^-'^t''^''*tives?
bid you dei)art Two rnWe- nT "P^" '^'' ^'-^'■^ ^"'^
Paris. If v..„ conlu rn '"^^'P'^^e between you and
would douBtthe innv of "the nTu' '''"^f''' '''^^ >^"'»
the Commune. Here vou ar ^f ^'^^''/^l ^''^' worse still.
aeic you are sate and m seclusion, and
Hi
NAPOLEON SMITH.
I -i
his coat, above ;1,?SeJ„™t^'";'' "" '^^ ?"'''""« «'
" T +v,;r.7 T "^^'V "«»ce locates tiie orfranof Jifp
roo.„witha.,aXie:,,"nn;,r;'-^"'-^<' '™» ">«
idea i. a noMtJ; ^Z^^ ^':2ZS'' t' " 1™'
dition of AiTJe 1 ,r Pa,a< ,se-such was the con-
door and «r?ri™i„„ ff"^ P*',""™' ''''"' °" ""> closing
approached hcf™S„t« ""■ -P'^-'"-''' «™«"' H?
al.d said : uncertain legs in a circular manner,
::io^:^^he^sr i/oyt,"iLr!.-' ^^^ ^. « »«:
elusion «il fi ,""" ' "'^^y may we not br ntr to a
uubion all the scheminir of the I-Uf +lir..^ "^ ?• "
our family bv nni'H-nv^ 4? 1 ^^^'^^ genei-ations of
times, an3 ZTave fo Vn "^"r ^^''^ ^'^ ^'^^^^'Ons
and fortune » and he «. ' ^^«^«^y°" "^7 hand, heart
narrow breast. ^ '"^ dramatically touched his
'" Th.M-s*' ""derstand you," said Aimde.
you my'wi e''Tl^'det:il-^"l r^^"- " ' ^^^ *« -^^e
on my^estatea he^ st e I ,fa ^e"- "^ "' ^t'' '^""
come the slave of thf^<rZ^\ ^^^"^ ^'^^ ^ ^^ve be-
you are lovdy^L^d L^extenfl'f iT' h ""T'^ "^ ^^^^d'
ed at him out of ^reat rhi? ' ^T^'' "^""^^ ^"«k-
sin.ply said : ^ '^"^'^''^'' wondering eyes, and
"Monsieur, it is impossible!"
Her coolness and directness gave a sting to the calm
offer you a
Jousin, I am
in alJ harm ; "
e padding of
II of life,
tions of our
id from the
fear for my
3w how to
'Jgors to his
an evidence
that a gross
Keared in
in revealed
as the con-
the closing
ousin. He
ar manner,
? to a con-
jrations of
■ troublous
and, heart
uehed his
r to make
ittle down
have be-
W child,
nde look-
iyes, and
the calm
NAPOLEON SMITH. 215
"Victnripn if ..^,? ^"^ "pi'itod hand, saying :
that I elro"' ^I^Z 7au:bu'"a'crTf ■ ™'y "'' ^°"
I demand of you tL^^L' „' wWc" "'a' ihiU ^^w ""■
|^etJ,.o,„ a,„a„ and a relative, ^^t^l:^ :^
of a Ime pa«iou which"li„cercd „ the n f„' p1 ' ""'''
■1, if S k i ° ' .''/y •'"'"I aua i-aismrr it over his lip-i,!
as It It had no weight; « "vci him neau
"If you touch me again I will kill you i"
he^V^be" 'i^ojlneu'a^rtlirot U™ '"" ^''"^ Y"'"
gazed on the tablein 'n „ ■ *''>''i;"» entered and
"lowly it Zk:7:z shri rir"uZwf' •"/'■' ■^"' •■"'
-.^WngtC^-S-ltt^Str-^
'
his erstwhile
the wide
immaculate bosom,
staircase and the long hall
pled linen of
as they walked down
116
NAPOLEON SMITH.
mat IS our plan, then," said the MarnnJ^ oqv,
gre faSfto?^'- '"t" ■! dels a^dThn she' i
in eviT hZe' 'Tn'""™ '"'", °f .""=^« "« y"""-- dodger,
some soan th.t i™'* i' ?\ ■ Poetsays, wo will show yew
eri»d:":fh:Td'Uatfn'rinrrh ''!,'' ™" °" ««'^
and didn't know hnt tk i ' '"'^i'd » woman scream,
pug-dot had a fit "L^«l"""? waa afire, or somebody'.,
I ug aog Had a fat, and Sturgis smiled broadly, -^
uninlrt^d nTo'm't'd'o:? -aP-P^ddler, how dare'you crowd
you fool, I wouZet my servants to 1^:™ T "Sf ''
.venue to the highway.^ andlt tJ^^JZ^ZVIll
and as a private citizen. I demecatfl all "!,!e It +
that ere dodger up in the kitchen, and whea-'yew tant
NAPOLEON SMITH.
117
means will
:ht our free-
the smooth-
ire she will
for him ? "
:he amiable
h. "Crush
it it, for in
Bw form of
readily as
e hands of
soap give the sunflower a chance. Bye-bye, Marky," and
Sturgis took a long hok at the hall and stairway, and
went out whistling, lie stopped, and wetting a sticker,
left one on the park gate.
ft;
"is. " She
t'hen she is
Ah! who
ler dodgers
, but when
show yew
and quali-
cake "
le Marquis
our little
an scream,
3mebody's
rou crowd
'ou right,
down the
hed with
my little
ncognito,
a to*;,.!-
>-. utiCJv
ew want
118
NAPOLEON SliTIT
B.
CHAPTER XV.
pS;^' wi?,ii; ""*^»'' *i':v - i-.ny
" l»>fh 1 with su-ord will open
i-eturn of memorv canu. fl . . .^^'*^ '^^'^'^- With the
the reparative VoJSTl^:^:^'''' ^'^-'^ '^^ - spurt
hasten to the ' s.ista^c of elt'ne.?; ^''''' 'I "^^'"'^ *°
hasten the line of ^vorks un lo, . / ^' ''"^'^^^ ^^l^iers
In a week he had so f ■ ov? i T'^ commander's eye
Doctor as to appear in mvnffl'''' ^^ objections of t^ie
and that sidewK o ^p 7the nT.^f " ^T^^^'^ ^^ad,
never recover. He even i n f i "^^'^/^^^'n ^hicli he would
to whistle the rUcuStunt?o^w■;'tl'^"^^^^^
strenuous objection. ^** "^^"^^ ^ ^^^d made such
" Ail right" said I " h' 41 -c
your knife and whittle Tcl'a Hf ^^ ^'f"' ^"^ ^^^^ ^ut
rennndmeofhome. I tell you S^^^^ Anything to
o France, and I think we afe nea f .'t r T''''^ ^'"^'^
of the siege. Trochu would be «^^ 7 ^^'^ ''^°'^'"^' ^^ene
now that the Germans, ol f- ^ "^''^^^"mn to hold out
had hardly e^pecS th^. • ".t"^ '^^"« i»to Paris I
shellinga dtyTk! Pari if 'T- "^l^^^^^^*^ ^^"^u yJ
murder." ^ "^ ^^"' ^^ "«thing but vandalism and
"That is your unmilitary view f^£ u » • 1 o
So the world looked at thp L -1 ^^' ''^^^^1 Smith,
the Wilderness ; but t J^!. .^?'^.'^^"?P*"8n ^f Grant in
military mediciiie. The We?/^ ^''°'' treatment with
return to peace. .Six y-poTnd t if ''°'' ^^^ quicker the
the palaces of Paris Z?? '^^^'^^ crashino- throu^di
S(
erctary, J
NAPOLEON SMITH.
119
■'ipi'^l, as is
With the
is a spur to
>f nature to
Jy soldiers
Lnder's eye.
ons of the
iged head,
I he would
attempted
oade such
I take out
lything to
ting tired
iinor scene
hold out
Paris, I
cntury —
Hsm and
I Smith.
Grant in
;nt with
ickerthe
through
the old
Otary, i
am lately from the hospital, and use medical terms," and
he laughed.
" If I remain in Paris much longer I shall be qualified
to give an opinion on military affairs as well as the affairs
of state. But, Smith, have you forgotten the mission
which brought you to Paris ?'"
" I have not forgotten it," said Smith ; " I have only
allowed a more momentous subject to eclipse it for a time.
I ffuess that is the expeiience of mankind generally.
When close to death's door, the thought of wealth has to
take a secondary position, and when a deeper passion
than the love of life gets hold of a man, wealth is totally
obscured," and he blushed like a boy.
" So you think now the winning of the Lieutenant's
little girl Aimde is the great and supreme object in your
life ? " said 1, thinking of the strange scenes I had wit-
nessed in the hospital.
" I not only think so— I know it ! Say, Mister Sec-
retary, I could die for that little woman, and 1 am im-
patient to be out and at work at her release, wherever
she may be. 1 left her in the company of her worst en-
emy—the old Marcpiis— and in the power of a gang of
bandits, but I believe she is hiiden away by her uncle,
and her life, at least, held sacred. I will get a passport
from the General, and start out as I am, if I do not soon
hear of her."
" I believe we shall sooner hear of her at the Legation
than we should by any attempt to seek her out. In the
meantime, while we wait, I want to ask you what you
meant by the hint in your note, that you had found the
hidden treasure. You may be as romantic as you wish
in your fury of love, but I am still a practical Yankee,
and would like to know something of that misty fortune
in whi^h I begin to believe ; " and I gaze-' with interest
into the face of Smith, awaiting an answer.
" Well," said Smith, thoughtfully, " do you remember
the copper-colored letter N in the paper I gave you ? "
320
\\ i
NAPOLEON 8MITU,
room in the di^.l°"r^7 ^f them. One on each sirl . f
two]ette;s.''^^^^'''^^h'''Ji'avohacimyhan.] ..
-e.ned1otUnhr"T!-'"^ ^a^ d f^f^'^^^-^'
" I T' . , a^-i^ed, in breathJcs.s
tro--"r«''r- --^oi./ s.:r 'S^?.^'
., p"?°PPoi, audagaidon" «., ; c, ■ ^ ° ^ "^aw the Jot
stand e\-iPfl,. ^^^' 3^" iro out inf.. *i ^"liuing
'"'Cfd v-<,u ton "" I""'-'' ■•''™g Wh™ vnn ? •1°'', '='°»«<'
Memory wM r'"; ^" '^'"» w°ay I W J?" ""!""* '"^
said : ''"'"^ » '""S walk 1,0 stopped „„d I. i •
■•^-'-Weti.e.o.oW. ■■"""*"-'-^-
I
"P around me. That
IS
-acJi side of a
"•^ on those
f tlio Coni-
Ji'uised and
j" " and ho
'weet recol-
' the build-
bi-eatJiJt«,s,s
'ou toll in
l(y
by the
tjuilding ;
ihrougJi a
' the Jet-
said I.
dj'eaiii.s
1 off hi.s
>" good,
building
■eot and
' closed
lie mob
I'ead of
of the
lound,
^'hat is
NAPOLEON SMITH. jgl
" n.'" • V^ „ , ' '^"'* ^^^ walked rap dly ahead
ic I 10 (hath, when Stur^ns j)ulled me un and nuf a n rl
cap on n.y head Strange iello^v, thatS u^^ '» '^
Af er another long walk, he said :
inoninurnt" ' """' "^""'^ ""''' '^^'^ P""^^ over the
" G(K,d ! " said I; "You are doing well This is tho
rJace Vendoine. Goon" -i'"s is tlie
a.SlT """"'"'' '°"= ^'''"'' °'"' '='-<'»»i"3 U.e Seine, Smith
" What bridge is this ?"
);c:e¥Lnlt':^"ip;,',!,T;::tir w'i? «?^^ «°n^
clown into the ma.ss of rdn, ""' "'' '"= P°""<"1
ling m>u,„n,y wl.ich fonn.r *':*"'""'""''»» "fcruinb-
ao.nS.,.«,.„at,titi,'o:sSit\t:„-
"We must hasten our researphp« " cai i q -^i, i ,
went directly to the eont.oT;it^.™"l^rt*'rt''ook
N, now ,een^ "K;^- -— -^ ™^ cop,..
J
122
NAPOLEON SMITH.
w
M
te.., an , ^JfZi^Zl^^^ -„paoiou pat-
r /aiir:" ""'"-^ ""'' I ™' >"-""'- with e.citoment, as
and it turned • it ume l.ff '^r?"' "^"^ °^ *^^« I'^tter.
tcned to a sc ew nnd . ;f ^'^^'"r ^^^^^^ evidently fas-
screw pushed ?r;,rw eXr'tt itt it "^', f; ^^^^
no more. ^^ ^^^^ ^^ would turn
feet -quarrannlriv ,*?■■''''?'"?*' '">"« a*""-' t™
■so in accord with pvp.m. T ^ ^*^""^' ^^^^ was
.loen vaults o,V„° ■ "° ™neea'ed staiiwavs
l..oad pieces o( Spdn h "t, „eT J /di^ thl'/" 'ri''?
^eie at lay, a nias. of uncounted gdd.
e mosaic floor,
companion pat-
excitement, as
hip wili be our
)e the place or
1, as he studied
r. At last he
i of the letter,
evidently fas-
thread of the
it would turn
Wraith. "Why,
3. Secretary,
N with both
ell backward,
me about two
pose of cover-
ione floor was
he wonderful
'" in a trance,
a would have
in a half-cen-
i, and would
s own intent,
i stall- Ways,
5 Bonaparte,
re space like
s and ladies
had reposed
ed in in the
le beautiful
< sovereigns
anted gold.
NAPOLEON SMITH.
Here De Bressac could tell why from 1820
was a dearth ofnrold to do the world
Fill
evei
s work.
12;j
to 1840 there
•y pocket," said Smith, "for th
stoie It at tlio ottico of the Aijiudran Minister Fin,!
Sle;r '° """• ^•"' ^'''^" »" » -^-^ you -.hall bo
Wo..eiice,l all that wc- coukl c-a.r.v without suspicion
:c't^i!raoTn'i:z.'''''° f"'^^'- ■^■'-" "« '«'- sr,'
,„"« '^'.u I"''""" "" """ «"'!i«t," saifl 1, "Before we
havet^lt'" ''P'''r'''"'- •';■ «"'• '«' "-S- Xtw^
w- I i^emove this weaitli."
With trembling hand we turned up the tell-tale letter
was" oil nLT'^"^- "^''/"^ r'' ^^-"- -- '- -^"e!l "t
\vasa companion piece to the other. A simple nest in
ntL'nTTfr'n -P-«V'^^ I^'"-'- of'as'oeof
loneraJ. nf ^ 'i'^''^ ^'^^ «pot with mortar and
^o^Iffijl^L:!;;^^'-^'^ °"^ ^^ the street with our
saiVl. ''"'"' ^''"""'^ ^^''' ^ ''""" ^" ^^^^^'^ ^^-e are engaged,"
"It is mine,'' said Smith. " It has come down throucrh
t'Xi^l'te'nder-^ f'Tll '''' ^"^° ^^^ l-X^otwS
iTm- n ?rP. ; ^^^^;^^'3; no court would allow my
Claim— in tact, it would probably be lau'Wied at- but von
to ho d ?t no ' " " """'•■• - '"""" °<'»' " desire
rucTe:r^'It'^1lrbr;ri"v'"'■''^"'-''^'-T™'
take some time but I w^ eve^^y itf h' ""f .T'?
gold securelv ho„.so.l in .he^XsT ffL^Iti „*'1
•'I hold that you are the heir to this .rensnre i,„^
when .fs once safely stored away, I will TCantl^t
:i
f
124
NAPOLEON SMITH,
w
safe delivery in Ainorica Whflf o • -x •„
commerce of the world who,, J^. ^ ^^^ '^ ,^>" ff^^e the
wheels of business- BurcLorr S^^l'^^^t^ricates the
a.s ,succo.s.fuI in our nex toues? - ^' ^"" ' ^^ ^^ ^''^
we need notcomphtir"" ^ ^^ "^^ ^*^« '^^''-'^^ in this,
When we reached mv offipp ,'f
enter quietly and (lepo[twh«f' i T' "^^^ intention to
the office safe. Fo tUt rTi^. f^ "^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^''^^ ^n
lossly entered the room to ^e" if 7u' '^^^f ^"^^ "-■--
was my astonishment to see on L "' t^'" ^^^^^^
!-agfe;edform,snorincMnacomfo»f«n '^"'^'' ^^^««P. ^
'n^' backward with mv hand Q:?-?k'' I"^""''" ^<^tion-
to the couch tosee what I u.; ?^ ^ ^""^^'^^ ^'^^ ^meun
the couch was a We VeJ^ ,^f ^'°r- ^^ ^^« »^^» «"
-an, but bisfeatureT^wle utSn^[ X^^^ middle-aged
a large, variegated bruise involt^^^ ^"^ account of
«ilk patch ovSr the oth • j; n "IT '^^' ""^ ^ ^^^^'^
was worse off than thp v/.^T ^ the impression that it
held together by one bul on T.l ^^'' ^rock-coat w^
ered with mud and «, "°"' T'^ ^^^. ^^^^^ers wcu-e cov!
leg was visible'thrtgl aTr.ernt'''T!^^^\''^""-^^^^^^
on the floor, reposed "a once till jk ^T"^' ^^' ^""^h'
«ad wreck. As Smifirir;xl, , '^^^ hat— now it was a
then, when the sleeper »«.„t« „' ? , 'a'^hed aloud ;
swollen, di.H,.ured ^ye, he ^aTed Sr^.^'^l.-ith one
moment, and then tlfe wrel ^, J?'"*"^ '''"' *»>• »
the couch, savin., in a ,onm»lf 7'^ -"'"^ "*' '''^^"'"e "n
;;Gentlen,elthrii:,r„';t«""'™'-^
lie dolefully. "I evme ^^ V ="• ^u"""™' ^?«n*." said
and =-ne JinfoirirLd':" r ™ /°^ Ht'
been what yew mi-ht call <Sj«; v . 1 , , ^^® ^''^^el has
the general informaL has linVK^"^, ^"",^P^ ^" «Pots,
and the experience a? th«? ,, \'^^*' ^^^ variegited
and imposing street parade fT '''^''^'''^' ^^^ a'large
me?-thejigisuplup i^^'^Tf^ '"• ^"" ^^w onto
J o '^ up u r-iarge Roman capitals," and he
i 'APOLEON SMITH.
will frive the
lubricates the
^ •' If we are
> been in this,
' intention to
id secuied in
^d and noipp-
clear. What
ch, asleep, a
er. Motion-
and came up
The man on
middle-aged
» account of
and a black
ssion that it
ck-coat was
3 were cov-
y, muscular
the couch,
ow it was a
Jary sleeper
rhed aloud ;
IS with one
him for a
jidewise on
125
tried to wink with the discolored eye, and the attempt
was painful to look at.
"Why," said I, "Sturgis, I left you at Biinvilliers af-
ter my balloon yi««co."
" Yes," said he, drily, " yew left me there, arul I got
left a good deal worse after that, tew."
"How did you get through the lines ?" 1 asked.
"How does a bundle of wheat git through a throshinfr
machine ? I was fired througli, Look at mo '" "
Smith nearly burst in his attempt to smother a laugh,
but he was instantly sobered by the next remark°of
Sturgis. He turned a sorrowful look on Smith, and
said :
" When I remark that the jig is up, I mean in refer-
ence tew the leetle gal A.im(3e.' She's a goner! "
Smith jumped to his feet excitedly and asked :
" Have you been near her, and have you seen her ? "
" Why, where else would I be ? The Secretary, there,
told me tew keep ^n eye otit, and, by George ! both of
'em's out, I'm afraid ; but I was there on the ground with
my bills up, and the show had tew go on. Well, here I
am — yew kin see whether business has dragged or not."
We sat down and listened to his story, which will be
easier read reduced to English than in his vernacular.
?ent," said
for travel
travel has
y in spots,
'ariegated,
fid a large
yew onto
s," and he
126
^'-IPOZAO.V ^'MITU.
\\
c/rAPT/-:R XVI
"'>tyot been in rn''^'^^'"'"^^' ^''-'"turl tin ^'J/^ -'^^'-'O".^
!'"ta,y cJ.^e: ;^ -ith a di.;^^"^ ^^ -^^^ eve..
'n a nightmare ° Ti '"'"' ^^ tl,oi,oh (J,," • '" "'^«^-
eJ'oek and a ehiM|•^''•^; ^^'^'''^ ^ ^'-vl.l '" 'I'''] ^^" ^ fall
^'"0"^' then, wan f^' f ^''•^^- and th.kinZ '"'''';
^J-"M« y a, is "",'"■''■ ^o ""'^ "" op™ t'™?"r ^"" "f
""""CT Jieto ,r ""'"f '» «'nsln«eTml ° ' "J^ieean.l
)|
NAPOLEON SMITII.
loop 80 as to catch tlio 8tritK^ Tlmn did Stu
Hter.
' ''con a start-
■ advanced in
t''« of fashion
; and .o-lorious
' '^'anco held
"e American
^ which oven
tnd UM invol-
;'".f of a fall
adaruaniine
^^i'y marrow
'"-'I'ed about
^lad Janded
\ meteorite,
ind-liearted
that they
'i- Sturgis
« dew and
» etiquette
five soij of
advice and
« fe'enial a
wdio <rave
lower. It
inducted
"o' game.
ig it coij
e a tio-ure
>A'er in a
aw
rL'iH
127
... _. „ pull
ay on Ins .strintr, and lo. the Frenchmen were too
sinewd tor hini and he sii^rlwd sadly. Then the youthful
and very smart ones wished to bet many francs that they
could catch the n.,d.t loop every time, and tlien did Stur-
gis clieer up and tahe all Lets, and after that, .strange a.s
it may iippeai, they coidd not put .iown a finder so as to
catch the Htrini,r. It was veiy wond.rful. and Stur-is
was stdl so cJMldlike and hland that evervbo.ly was
happy Then, as he became more i)<)pular,'he sported
with three walnut-shells on his knee, and the little j..ker
was tirst under one shell and then under another' and
bets poured in eajrerly. In a .lay or two, as the interest
deepened, he introduced three cards which the lookers-on
declared were possessed of a devil, for they chan-cd their
color and the number of spots even as they Ij'ette.l on
thoni ; vet with it all Slur-is took onlv what money he
needed lor his necessities and ^^•lve tiK- rest buck to his
victims and they spent most of it for wine at the cabaret,
and so lie was the most popular man at the little hostelry'
and the most j)opiilar man in the vilhi-e. Pity 'Mve way
to respect, and if Stui-is had adveiti^ed to asc,7id to the
moon on a certain date he would have iiad an expectant
audience on hand at the specified time. He was a ven-
triloquist of no mean powers, and could niv(! a twist to
his tongue in whistliru' so that two di.:inet tones would
be heard at once. In fact, he had all the excniisite ac-
complishments of the hotel readii,ir.,-nom and the smok-
ing-car, whicii are necessary in the calling of the travel-
hng salesman. He caught buxzing imaginarv Hies on the
old curds head and he tore oj.on the notary's lono- coat
with a rushing sound of rending cloth, which made the
startled old man reach up his back to see how far his
gannents were torn open, only to find the cloth intact
an<Uhe happy SLurgi« .smiling broadly. Yet with ail his
boyish love ot fun, there seemed to be a relish for infor-
mation. As he sat in the cabaret sharing a bottle of
128
Napoleon smith.
! ?
M .
chato,u'a,„i*lr''' "°''"'^' ^°>""-' ie looked out at the
'^at aA. it. "^^in? 'u o'tL?;^.?" "'-^ ""' ""= only on:
'e« have been cast out Tl, ^.°"" ^^I- "'e BWnvM
ball raeketed to and fro un^ V1'"° ,''"' ^'^^^ a tennt
-i-'O, i (Jo not drpflm w, <• •
called her by name "and Shn' ^^^'^'^ with her and
fident tone that the old cun^fn f/' '^^'^^ ^" ^"^h a con-
h^ orX '^rlnTlt:: '&? 'r% I' 1^ althe
tefrXetTi£-^^^^^^^^
h*^ard a scream there and T ^^'^-^'•^-and yesterdaW
and found the old man and h^'"'^ ^^ ^^thout knockIL
;^/^deape .vas his Ton^otin" T~~^ ^^"^'^^^^ ^^^^^^^^
They were angry and exc tJd %h°^^. ^^""^ ^^^^t room
P^t for they came at melth cj!^:? ^^ ^^!^^^ ^n sonTe
outcciemony. We cann^fT ^^ ^"^ domino- in wifh
'oked out at the
[nnvilliers, how
laiquis Larue ? "
^> "it 18 not a
>t the only one
\- the Erin vil-
been a tennis
hird Napoleon,
but now, under
'. 'ind the child
ir."
;«aid Sturgis:
m the chateau
J tlie old curd
ver of her en-
lave seen her.
inditLeNoir,
free on the'
ed them here,
with her and
fi ^uch a eon-
=5at and gazetl
iowering- his
^t is at the
the chateau.
e them from
yesterday I
lit knocking
■ the tailor-
that room.
ied in some
ng in with-
^ etiquette;
i
NAPOLEON SMITH. 129
Pf"/!f''*?,"^^f°!*''^^^^'^o^ merriment at his naivete.
An I then, said the curd, "they threw you out, pro-
bably, \'ith very httle ceremony." ^
"Hardly," said Sturgis. " I know not why, but the
men are few who would attempt liberties with me No
they told me to go, and I went. Now, I should think the
people of the village could be stirred up to release Aimde
It they knew she was a prisoner, and knew she was the
heir ot the Brmvilliers estate. As we say in the United
btates. It this thing was boomed, the release of Aimde
would be certain.'
" You have, my frienrl, what you call the horizontal
head-or is it the level head ? That is it-you have the
tia. head on you, and we will speak of this among the
l)eople soon. It I send some of the men to you, can you
Leblr '' '"^ ^^'^ '^'''^''''' • " ^^'"^^ ^^t^^y
" Yes, indeed ! To-night, at nine, send to me a few of
the villagers, and I will prove to them that the heir of
the Brmvilliers is a prisoner in the chateau. By the
way, how do the people feel toward the Marquis ? Is he
a good master and landlord ?" asked Stur<ds
" ^f.y-^ »^ost heartily and cordially hated," said the not-
aiy. Me calls all labormg-men the canaille. He worships
only the aristocj;acy, and cares nothing for God or man
lie must have his rent, if it costs life and blood to cn-t it
He IS a sprout out of the mangled roots of the old rllme,
which should have been cutofi in';i8. Ah I when I think
ot the old days of the Beauharnais and liiinviUiers fami-
les ! How in the vintage time the toilers sang on the
lawn and danced under the great chestnut on the villa-e
green, and the great ones at the chateau were as parents to
the peasants more than masters. Monsieur StunWs there
vyere .some pleasant things about ohl aristocratio" Franca
though Heaven knows I am a good Republioan : " and be
sigiied lieavily. - t - -
" I know the feeling of reverence for old things which
you^describe, said ytui-iii. - Whcixcvor m old cu^m
! t|
li'
r
130
is to be buried,
tb
NAFOLEON SMITH
we do not have to liire mourner,s. E\
'ery-
inng, wlion it ^rets into the shade, hasasombre look, and
It the devil were todie, .some tender-hearted person would
remember that he had a wonderful curl to his tail and
mourn for that. It was so with American slavery •' but
hurrah for the living present ! Send <lown to me to-ni-dit
a few reliable men, and I will prove that Aimee is f^iut
up in the chateau a prisoner."
" Well until then, farewell," said the old notary and
iie and the cuie went out arm-in-arm.
At the cabaret, in the evening, the usual programme of
marvellous feats and strange ventriloquial noises kept the
villagers amused until nine o'clock, and then, with uncer-
tain steps, they wended their way to their homes— all but
a hait-dnj:en who were still sober, and who remained be-
hind Among them was tlie old notary. Sturgis waited
until al the lights were out in the village streets, and then
led his l.tt!e i)arty to the back -gate of the chateau gar-
den. Ihis was easily scaled, and an entrance effected
thus int.. the orchard behind the chateau. Sturgis point-
ed to the grated window in the darkness, bul all was
SiUl. How to arouse the prisoner without arousincr her
guards, was the query in the mind of Sturgis. He whis-
tled in imitation of a nighthawk. No answer from the
window. 1 hen he tried the warble of a canary. It trill-
ed among the frosty branches of the trees in a manner to
astonish any naturalist, .vho would little expect such
music out ot-doors so early in the sprinc^ AH his art
seemed at fault until he said to himself :
" What was that outlandish tune which Smith was al-
ways whistlin ' — ' -
Over.
was . . ,,, ,,^. . , „ . wnisiiea • j onnny ^„.,.^, x,xa,cii-
ng Home. Now the window inside the gratin<r is heard
to come slowly up. Then an apparation in white diuiity
•; - ?Ti"'' ; Skevvball-by the ;;reat horn spoon, 'that
It : J hen he shrilly whistled ' Johnny Comes Marcli-
I
NAPOLEON SMITH.
nournei'.s. E very-
sombre look, and
ted person would
■1 to his tail, and
3an slavery ; but
n to me to-night,
it Aimee is shut
! old notary, and
lal progi'amme of
il noises kept the
hen, with uncer-
r homes — all but
ho I'emained be-
Sturgis waited
streets, and then
A\e chateau gar-
■ntrance effected
Sturgis point-
ess, but all was
lut arousing her
rgis. He whis-
inswer from the
anary. It trill-
in a manner to
le expect such
ig. All his art
I Smith was al-
recognizc that,
:led Banner,' or
was familiar,
3 Cruel War is
)rn spoon, that
Comes Iviarcli-
;rating is heard
3 wliite dimity
131
sneaks in ^!^r^ ^f""'^ '^' ''''' ^'^''> ^nd a childish voice
speaks in a trembling tone
t.m'e^r' * ^^' American I hear whistling the ridiculous
It is an American Aimee, and I am sorry it is not the
one you mean If you could only in,agine me to be t le
one you want-and here in "the dark a Tittle ima^.at on
:idfJ^-gS^^^^^^~^^--^^^-^^--tei^ej^
littl^oall'v 1) "^'"i"'?' " '^ '^ ^^^ American with the
little ca.ds.yellow dodgers, and wonderful soap. Well
Monsieur, what did you call fiie for ? " ^
Rnl, li . ^"^"''' ^'^'^ ^^^'^ n^e that you are Aimde
Boh-thatyou are the heir of all the Biinvilliei^Tnd
you are kept here a prisoner. Tell them you S lo "o
back to your friends in Paris " *''
Utile llnf"' '"i "" P^*^'"^^^ ^?""' '^'^ <^°'^ h«r «tory to the
little paity under her wind.m. She heard smothered
cui-ses and grating teeth, and then she heard tTe notary
" To-morrow night, Mademoiselle, vou will be at libertv
If every stone in the chateau comes down. Lelovn'
my child, and sleep. Friends are near," ^^« ^'"^^n,
Stura^s < w/°"-'m" f^' ^^'•^' ^"^^ then called to
bturgis . Where is Napoleon Smith, your friend '^ "
Paris ^ You wi^^^'li- ^""'^^ ''''' "^ '^^ ^-Pital at
sash and Zn ^.r'^''^^''''^ P^'^^^^^- ^^"^ the falling of the
s^h, and then they dispersed to their homes in the dark-
1S2
NAPOLEON SMITH.
J"
IrZT'Z^.'' ^""' ^}l' I^^"^'"' ^"^"'^^ occasionally turn
around to argue with the man behind him and sween
Dacksmith ^hile swingxng his sledge in i.na<anary com-
bat, stumbled m the darkness, and the blow ol the sled a.
came down on the toes of a tailor, M-ho fell in f ont^t
Frenchnmn with wine and enthusiasm judiciously mixe^l
nns^ system, ,s an object of wonder tl gods and m^a
I in the" b. "f r '' '^r''^"^"' "^^' ^« ^'-^1-'- Bastille
A^dui the a r of the returning soidior is whistled an.l
4 th clambP r ''P^T,^ 1° >"'^^ '^^-^ ^^'^'^'^"'l the black -
Sates H. f -l^ "'''^}' '^'^?' ^"^^ ^^^'^'^^^^ t"^ ''-^""^ve the
giates. He strikes only a few blows when they hear
Aimee scream and at the same time a strong hand pushe
the ladder sidewise, and Jacques rides on'the arc o ia
circle whose centre is the bottom of the ladde^where
stands a group of astonished men, and then he sU-lkes
squarely on the top of his head in a,last year's aspara.ms
vfltTo/SnvWr ' 'r ^" ^^- annTo?th
village ot Bnnvilhcrs he is not mentioned acrain in the
combat at the chateau. Sturgis seems lor a mom e ft s-
tonished. but listens attentively, and hears the screams
and^curses recede down the g/and staircase. £ he
"To the front of the chateau !-to the front ! my men "
When through arbors, dry flower stalks, and clumps of
ornamented shrubbery they find their way to the Ton
PuldSor.l^"'''" -^"^ ^ T ^ whfte-robed form
pushed into a close carriage standing at the door to hea-
wfa^^f '^n'-"'^^ '^^" '^' postillions lash thefour
noises and try to drive on.
" A rescue— a rescue ! " cried Sturgis. Aim^e Boh is in
holsT"^?.,^^P.^^'^^^^^ «™g«' cut loose the
horses! and then began as terrific a fight on a sm-ill
scale as one will often see in a liletimeVh. " f.^'^n
las lung their horses, for a moment, until they were' torn'off
and trauij,.e4 under Oicir feet. Theii tiie villr-ors p^°
f
occasionally turn
1 liim, and sweep
ladder; and the
ti i 111 ai^i nary eoin-
»lo\v of the sledge
fell in front. A
iudieiously mixed
L) ooJs and men.
! another Bastille.
is whistled, and
I'eady, she says
ill, and the black -
iel to remove the
when they hear
fong hand "pushes
on the arc ol a
le ladder, where
then he strikes
year's asj^aragus
he annals of the
sd again in the
r a moment as-
sars the screams
•case. Then he
ront ! my men,"
i, and clumps of
ly to the fi-ont
lite-robed form
he door, to hear
•nslash the four
Lim^e Boh is in
cut loose the
?ht on a small
^he po.stillions
3y were torn off
! villagers pe*"-
i^APOLEoy nrirri. 133
nlrl^l''"^ K '^' were surrounded by a band of mounted
r en, le<l on by a youthful man on a great biack horse
T ns^lea* or seemed only to use a riding-whip in the com -
ba for the possession of AinK^e. He rained'blows on tho
upUirned faces o the villagers until they screamed with
pain. But in other portions of the Held of battle, on the
opposite Side of the carriage, an occasional pistol-shot
rang out m the darkness, and its red flash for a momen
gkanied in the faces of the mad assailants. Takin<^ the
c.ir the traces of the horses, and others seized the wheals
trying to overturn the coach. Once or twice when these'
Tn^l^'Y'''-^y r'''''^''^' ^^"'-^'-^ '^^ that when
»1K 1(1 f ash of a pistol was seen a villager would go down
wounded or reep away, groaning, out of the tiglit. He
vas unarmed himself, but saw with regret that 'this was
nochihls play, but really meant life "or death to some
one. He set his teeth firmly, and sprang into the viefee
A hor.se reared over him, and he reaJhed^'up. seizin<. it by
he hot. 1 ' ^^^1*"' ^'r ""'"'"'^^ '^t'^-^^St'^ to letting
the hoise down on its haunches, at the same time wrench-
ing Its head to one side. With a crash horse and Hdcr
went down in a heap Leaping upon the man, he grasped
his revolver, tearing it from his hand. ° '
"Now lam armed: A rescue '-rescue for Brinvill-
lu. : he shouted as he sent a bullet into another rhler
chater '■' '''^^'' ''°'''-' S-alloped down the avem.e of the
vouIron^^Vi'rifn^Ti ^'''"P"^ P^''^^''^"ts rode the
}outh on the tal black horse. The riding-whip was
exchanged for a gleaming rapier, before whieh\ coupllo f
peasants went down with (,Ieeding heads. A scream of
irvniagerr'^' '"^ ^ "'^ ""^"''^ ""''"'^''^"^ '^'' ^'^''^ ^^^
"Fly!\v'! itisLeNoir!"
Sturgis vvas left alone as he heard the patter down the
avenue of the retreating footsteps of his fiinds. He saw
the two led-horse3cast loose from the carriage and a pos^
> =
134
Napoleon smrn.
cSt:^J;r;i'rr"^^t-''''— ayt,
clutclie.lthe swaying boot of th
With
nis clutch upon it
a mighty spring he
But
le
•sprang up and seated lii.u.sclf
,. ^" carnage, nearly losing
a>,_ Ins .nnscles cracked with the strain
>e ground, when
'■e held on until hU foot tonclied tl
xisned to hoM tl,e .^g^L^^r ,«. n'r^Tr '■'™'^'^"■
c.::,":; ,'i:,'' „:;■ "n^ 'rt "71 ^^i^ i:Ta?
Wh hca.! „t t , sk^l f r ^"""' '^""" Jownupon
a Ion.. .,a, „ tl ' ..' ir "'"• "'I'""' '"«' ""'y ent
ti.o f°a;tno';"- ;::;:„ „?;:';;;." Xn" r' '^'\-"
elung to tl,. Ct of t e cu elf " Tl " ""^ "™""'' "^ ^e
bulkt in hiln if r;'eiol;d,i"tho..o'-' *''°"'= ™- ^'" P"' "
n,adl5i.,„ti,S'r:oa:i"',airtl.e"S^?tt^^
alone till we tell the captain " •"""'« "'""^i ■ Let him
terminer to ,o doinll'^',,'';!. 2^^^tji^,
i,.
NAPOLEON SMITB.
135
iJ then away the
nighty spring he
Lge, iieai-ly losing
I with the strairh
'le ground, when
^'ooilen frame de-
Tlien on either
on the road, the
e tried to think,
im. A stinging
•s face. Jt was
iven down upon
ii' liad only cut
lows received in
j11 aches. One
knee was uncov-
le avenue as he
semen on either
iy rode.
ittle money and
ig husiness. I
I before he trave
1.
!aid the other,
ot. Shoot me
, who seems to
on. I'll put a
)ugh into the
tier. "Let him
•i
The carriage stopped. Captain Le Noir rode lowly
back, and when he came past the coacli lamp .biurgis
looked out and saw that he was playing with a silver-
mounted pistol. He rode up and looked at the dark
mass crouched in the boot, then said:
"^ Get down!"
Sturgis clambered down and stood shivering in the
road. Captain Le Ngir rode close up and peered into the
face as well as he could in the darkness. Then he said
in a musical voice :
" You are the meddling American whom I have shown
mercy to once. You have crossed my path again. Are
you ready to die ? "
" I am as ready as you are. Captain Le Noir. 1 have
never struck a blow but for the right. Perhaps I am as
ready now as 1 ever will be," said Sturgis.
Le Noir meditated a moment, then put the pistol back
in its holster, then cried out, " Forward, men ! " and all
the cavalcade was swallowed up in the darkness, leaving
Sturgis shivering in the road.
" There yew have it, gentlemen, as the boy said of the
measles. I crept down into the city and here I am.
Aimde is a prisoner in the old abbey, and as the immor-
tal Tweed said, ' What are you goin' to do about it ? ' "
and Sturgis tried to pull his torn trousers over his naked
knee, at the same time endeavoring to get oti" that ghastly
wink with his swollen eye.
"Sure enough," said I, " What are we going to do about
ig Sturgis, but
ence who had
I. He reached
I revolver, de-
f he had to go.
1S6
NAPOLEON SMITE.
CHAPTER XVII.
Ben
What a . _.
sJiuck of the te
in the m
EDICK
'aroin
III
TJ
1011
and I are too wise to
•-'tor is the spirit of _^„ ,
pest, when nature seeni.rto b
peaceably,
man
•asp of an ujjsecn foe, tl
tiie rude
'e stiu^.'Oflinc-
"U'Jt.easheJiesoutupontl
'e spiiit liv's until the
saiior shouts
^"^^ ^r 'i!:a::riJ^^!:t^'^n' V Then,a.o"u^
-mhe. and tl.o it^^'^ ^^^"/'^.l^^^f^- ^-.s ,noan and
interlace, folds his ouL r .rl -K .'W ^^''^ ''''""" twist and
stands more erect to nee! he'^:'^^ ^ '^'T^''' ^^^"^» ^nd
dier in the niad onset and 1,..^ "?' ^^^" '^^ ^^'^ «"'-
on to meet his d<ath w L ""1 '^^'''"" ^'"^^^^^^ boldly
brave shivers with foa^ n n^"','''^'^; '^^^'^^^^ ^q^^^ly ai
the dead qu.et of h s' ,1 L T ^tT 'V'^'"'"^' J"""^' ^""'^
does not rnoreaffectthes i h ' v ^''^'^^^^^ Patter of rain
• «pn^ ;J'1- -Id -u nn'l :^e doe n"7"'^^
«imke the idle leaf than it does the l.P T'"" '''■''^•"^>^
sensitive nature. He onens n!. T ?" ^'''"'"P ^^ ™an's
a richer hue. to surishi ^ He d '' ^''" ^T^'""' '^^^^^ of
suppose some mn.t hi , "''P'^ ""der the dew I
an!/ the I^-ou^" l^J^tX^;;^-;^^,^^ is lead-clred
fog and damply smites ' the 'e^^ek like' tr^^-' ''\'' '""^
an aged man; or do the ones ^ wf i! "^ "^^'"'^ ^'^^ of
then by shutting out the scenoTi ^^'^'^^ ^"'•>' ^"dure
in books, or posSbly in Lams otl^^ ,t>"0'^ng themselves
we recall the heavy^davs 'f -- ^' i" ^^' ^ ^"^ "''^
in memory lead-cofored an 1 T ' •''^ ^^^^^ "°<^ ^""^e up
orbree.es\f a klnprtn.' '^^^^^^^^^
hold which nature still has" on H 1 i ^/^'^'•' '^ '^ the
eonpposed. It was a touch o^" an Tnt".'^ ^V'"'^ ^'^ ^^"^
whach shrouded the Crj;^!!^^^ ^^^ l^^^!^/ j^^^
NAPOLEON SMITH.
137
?aceably.
'■ Jn the rude
be stiu^'glino'
ii^<'.s uiitiJ the
yard oi' cling-s
Jien, also the
t't'S gioan and
ies twist and
ger hand and
en so the sol-
I'ushes boldly
■r equally as
ct post, amid
»atter of rain
allects man's
ore certainly
arp of man's
ler ilower of
the dew. I
lead-colored
»st lifts the
yhu^ kiss of
'nJy enduie
themselves
s ? But as
ot come up
umn winds
f»s it is the
>ich we are
•iter's liand
i's of dark-
ness. There IS a Imman moan in winter winds and a
human laujrh and merry smile in summer gales, that roll
their chariots over })ending heads of wheat, and leave
their furrows in tanjried heads of purple grass. It is (rood
that our mother nature seems to sympathise witlPher
weary children.
So it seemed to Aimde Boh as she awoke from a sound
s^eep the next morning after the abduction at Chateau
Brinviliiers. She awcke with a heavy heart, and for a
time looked up at the ray of morning light as of old
streaming in throughher barred window; but insteadof the
curtained window other room at the chateau, she saw far
up in the wall an open casemerrt with fragments of curi-
ous carving about it, and across it she saw^'the bare limbs
ot a great tree that was stirred bv the wintry winds
which she could hear siohinjr outside. She looked about lier
with surprise. Her couch was made up of a heap of
coarse blankets, and over her was spread a lon<r military
cloak of blue ch)th. She reached out one lit^tle white
hand, and it touched a stone floor. With eager eyes she
sought the door, and saw an arched doorwav which was
once of riciily carved stone, but now was tilled with a
heavy door of rough plank. Then a tiood of memories
came over her, and she ivcalled the scenes of th^ preced-
ing night. The friendly attempt of the American to save
her, the cruel attack of the Marquis and his son ; then
the tierce combat, the shouts of men, the crack of the pis-
tols, and later the mad galloping of horses and uncon-
sciousness, and now her sad awaking. The blood of a
score of generations of brave men was in her veins, and
the fragile girl had indignantly struggled through her
terrible experiences with more courage than many of a
stronger mold might have done ; but as she thou<rht of
the tender care of her father now dead, and her foneli-
ness in the world, bitter tears welled up into her eyes
from the fountains of grief in her breast. The low mur-
mur of the wintry winds, the dark and dismal (^loom of
V
ISS
NAfOMON SMITIT.
I
M
t;™™!"/' "^™ '■" '— ■"» «'"h h- grief, and ,he
with i,y b,uv„ fathe,! S'„'h':;;;;l1''" ''"^•'""' ' "•'" ''»
f.om hur couch and stood eectl^wJ"'' 'i "1"""^'
of Ain^, jtoisr:,iir,ra:ur "-^ ^--'^
banl'l-;, 'tore^'-^Alr' "f" ,'^^^ ""'^ '""' "-
si.|.eve„ in a,° t^n^e a'^llgrL ll ll;''- ^™ "'" '-' '"
X'retn"} ^^''"^ "^""^ °" «-'"-. ™d then asked.-
yo;lad crpXnrn!'ot?waTl''- f \"""^- " ^'-
but you a.e iot here for mo„iv™o-v 'r ,1° T'""" ^'"''
the old abbey to stay," andS "ohucklec '""' ^"""'^ '"
free/- said Ainie, with d^p^d Valt'' ' "'" "°"" ^"^
old il d'eviUry.^ZtTkL';: S " ^"^T '" y^"-' ^"'
pretty bird; L will do as h7w" 1 '"„° ole"' ""r^ ""^
viandc spread before her ^Teltid'^^^^^^^ '' '!" T-''
she would have used af v,., J- f,^ . '\^''^'^''^"^6simphcity
she knelt down and ci^n ' t^^''' ^T ^" childhood,
pu.rsouHne>Sl=7i^;t;^i*„^^^t^^^^^
i
uapoleon smite.
139
id then asked:
faith than he ever knew ? Let us hope so. It will do us
no harm, and it may be a comfort to us in trial to dream
that ministering spirits care for human suHerimrs and
human aspirations. When the melting tones ceased and
she arose, sho saw that she was not ahme in the room.
Captain Le Nuir stood with his arms foMed across his
breast, gazing Hxedly at her. Di.l she iu»agine it, or was
there moisture shining in his gleaming black eyes ? He
stood silent a moment, and then asked, in a musical
voice :
•■ Aimde, are there many whom you love ? "
"No, Mousieur; I am lonely in the »vorld. My father
IS dead, and i have no friends, I have eiiemii's, God for-
give them 1 but few friends," said Aimife, in a troubled
tone.
" Is there no one whom you love ? " asked Le Noir in
a sterner tone. '
'' Monsieur, I am but a girl. I wa.s reare<l by a tender
father, and never mingled in the society of "the a, eat
world. It may be that I do not know what love is ""and
she blushed and hid her face.
"If you had loved you would have known it," said
Le .Noir, in a passionate tone. " If there were one beincr
whom you could gladly die for, for whose smile you could
waste the day m watching or the night in endless toil •
It there were a being whom you could feast your eyes
upon from the foot to the head ; one whose every spoken
word .should be the sweetest music, and you would waken
in the night and imagine you heard his s'ighs ; whose voice
would come to you in your dreams, and you would awake
snnling and happy with the echo of his tones ; one for
whom you would be so jealous that you would touch his
tace m sleep, so that h« might awake and let you ba^;k
that ? " ^^ ^'^ eyes— girl, have you ever loved like
" No," said the startled and blushing Aim<;e.
"Then you have never loved," said Le Noir, white
with passion. " Your nature has awakened like a late
140
l^AroiEnN SyfTTB.
spring with icy brooks still hi.Mpn bnf w-Ifl, 1- i
there a spot of g.een. Sluvenn;: s "'.t , S f a a-w U.in
notes in voiipfliillv i,r.,.> ,f i> i. '(-.""^-'^ tmi a row thin
Jin. louor s diil.l, y.,u have never Jove I ! "
L-cau.se," lie answd',.,! ficrpelv " r ,.. ,111
Jliun, .sai.l AiiiiA?, n.s hoi- lioa.l l:ont lower "(1,,,
was a i„an wli.„„ 1 ooiiM l.,vi. iImi. ' ■"
Ikto with m,> ir , . "" "'•■"* " pn.soiMi'
»»ul an.l I 1 V i . iT •. ■"';."' S'"-** in heart an.l
totn'eofw:' 'j^uJ ;';ri "t ■>'" "' ""T"'"' '""^'
w.ij..„,:r4t;::c™-;;;r!— lt»'--u.
it is pride ni Jiis lioautv, Mien which vm, <..,li i
or niavliat) in his e.)ui-i.V l-inf i •• • ' ''^^■'''
I'l". .S..i.,>-e hi,,, a child to b„'l°| bv tL a I'v .'■■;'
.st.-o„j.; .„..■,, l,„:oh,d at hi, .,tu„,hl„', ^te t^l^^"
love (,,,„ the,, ? " = ^''^-r^- "-ould yoii
Ai,„eeh,oke,l „|,i„ «■„■(„ ise.anrl answered with an-er-
.lea , X ':;;^;'iV:;', ■■'"'; ' '"™' '"m.fo,.his'i„St
picture to torture iiie." ' ^ hurriUe
NAPoLEOy SMITH.
141
'h horc and
1 a fow thin
• II that lovo.
liner. TIk!
mound ami
I'en. Eveiy
'■d its bios-
ved thus { "
il iiave you
uu pray(<l.
'er, " tlioro
a prisoMc?'
tilt' Dice of
I ht-art and
K' and talk
h, Ca|)<aiu
I tea veil :"
hivered as
call love,
with mo,
itHJIitronee
all toss('(j
those red
and while
Jould you
th ann;er:
5 intedeet
niy noble
am of a
1 such as
horrible
"Ah,' said Le Noir, "I know you iiad never Invcd.
Stand up; let me see what it was ho loved. A chiM's
tace— a pure child's face ! A ,-ii lish form, and a cloud of
sunny luiir, Hut i)Uiv,pure— O Cod, j.uic as tlio snow !"
and he clasped his brow and shud.lcicd. 'J'hen he said :
" Your God you were prayin-,' to— you think lu; will save
you inmi ill. Well, then, Aiiuee, know this; J am today
to send your pure soul to Heaven or east you into the
hands of my sava.<,fe men, to be a consort with them and
be diaj,';,^ed down to their level. Which late do you
choose ? liut wait— I will show you tiist. Ojine with
me," and he t(jok her trembling- hand and dia;^ged her
alter him. Down the vacant aisles of the old abbey, with
the .son<,'s and eiuses of a drunken crowd ^rrowin;,' louder
and louder in her ears; then a door was pusi^d open, and
they stood in the old refectory of the abbe\', where a
score of Le Noir's gang were sitting at the "long table
deep in a drunken caio- *, \', hen they saw their visi-
tors a shout Went up
"It is the Captam! Live the little black Captain!
11
ttlc
And seej his son--biid for the cage. Ah, the
beauty ! " and one or two sprung to approach her.
" For God's sake, take me awav, Captain ! The other
fate, Captain— let me die," and shivering, she clung to
the Captaiii's arm. Back in her prison, she sank d'owa
on her cou h with a cry of despair. " Oh, why must this
rate be mine ? "
"Because," said Le Noir, coldly, "you are superfluous
m the world. You stand in the way of the xMarquis
Larue. You stand in the way of others. It is that mar-
vellous English theory of Monsieur Darwin— the law of
selection. The weak go to the wall, and the stroner live
and prosper. It is a grand theory for bandits and^'red-
handeil murderers, and your God does not interfere. So-
ciety grinds Its flour, its Canaille its bran. The poor are
m the mud. and the rich n^ake ro=^^!way:s of their bones.
LhQ poor bat beautiful womeu havo only a restiiif'-place
t .
H I
142
NAPOLEON SMITE.
for a time among the demi-monde, and then the law goes
;< V " S^r'" '^'"''''^ *^ ^'e- Mademoiselle ? " ^
Yes, Monsieui--! will die. You shall put your pis-
ol to my head and send me to meet my father -but fi st
but Mother Church will not have taught me in vain if I
tell you hr,st of a child's faith. The sti-ong do not always
society. Ihere is a God, Monsieur ! I heard it first
from a mothers lips, and then in the church I heard an-
other voice. It told me of martyrdoms, of stru'ales of
whl"''" u ^ ^?™f ^^° ^^"'^d God's word fnto ihe
whole world, and they died with pure hearts and firm
hopes on the Son of God. I forgive you. Captain SeT-
I^ lay here a ring. It was my mother's. He?e s a little
ring my father gave me at my last birthday. You w 11
send them to the office of theAmerican Minister forThe
thariT ^ T\'^'' ""^ l^^^ ^^' if you ever meet h m
that I thought of him at the same moment in which I
wiirfoni ™f. ^^^^^^- ^"d mother. And now, if Monsieur
wilMook another way, I will pray, and then I will die."
nravpT A I ^'^\^'' ^^'\*° ^^^ ^^" ^"^ silently
w^ ;• ^l \^- ^'^y^^ "^'^^ absorbed attention, she did
not notrce the distorted features of Le Noir. She did not
hear him groan and say :
"It is because she is pure as an angel that he gave her
his love God would not give so black a heart such a
love. Pure, pure— O God, she is pure ! "
. ^™^e did not see the transformation taking place be-
h! ZV^ cap tossed away and black ringlets parted in
the middle pouring down on a trembling breast She
did not see that casting away of a man's coat and the
drapmnr of a swelling breast in the long military cloak
which lay upon the couch. She did not^see creeping on
her knees to her side a bowed form, and only knew of the
transformation when she felt a soft touch on her shoulder
and heard a weeping voice say ;
'-k..
NAPOLEON SMITE.
143
Pray for me I I, too, am a woman. I am another
woman creeping to the tomb of your Christ, and mv
nanie shall be Magdalene. Your God is too powerful for
That evening, when the wintry shadows were long in
the old abbey churchyard, two steeds galloped madly
away toward Paris, and one of them was a giant black
horse; and on each steed rode a woman's willowv form
Ihat night Annde dismounted at the door of the Ameril
can Legation and was folded in the embrace of Napoleon
feniith, and the name of Le Noir, the bandit chief, was
only heard in stories of the past. He had perished from
the earth, apparently, and only lived in his deeds and
their memory.
114
NAPOLEON SMITH.
i
ij
{
CHAPTER XVJII.
ARCHBtsiioi' : Let us on
And [.ubiisli the occasion of our anus.
Nil'lu'^'-^S^ -n ";"'? "'°'^ ''^^^^^"^ ^'^ ^ove, my friend
L?" r a" 1 ^^''^* /H^r^'«"tly forgotten his immense
tea.u.e. As l;o walked my office to and fru, with his
J HT'i ^"S^^l detestable halat indi,.enous to the
United btates-tor 1 know no other nation that expresses
surprise by a whistle, or indicates doop thought by the
tone oi the same human accon.pllshment, or gives vent
to joy by the same .shrill sound-1 noticed that "
was a hai^py note he warbled with such unction, and his
tayonte air. bo I reu.arked in a vexed manner :
b.mth, you might allow yuur mouth to assume its
natural appearance tor a moment while you ask about
that buried treasure. A man does not come into posses-
sion of e.ght or 111110 tons of gold coins often enough to
make it a commonplace event."
"Ah, yes, Uv. Secretary, how about that money ? Eifvhfc
or nine tons, you say; I never supposed there was that
quantity ot gold in the world." alid he attempted to
wJiistle again. ^
ih'^l^Tn i' ?-"^ ^'l"'' ^^'^^ quantity in circulation in
the wo.ld bu ic is otten quiet and unseen. It is repre-
sented in bank bills, and often a nation do.s business for
years without an eye .^carcely seeing the real gold which
the paper money represents. Uut in our case we have
eight or nine tons ot gold coin. It bears the stamp of ail
nations Some ot it is in bars of virgin metal as soft as
l.^a.l. Have you given any thought to the problem of
ge t,ng It home to the United states ? I ha^fe it in tb'
cuilars nere. packed in boxes and old kegs and barrels aad
It w u uuuta- of ^rc^ m^;on;,ibiUty toV"
-x,^
ive, my friend
his immense
I flu, with his
ffenous to the
that expresses
ought by the
31- gives vent
■iced that it
ction, and his
nner :
to assume its
ou ask about
3 into posses-
in enough to
oney? Eight
ere was that
ittempted to
irculation in
It is reprc-
business for
i gohl which
ase we have
stamp of all
al as soft as
problem of
-ve it in the
barrels, and
NAPOLEON SMITH. 145
Jl^""^" '^'"^ ^l' "^ ^^^^« *^^* entirely to you When
woH^s:":^ thin-r"^^' r, ^^P^^^ ^-'-^^^ - bronze
It7s mhie ami f^ 1' ""''t'- °' ^^''^'^'"^'"^al iron- work.
,!V ."f-/"^ /i"''^y J*^ with it as 1 wish."
the „ fou Wb yT ""'"": g"«'"'"""t>' or to make
cpinmeree of the whole woH.I, and inUr™ t e H, I f
or .neat in the woA*; a'aer ^^IttlLlhr w^S
tl7streets of thT""''-. ^T .^"^^tion .will be asked in
W£; tat/ ffiu^r^^
only adds another loaf of bread to the wort l'^ ^.t
14v)
NAPOLEON^SMITn.
I '1
"Even so," said Smith. "The gold is not bread, nor
coal, nor timber. Gold is an idea."
" Very good, my friend," said I. " Now here is a vast
sum in gold. It is idle. Let ua go back to America virith
it and set it at work. It is only an idea. Can you for
a million of tliis gold buy a mountain in Pennsylvania
which contains coal ? "
" 1 suppose so," said Smith.
" Ct. \ you for a few millions more build a railway to
the mountain of coal and bring it to the doors ot the poor
of the great cities ? "
" Certainly I can," he said.
" Very good," I said. " Then your gold, which is but
an idea, can put more coal in the world and make it really
so much riclier. Will you follow the idea farther and
open with your golden key the storehouse of bread in the
West, and \'dy iron tracks to bring it to the East, and then
your gold will be bread ? Or shall it become an axe and
cut down the iortst, or a saw and form the beam and
boaid to build the house ? l^ah ! this struggle of Capital
and Labor is the fight of the right hand against the left.
The right hand of Labor holds the hammer of toil, and
the lefl the gold of capital to reward the toil. The gold
is most certainly an idea only, for without the brains of
Capital the right hand of Labor would be palsied with
hunger. The Jewish nation revere to this day the name
ot Jacob because he dug a well and opened a fountain in
a thirsty land. The man of Capital stands in a thirsty
land of toil, and where he puts down his foot a fountain
will spring up if he wills it, or the channels of water will
go on theii- way. beneath him, forever unseen. Let me
enthuse thee, Napoleon Smith. What fairy spun a.
slender thread and threw it across the seas for electric
thought to travel on ? Capital. What biawny hand laid
the iron ^oad four times across our entire continent?
Capital. What genii scattered the black hulks of ste.jvm-
ers and white sails of merchantmen on every sea ? Capi-
tal. -Blot out this idea of gold, as you call it, and we
j
not bread, nor
• here is a vast
3 America with
Can you for
L Pennsylvania
[ a railway to
3ors ot the poor
, which is but
J make it really
?a farther and
of bread in the
; East, and then
me an axe and
. the beam and
ggle of Capital
gainst the left,
er of toil, and
:oil. The gold
i the brains of
e palsied with
day the name
d a fountain in
Is in a thirsty
jot a fountain
is of water will
iseen. Let me
fairy spun a
!as for electric
iwny hand laid
,ire continent ?
luiksof steam-
ry sea ? Capi-
ill it, and we
NAPOLEON SMITH. 14^
sho.iM be quarrelling over hawberries and ground-nuts
n the woods, and be wearing wolf-skin garments "von in
ev ke a ho,?.^ -^T' °''''''' V ^■'■'^"''' ^^^'i^*'' will
wl tl ^''^"■''"/'^ spni, les, or a thousand vv}iirlin<r car-
wheels, or a nulhon picks and shovels from the earth n n 1
with another totu^h an.l a broad slice to he poo iC'^^^
loaf ot bread. I pnay God you n.ay be wise." "'''
Amen! .sa.d Suii-h, fedingly. "And now Mr
Secretary, I will say after your wr/e add rt that T know
as :y "i.sdf. I cann.,t divest n.y.self of apprehension as J
recall hat tune of forgetfulness when I liy at X doo
of death m the hospital. Such a time mav come a^ in
men. ot my terrible experience. Now, I wish to leave a
paper gmng you absolute control of this money and I
know of no time so good as the present. Draw ^u'p such
a pa,>er, and call in Mr. WAshbunie to witness it"^
I accrpt the tvust, Mr. Smith," said I, "not from an v
.selfish motive, but from an idea which I lave that iTis {
matter o[ national importance. Is there aiw ut es on
natil'';hce''^T)' "^ '"^>^f^^ Sinclairville, Maine, my
native place. Ihey were kind to me in my boyhood
da^s. If ever this treasure reaches the United States
on dollais has been donated to the village by the old
1. tie gamon they once knew as ' Nap. Smith.' Tell them
^t'fVrZ'"''' l""/' ^''^f ^' ^^' -^-'' to draw on
than 'his.'- "°""^- ^ ''''' ^^" ""^ ^''^ ^^^- '^y old homo
"It shall be done, Mr. Smith. Is there any one else
you would benefit am.mg relatives and fricnds^^" 1 ".ktl
• AS 1 told you before. I have been a lonely lioy and a
lonely man. 1 have no relatives or friea^ds,»^and he
iii
t48
NAPOLEON SMITH.
H
.sigheil as he looked out of the window at the wintry land-
scape.
'' All shall be done as you say, my friend, and I trust
your apprehensions are without foundation. Si(,'n your
name here and we will complete the paper," and thus I
became the manager of the immense treasure. I heard a
light step at the door, and knew it was Aimde. In hopes
that her presence would cheer my comrade up, I silently
withdrew into J\Ir. \Vashl)urne's office.
" Aimde, my darling," .said Smith, as he seated the
little maiden on the sola, " I have beenarran-ing my busi-
ness affairs. You know but little of business, I suppose ? "
" But little, my captain," said Aimde. "I had a father
who stood guard over my life, | rhaps too tenderly, lor
now I find I am all un-prepared to tight the battle of life
alone."
" Not alone, Aimde. Let us fight it together. But it
will be no tight — only a skirmish — for I have that which
brings peace or war. I have that which builds walls
around the home to shut out cold in winter and heat in
summer, that which shuts out care and makes the home
vocal with song and laughter. Aimde, I never cared for-
money as I care for it now. If it can keep one pang of
pain from this little heart, or smooth one line of care
away from this brow, then money will be dear to me."
" Is Monsieur so rich ? " she asked.
"Rich? Aye! rich indeed, now, with your love, but
richer beyond what your heart can conceive. Aimee, if
you dream of tall castles or ide domains, I can build
vaster houses and overlap you domains with a thousand
acres. Do you love art ? Then the deftest hand and
mo.st skilful brush shall paint for you, and the chisel of
the greatest sculptor shall drucun in marble for you, and
wake in snowy beauty at your call. Do yo\x love soft
carpets and rich tapestries ? Then the world will be
ransacked to feast your eyes. Ah ! I grow poetic now,
and worship the power of money because it will show my
love."
1
b
he wintry land-
id, and I trust
3n. Si^n your
er," and thus I
ire. I heard a
ride. In hopes
=5 up, I silently
he seated the
n-ing my busi-
ss, I suppose ? "
' I had a father
tenderly, for
le battle of life
rether. But it
ave that which
a builds walls
er and heat in
akes the homo
lever cared for
ip one pang of
e line of care
e dear to me."
your love, but
ve. Aimee, if
is, I can build
ith a thousand
:est hand and
1 the chisel of
e for you, and
3'OU love soft
world will be
;v poetic now,
> will show my
NAPOLEON SMITE. 549
her evince a feeling he had n.ver noted lefore. It is said
that the cut never oves its n.aster or mistress only as it
receives favors at their hands. It purs at the warm fire-
its Haw Tf^" 'Y7 ''\ ''" '''' ^"^'''•^"' '^'^t un.sheathes
l\2h "^^Z^"'^^'^: ^"'-^ otlen breed a sen.biance of love
which ,s only gratitu.Ie h>v a softly csliioned life The
eyes of Aimde grew iuminous, and" her little hand fell in-
to h,s broad palm as he told of his wealth. Her cad
grew erect as he told what gold would do, and she whi^-
brZlTJ"''"' ""^ ^''r' fP^^^"' ^' t'^^> ^"^ ^'^e heir of such
the Jong halls echo to the footfalls of an army of servants
Tb ^on^'^H"t T ^'^ P'^^'''-^^'^^^ ^^- race to wid^li
V Jlheis of a me of iJukes. But 1 have been wron-ed and
tdd fustTh'"'" ^''' T'YF''^ "'^ ''^'- ^--- ^<^^ «''"'!
tne noor with rapid strides.
at vour t?^ '7' T 'l""' '"J^ ^^^^^ ""^^^ ^^" '^".V- ■'^^^^" ^e cast
at.>oui feet, for, Ann(3e, 1 worship yon, my child" said
jSnuth m a constrained voice ; but as he spoke a pained
00k eame over his face, a.id he put his hand to his head
and groaned with anguish
intftonLhS' "''^^"^■' "^^^''^"^^ ^-^^^ ^' ^-"
" It is my old wound," said ho. " When I am excited
the pang comes and I forget m vs.lf "
Strangely she gazed upon him, and thought of the
fie ce questioning of her Jove in the old abluT.- As he
pondered a knocic came to the door, and sprin:"; n- fco h '
feet. Smith drew her to hi. breast and tried to'^hnpr nt a
u iy walked away. An orderly came into the rooiu ^n J
M
150
NAPOLEON SMITH.
'Captain Smith, the General would see you instantlv
at his office."
"I will go with you now," said our hero, as he donned
his ca[) and buckled on his swoid. At the General's office
an unwonted commotion was fo'ind. Ordeilios comin<-
m and going out; mounted men waiting in the street'';
Trochu himself was pacing the floor, issuing orders to a
clerk who wrote tliem down and transmitted them.
" Leave us alone for a moment," said the General, and
in an instant the office was cleared of all but he and
Smith, who stood with his cap in his hand.
" How is your wound ? " asked the General kindly.
" Healing rapidly," answered '>nuth.
" Are you fit to sit in the saddle for a few hours ? " the
General asked.
" For a week, if necessary," responded our hero.
" Had you ever, in your American army, to send out
what you call the forlorn hope ? " asked Trochu, sadly.
" I think T know what you mean," said Smith.
"To moi-row morning Paris will be surrendered," said
the General.
" You do not mean it ! " cried Smith.
" I wish I might be able to joke about it, my friend.
To-morrow Paris falls It is determined, but there is
much to be done. A div<n-sion must be created to conceal
our distress while we prepare for the last scene in the
drama. We dare not lie supine and let the enemy drift
in upon us and find our stores and armament in disarray.
A nation must have the respect of its conquerors even in
the hour of defeat. We must hold our lines until the
Mag of truce brings in our foemen to assist in maintaining
order. The Counnime would cut onr throats even in the
capitulation. I am going to sacritice good men in order
to maintain order and decency in our downfall. Dare I
say to many I am about to surrender ? No. I tell you,
my friend, and France will honor your name and the'
names of your comrades who fall, for I send you out to
you instantly
as he donneil
reneral's office
erlios coniino'
n the street ;
)g orders to a
(l them.
General, and
I but he and
'al kindly.
hours ? " the
' hero.
, to send out
chu, sadly.
mith.
ndered," said
it, my friend.
but there is
,ed to conceal
scene in the
! enemy drift
b in disarray,
erors even in
les until the
maintaining
5 even in the
nen in order
fall. Dare I
I tell you,
ame and the
1 you out to
NA POLEOJS SMITH.
161
:
fight a losing battle. You shall have the best brigade I
have left. 1 give you orders to conduct it out to the
German lines on the St. Denis road, and then fight until
annihilated or night falls. I kiss you a good-bye, my
brave comrade, and if we meet not on earth, may we
meet in Heaven ! "
Smith made no answer, but took the order from the
hand of Trochu and went out.
The brigade to which Smith carried the deadly oider
was one that had remained loyal to a man duririo- the
siege of Paris. It was an oigatnzation whieh had amono-
its officers legends of terrible deeds at Magenta and Se*^
bastopol. Many of the men were grey-mustached, and
had the swing in marching which fifteen or twenty 3'ears
of experience oives. They had livetl the best years of
then- lives under a knapsack and a tent. Their ranks
were full, for they had been the main dependence of Tro-
chu in his terrible experience in Paris. Every piece
clanged to the ground as one piece as they ordered arms,
and when they swung them to their shoulders it was as
if a long serpent had turned his scales to the sun. Smi h
whispered to the commanding officer for a moment as he
gave him the order. He did not change color or tremble,
he merely wheeled the column into a hollow square and
said in a ringing tone:
" My men, we are the forlorn hope ! On us rests the
honor of France when she droops in death. Not many of
us will come back, but I wish to save as many lives as
possible. Now hear me : We shall take the Germans'
first line. If we can spike a few cannon, good ! We
shall lie down in the works. If they turn guns on us
from other forts, we will get over the works and
come back. For this, a few is as good as many. All
who have wives and children in Paris step two paces to
the front." ^
About a score stepped out.
" Rig^t face— forward, march ! " and the few married
men marched away.
til
152
NAPOLEON SMITH.
St
Then the hne wns formed and belts were tiVht-ned
and a lew cxauiined the hammers of their muskets Not
a man trornhhul but many were pale. It is an axiom of
war Beware the pale solui.r who fi^dits ;» he will die.
but he will not letreat.
" Have you ever se.'n such a forlorn hope in America ? "
asked the oH.cer as he saw a C A. K. bad-c on Snuth's
breast.
"Once,'' answered Smith. "It was Pickett's ])ivision
at Gettysburg. You will read of it sometime in his ory •
and ni the South a man who was in that charge will have'
hats doffed to hnn as to a king. Our Fourteenth Corps
at Chiekamauga was like it, too. Ah ! 1 know what it
means.
They were now rushing right over a picket line of
Germans, who remained, and were some of them bayonet-
ed in their pits. German reserves were ordered up, but
this was no battle— it was only an advance to death. No
supports „t ga.loping artillery horse came beliind them •
no ambulance corps to care for the wounded. Wounds
meant deati., an<l not a hospital. Terrified at the resist- ■
less tide of French valor, the German line broke and ran
back to their woi*ks. Drums beat to arms on the right
and left, and bugles added their clangor, and now came
Srn theiit ^''J''^^^'^-^^^^ ^^""^ns opened on them
" Fix bayonets ! " rang ou c, and then, " Forward, double-
quick— march ! and the mad rush came
A soldier never seems to fall in love with a picture of
a battle. He knows it can never be put on canvas. He
without doubt regards it very much as a thrush would
regard his song written out in notes in a music book
Ihere are a thousand things occurring at once The
cannons are booming; the man at your side is stumbling
forward Gead. and his musket flying from his hand • you
are clambering over a bank of earth, anr! your feet arc in
the lace ot a dead man ; you are yelling at the top of your
i i
ire tightoned,
uskots. Not
5 an axiom of
" lie will die,
n Aiiu'iiea ? "
;e on Snuth'.s
itt's ])i vision
lein his ()iy ;
fge will liiivo
ecnth Corps
now what it
cket line oi
cm bayonet-
cred up, but
o death. No
shind them ;
d. Wounds
it the resist- ■
oke and ran
n the right
d now came
ed on them
ard, double-
i picture of
anvas. Ho
rush would
ic book.
once. The
i stumbling
hand ; you
xcct arc in.
top of your
NAPOLEON SMITn.
IBS
1
voice, and yet you do not hear it. for a louder din is all
about you. For a moment you are one in a compact line,
Jind in another moment you are one of a group of a halt-
( oz.'n, and the noise grows less, for you have shot or
• Inven away the gunners from the guns, and ycu see no
enemy to hre at, and you stop and wipe the sweat and
grime Irom your face and look around. You have cap-
tiired the enemy's works. Vou look back over the i)ath
you have trod, an.l it is spotted with hideous hummocks
ot dead or wntliing bodies. At your feet are several in
the UDitorm of the enemy. One lies across the trail of
the cannon ; he has a swab in his hand yet. Jn front of
the limber chest lie tM'o more as they fell when about to
hand ammunition. You feel .sad, but— boom ! they have
turned the guns on you from the right and left. A shell
buries itself in the earth and then explodes horribly with
diit and dead bodies, and a living one borne on its force
high into the air. " Lie down ! " calls an inferior ofKcer
— the one who commanded in the charge is dead.
Now they have our range, and every°shell drops among
us, and the guns are dismounted and torn apart. A lim-
ber chest is struck by a shell, and you all leap over the
works to the escarpment to escape the explosion The
enemy see the effect of their tire, and now behind us rises
a long gray line and gradually draws near. They are go-
ing to try to retake the works. The artillery ceases • they
do not wish to shell their own men. The officer savs
again : "^
" Men, we cannot retreat ! gave your fire, and stay on
the woiks. "^
Very good, then. Cartridges are now laid out in
l)unches on the edge of the works before us, and we are
going to stay here, alive or dead.
Oh, the mad joy of it ! The line reels to and fro and
then slowly retreats. We have no men to follow up our
victory with. They reform ; and now on the right and
left approaches a flanking party. Now we will die or be
^ !*■
i
104
NAPOLEON SMITH.
«ro,„„l „„c,: , an.l •■r,J'TT> n ■"" '"'" ■ ''" '^''"M
N
NAPOLLOX iiMITli
165
ve a chance. If
lor. " Creep hack,
•' Ue down unrl
the hattle ; then
^yi<' ; Iio wliirled
(*-'" ;in-l ull was
k.
( HAPTER
T)t;KK : What, is .\iitoiiiii here ?
ANTitNiA : |{i'iiily, m. [.lease your ^ -.,
IX-KK ; 1 am nony for thee ; thmi ari, ■
A Hti.ny .-vilvor'ary, an iiiliiiinaii \vv
Uneai.aMe (.f pity, void ami ouiiity
From any < Irani of iiien'y.
A.
iiH' tr ;nl'<\ver
'I
Now is thecnp of France's humiliation full ! The whito
<la^' ha.s heen .sent out, aii'l with much military pomp the
coinniaiulers have met to arran^^o for the capitulation.
Loii^ did Paris ari^nie an.l plead aijainst tlie rjcrmans en-
tering' the city. Take all the rich armament of her forts ;
take the loii;^ rows of stacked muskets and count up the
Hags and o-uid.ons with the eagles, l)ut for the sake of
mercy and Heaven, do not make a IJomau triumpli of it
by enterini,' the city. Ijnt all the indenmity money to bo
paid in millions and billions o*' francs, all the <,dory of
captured thousands, will be a.s nothing toGormany if she
may not march lier liosts of victoiiou.s troops down the
avenues and boulevards and humiliate proud France in
the dust. She would drag the Fr< nch generals at her
chariot wheels if she dared, for she has been storing up
wrath against the <lay of wrath for half a century. Ger-
many inuigincs that she cannot balance the books unless
she lilare wiih trumpets and bands in the streets of the
French capital, as did the Little Corporal once in Berlin
and Vienna. How certainly the wanton insults of that
victorious arniy of Napoleon come i)aek now, even to the
sliame of dismantled palaces, half-burned houses, and
works of art trampled in the streets !
But what a stranije silence pei-vades the German ranks
as they pass in through the diearv streets ! No
.sonjis 1
■oil
(lown thes(pinre-cui i)I;!toonsand sections of the infantry.
The heavy hor.^us of t.ieeaviiliy seem to step with rhyth-
156
NAPOLEON SMITE.
taiy mdchine. The German postillions of the artillprv «lf
.kesta ueson their horses, Ld evince nocSroftras
heyenter heeity for which they have foul^o font
and on the hmber chests and caissons sit withio ded vS
vvnac IS tills army ? It is incarnate discipline It i^ fho
rron ' n^ttv^dfr ""'^^ ^^^-^^ now-th^atXattLVm ^
oberen'ce Whff '' '""''"''"' ^"^ ^y Perfection in
wal ?;„,.!' f T ,r"-^Se «r dash do with a stone
wall^. Just batter itself into fragments against it, that
nni'lt ?v.*^-^ ''^""?'^ ^''^^^'•'^ ^"^^ nioves along with sedate
and rhythmic motion, and Paris gazes out of hungry and
nmlevolen eyes upon her conquerors. As thev turn w^^h
'It IS the execution of squads of the Communists
NationI? r^'l''l] '»"^r' ^ •^^^^'^ ^^-" -"d shoX the
iMationai Guard," the aide answers ^
queLied iifdeatl'theTfl til ' I ^^loZ^^'' J^
cares nothing for that, but we do. and we wHl to down
where we hear the rolling musketi'y and see tKtit '
s ght. There is little of 'aw but much of reven-e in thefe
closing scenes of the siege of Paris ^
fhp li'V^T' w'^fH^ Tl"''^^^ *'^'°"^ ^^« P^-^«on. They are
the Kedswhoclutched the throat ot Pads and choked hir
irei-:' t''%7^-^ I? ^''^ f -- «^ ^ mortal ttKth
kle" tW M, '' them.sfortune of this cursed agrarian
binr d o V ^^^' ?" ^^^^ ^^^»^« of <ievils who love
SeseR.irar7''"^'"" T"'^ hands are against It
ium o^"^ ™^^^ in this pa1id.mon.
-- Jii.,fi(iei ana tnumph and blood. Thev sino- m
passions, ibey are now pushed back in a Ion..
o
• ■ *■ :,
:"*<.
t of a vast mili-
the artilJery sit
no curiosity as
fought so long,
'■ith foldedanns
IS wooden men.
•line. It is the
at battles must
' perfection in
o with a stone
igainst it, that
ng with sedate
^f hungry and
'hey turn with
lling discharge
o an aide and
Communists,
id shot by the
ides thouglit-
material is
onquest. He
will go down
e the strange
'enge in these
n. They are
d choked her
combat with
rsed agrarian
ils who love
re against it.
is pand-^mon-
rhey sing in
1 wines, and
'Ck in a longr
NAPOLEON SMITH.
157
line against a blank wall, and the firing party take their
muskets, every alternate one containing a bullet, and
every alternate one a blank cartridge. No soldier knows
whether he shoots a fellow-mortal or not. It is on of
those shifts which Satan puts upon man to veil an evil.
This is a short ceremony.
"Ready ! Aim — Fire ! " and a long row of writhing
bodies falls in a swathe along the wall. The commanding
ofiieer motions with his hand, and the human clay is
tumbled into carts and hurried away. Several of these
Reds were found alive at the graveside, and lived to
iningle in other riots. We are hurried now, in this excit-
ing time, and even the killing is done carelessly.
The officer awaits the loading of the muskets and the
bringing out of another string of Communists, and as he
waits he curls his mustache and watches a group of French
prisoners turned loose that morning from the field hos-
pital-' of the Germans. A few of them turn into the
square and lean on their cratches to watch the executions.
One of them is a small officer whose uniform is torn and
muddy. He has no hat, for his head is swathed in band-
ages. Evidently he has had a cut from the sabre of an
artillerist, for it comes down and involves one cheek in a
long bandage.
Here comes an old gentleman, evidently, for he has
white hair, and his face wrinkles with a sneer as he picks
his way oyer the stones to see a batch of the canaille shot.
It will relieve a picture he always carries in his memory,
of tumbrils filled with the aristocrats, and they were con-
signed to the guillotine in the Place de Grdve. And now,
as the old gentleman smiles in anticipation of feasting
his eyes on the death of the hated lower orders, we can
recognize him. Ah ! it is the Marquis Larue. Yes, and
yonder, with a slim cane in his hand and the head of it
at his mouth, stands the grinning Victorien, his son. He
trips circularly forward on his weak legs and smilingly
says :
158
NAPOLEON SMITH.
^
,,]3fti?'^^'^''rp"^''^f'.^^"^^^ afterpiece to the
play^of the feiege of l^-^vi,. U i, noisy, my jipa, but ^veJl
The Marquis smiles grimly arr^ waits. Why, this is to
be a matuide of our ol.l Iriends. it seems, for yon.lei is
«nn!°l'' . •^^T^ ''^T^'' ^^^•'^ ^^^"" Pl^ce in his appear-
ance, but It i,s he He IS cleanly shaven, and dressid in a
.alt-mihtary smt ot superHne blue cloth ; on his head a
scow f^^ '"' ?' ^^^'"'^^"^'^ ^«^^fe'"'^- J-- ^vith a
SCO I and then contemplates his chano-ed appearance
bu rrr <^'- f^t'l'^y ^»«^»"-^ i» «oap have i lucrative
business, he tlunks, but says nothing.
_ Here they come, another desperare gang of cut-throats
smg.ng a song of the Commune. xNow the play will go
Larue. Ihe little l^ench officer with the bandaged head
tones • ''^" ^^'' '^^'''^"^' ^""^ '"'" "^ «''^i^^
" Seize him ! It is the traitor Afarquis Larue ! 1 have
been a prisoner with the G.^rmans, and I have seen him
in conimumcation with the Crown Prince. For Heaven's
sake, Colonel, seize the traitor ! "
exl'cutbnV' ^^"' ''^°''^ ■ " '^^' ^^'' °^''' in charge of the
''It is the Marquis Larue. Curse him, he has sold us
to the enemy ! cries the wounded oiHeer
he'asks ''*" ^''''"*'^ °^" ^'""" ^^ ^^''^ ^''® Marquis Lane ? "
" He will not deny it. See ! he struggles to get away
Ah nu.ucl.ur,, would you ? " the little "man cri^s as ife
cnokes hnn down.
" Who are you ? " says the Colonel, as he looks at the
strn-gl,ng olhc-r clingiug to the Marquis.
" I am Lieutennnt boh of the Guards. I was left for
dead in front <.f Mont liouge. 1 have been in the Ger-
man hospital wounded m ti.e head, and delirious. Ah
vii.un, you shall not escape me!" and he clung hke a
monkey to the pale and writhiug old Marquis
NAPOLEON SMITR.
150
ftcri)iGce to the
lypapa, but well
Why, this is to
1, for yonder is
ill his appear-
and dressed in a
; on his liead a
izes him with a
L,''ed appcai'anee
liave a lucrative
f of cut-throats,
le play will go
.0 the Marquis
bandaged head
cries in shrill
jarue ! 1 have
lave seen him
For Heaven's
n charge of the
e has sold us
■quis Lane ? "
s to get away,
n cries as he
i looks at the
was left for
I in the Ger-
elirious. Ah,
clung like a
lis.
" In the pay of the Germans, was he ? " eays the Colo-
nel, with a scowl.
" Search him now— tear open his pockets ! " cried the
breathless Lieutenant.
With an eager hand the Colonel tossed from the
pockets of the Marquis handkerchief, pocket-books,
glasses— and now what is this ? A map ! A line of en-
trenchments—lines of figures— number of pieces of ar-
tillery. And here a safe-conduct from the German
officers! A scowl of hate shadows the Colonel's face.
The execution is waiting. The soldiers have their mus-
kets, and stand at order ar.as, waiting.
"Put him with the Communists," says the Colonel
white with wrath.
" You dare not ! " shrieked the Marquis, " Even now
the Germans are in the city. Curse you, let me go ! "
"Put him with the Communists ''" says the 'c.)lonel
agaui.
They pick up the writhing form and hurry him across
the sqiuii-e and drop him among the scowling camaMle
whom he hates. They embrace him— they laij«'-V, and
cry:
" Ah, we have with us good company— one of the men
with sours who ride over the toilers. Good ! he will die
with us."
But now the ape-like Victorien spiings forward. Is it
to defend, to support, the white-liaired, breathless old
man ? No; lie ciies as he bi-eaks from the crowd :
"The papejs, papa— tlic ])apers from the Pcince ! The
papers for the estate at Brinvilliers ! "
" Ready ! "—
" Come back, fool ! they are going to fire," cries the
crowd.
" Ah but, papa, give me the papers you have in the
pocket-book"—
•' A_im ! " —
" Come back, or lie down. Oh, fool ! look this way-
do you see ?" cries the crowd —
" Fire ! "
ri:
!|i|
160
Napoleon smite.
The smoke clears away, and amid the tan<^led mass of
Communists J.es an old man with one hand yet in his
breast where he sou-ht for the documents the son de-
raanded-and across Ids legs, as he fell, was seen the dap-
per torm^of the son in a posture of pain, with his hands
over his ace. The carts rattle up and take their loads.
A sedate German officer rides into the s.iuare to inquire
into the executions but they are over. The Colonel firms
nis men and marches away. In twenty minutes only
some battered bricks in the wall, and a slow stream of
execution of the Communists took place
Poor France ! when will she learn that a godless revo-
lution never prospered ? When will she study the pao-es
of history and learn that only where the theory meets
the assent and accord of man's better nature can it be
solidihed in institutions that live ? Consecrated swords
cut deeply and bullets carry a long distanc impelled bv
Cr"" 1 ^^r^^^^^ ^^"g'^ ^"^^ «^"t it, if r>a will, but
SM^tzerland founded on^ a prayer hassock, ^nd Am;rica
entienched in lines of village churches, are proof against
of " A^lTr-^A ^v,'^^!^- ^^'•^^ ^^^ Mohammedan ^Ihout
of Allah il Allah !' than the devilish shriek of Infidelity,
Vive la Commune I •'^
Lieutenant Boh stood with extended hands and a prayer
tor mercy on his lips when the volley of muskets settled
his long account with the Marquis Larue. He stood
astonished like a magician who had invoked the presence
of the evil one, and then trembles at the sudden power
of his incantation, "leath came at hi. command like a
bolt of lightning. As the Colonel rode away, the Lieu-
tenant saluted and said : j , ^^x
"You will keep the evidence of his crime-, ^o a .t if
we be called to account for this we shall be able t . ow
cause. '
" The President shall see the evidencp fo-day Borrow
HO trouble about that, Lieutenant," said the Colonel
jj^-..
NAPOLEON SMITH.
e tangled mass of
hand yet in his
lents the son de-
was seen the dap-
1, with his hands
take their loads.
^(|uare to inquire
'he Colonel forms
ty minutes only
a slow stream of
iw where the last
-t a godless revo-
study the pages
he theory meets
lature can it be
isecrated swords
inc> in)i)elled by
, if nw will, but
k and America
-re proof against
lammedan shout
tek of Inlidelity,
nds and a prayer
muskets settled
rue. He stood
:ed the i)resence
3 sudden power
3oramand like a
iway, the Lieu-
nm:-, m :». ,t if
be able t ^:.ow
3 -day Borrow
le Colonel.
161
The crowd had dispersed, and still the wounded
Lieutenant stood in deep thought, gazing at the blood-
stained ground. Stuigis, who had lingered behind, ap-
proached him and said :
" I heard you say you were Lieutenant Boh. 1 am at
the American Legation, and am deeply interested in yc^r
daughter, who is under our protection. She believes you
to be dead, and I am afiaid the shock of your apf)earance
now may be too much for her loving nature to withstand.
Will you allow me to assist you in this matter ? "
" Why should she think me dead ? Did she not re-
ceive my letters sent from the hospital ? " asked the
Lieutenant.
" On the contrary, she was informed by the Marquis
that^ou were certainly dead," said Sturgis.
" I see. It was easy, as the bearer of letters from the
German hospitals, for the Marquis to destroy my commu-
nications. Ah, he has gone to God to account for his
crimes," said the Lieutenant. " But Aimee, my little girl,
is she well — is she safe ? "
" It would be a long story tell you here, but she has
been followed by the malice o. the Marquis, and has been
a prisoner in his hands for a long time, and was given into
the hands of a bandit to be destroyed ; but she is safe
now," said Sturgis.
" Thank Heaven ! " said the Lieutenant. " Well, my
friend, if you will go and break the news gently to my
little Aimde, I will, at a liiend's house, prepare my cloth-
ing and cover my wound as I best may, and then I will
come to the Ministry and meet my angel."
" Very well ; come down in an hour°" said Sturgis.
His mission was a difficult one. After we have
mourned a friend as dead, and set up in our hearts a sa-
cred monument of love, it is like disrupting the very earth
beneath us in a whirlwind and earthquake of joy to learn
that the object of our grief still lives. He found her
looking out ot the window ou the streets, alive with an
162
NAPOLEON SMITH.
w
1^^
unusual stir now that peace ha-l come, bu: she looked up
with a sad smile of welcome as Sti rgis entered
"Many will be hap|,y to-day. Monsieur,"' sho said.
though Pan. IS sad. Kegiments will -ome Lack, bus-
bandswil greet wives, and father, lock once umr. on
then- duldren. t^eaee will be sweet, though purchaned .o
whnl'V' '"^'^ ?^^T''^ "I. aw some wounded prisoners
who Im. . .en la the enemy's hands. Some of them had
been take<» m lu^ terrible sorties. Some had been sup-
posed deac', .>_jt now come back to gladden the hearts of
Yives; ana .hudren, There will be a doubk' joy theie
She looked up in surprise, and said: " Bi-] you sav
Monsieur bturgis that some who had been supposed dead
came back ? and she clasped her hands
"Certainly; they were left for dead, and were cared
tor lu German hospitals. They were too badly wounded
to write, or wei'e not allowed to write, and now they come
home as from the dead," and Sturgis looked away from
her a moment. -^
" Ah, God is good ! and if it were my father who should
thus be spared-but no-they saw him dead ! " and she
sighed.
" Who saiv him dead ?" asked Sturgis
" Isapoleon Smith was at his side. He saw him dead
W'i rM"-""'\ ^u ''"' ^" ^^^ P^P^^'« t^o-I lead it.
lhe> called him the brave Lieutenant Boh. No he is
dead ! and I will find his grave and weep upon il soon,
" ^vu^^^'' '" ''^''■' '''"^ '^^ '^^^^n *^o weep.
"Why, you have given no reason why your father may
not be ahve like others. A blow from an artillery sabre
would make him unconscious, and he would re: i so for
some time, and Sturgis grew pale as he hear< .. .en in
the passage. - l' "*
" Who told r ,, he was struck with an „; vy sabre?
I never heard o. umt. Ah, you know sc... ..hing of my
iather. Tell it me quick ! " and she sprang x ^ler feet.
Liv...''"^-
she looked up
teied.
eur," she- said,
'lue back, hu.s-
ouce morn on
}'. purchased so
nded prisoners
f of them had
had been sup-
i the hearts of
ble joy there,
Di^' you say,
supposed dead
d wore cared
idly wounded
ow tlicy come
3d away from
er who should
d I " and she
iw him dead
00 — I read it.
1. No, he is
ipon it soon,
jr father may
rtilleiy sabre
re; ISO for
ir' .), ^,ep in
NAPOLEON SMITH. ,^3
"I cannot— you will scream and faint away. I know
how girls act when they hear good news," said Sturcris
1 promise you I will not faint or scream. What is
this talk of soldiers coming back ? O Heaven. I think
my father is alive ! " and she rose and came toward
Hturgis.
. " V^^l^' ^- ^c,^"^ ^^'''' ^^"^'^ ^® excited. See how you
tremble, saidSturgis. ^
" No on my soul I am cool— I am collected. Now how
do you know my father was hurt with a sabre ? " and she
sat down.
" Because I have seen him— and here he is ' There I
knew I should make a blob of it, to return to my soap
dialect, for she is taiuting away in your arms, Lieuten-
ant.
;' A\m6e mo7i ange awake ! Look ! it is Hippolyte-
it is your father. Ah, Heaven ! she opens her divine
eyes — Aimee lives, and I am happy ! "
The meeting of the Frenchman and his daughter under
such circumstances transcends in grandeur any powers
of American desciiption. Sturgis quietly left the room,
feeling that his work had all been in vain, but he
muttered :
• I wonder how they would have acted if I had not
broken it gently ?
; !
illivy sable?
•hing of my
:o her feet.
164
NAPOLEON SMITH.
Iff
CHAPTER XX.
Well, I
ain t ye ?
Portia
swan
Now make your choice.
ye been shut up licre fur some time,
i nf'n'f :X!'''V''y ^^^^ '^« ''' ■^^^"^^"g in the door-
way of my room a Yankee of .suel
1 a I'fononnced type that
wanted to get up and hug him. He was a sea captain
-one could see that at a glance. He ha.l a sidnv ta
pauhn hat in his hand, and was arrayed in a sSblue"
coat, double-breasted, and was ornameiited witl wo rows
ol arge black buttons. His hnir was of that indescril,
able color which is known as sandy, but what Sared
him to my heart was his style of beard. U is n.^ver Sn
only on an American, and is found nearest to Boston o?
any American locality. His face was smoothly haven
everywhere except under his chin, and from his neck and
the underside of his jaws rolled out over his collar a Ci^
sandy beard. A kindly smile was on his fac an^ f
sTnewdnL'"""''''^'" ^' ^^"'^^ good-humor and
nf-'thfu- '7n "^f^'" '^^'^ ^- " Y°^ ^'^ Captain Brown
of the brig Sally Ann, of Providence, Rhode Island ^d
you are loaded with oak staves." '
" ^ut, by ginger 1 " he roared, slapping his thio-h anrl
aughmg «I am Captain Smiih. irtLt^^Ate^a
Irom Boston, loaded with codfish-haw. haw, faw .' " '
J\o matter ; you are an American, and you look <^ood
to me a ter being shut up in Paris all winter I gue!sed
faughing'. '"' ' '^'"' '^^ *^^ "^"^^' that's- alt'^saSt
tnats the mam thing. Ihe early bird gits the worm and
I a^ the ea^ly bird with a big.rouad^ crop, andl'wZt
Li*-..
ir some time,
th(
NAPOLEON SMiTlt.
worm. See ? I been waitin' for th
166
e siej^e to raise,
balls
and hen in I come with a load of codfish. CodHsh
wi 1 be a rehef and a change from cannon-balls and will
lay bghtor on the stomach. See ? And ho, s-meaT--
.^osh, T hear tliese F.enchers been eatin' hosse VThear
the consumption of bosses has been fashi<,nable-4lloD
pin.. ,.on8umpt.,m, probly. \Ve,l, here I am, b en Stfeml"
^T^^lT ^'"""'■'^''^ ^^""^^'■'''^' ^•"- tJ^^ whole caio
-nearly doubled my money! And how's Washburno
''The same old news. Politics a-boomin' business
ain"T;ntt?n"'off t?''^^^ '''''''' ''''■'' ^'-- -^-n ^"-7
monev Tb^ U ^}'T '^^^^.^ ^"^ ^^^"'^t'"' t^^^ir intrust
money Ihe United States is alius in trouble but its
ginerally .rosvin' pains, like a big boy when his in s
ache, and he roared again. ^
;; ('aptain " said I "are you a close man ? "
in my deahn s, dew ye mean ? "
Close-mouthed, I mean-can you keep a secret ? " and
I pulled my chair close to his ^ ' '
^ ffl
a^-
m
Napoleon smith.
That IS business, that is," he said. "And now, is it
any secret about wliat the cargo is to bu ? "
" Only eight or nine tons," 1 answered.
" Eight i,r nine tons of wiiat ? " he asked.
I leaned forward and wlii>ipercd one word in his ear
and he sprang to liis feet, saying :
"Slaj. me on the back. Colonel— I am chokinfrt You
am t crazy, are yc ? ' °
"The cargo will come on board as statuary and bronze
v;ork You will secure it on the timber woVk, and when
you deliver it in Philadelphia at the mint, I will count
you down the price of your brig," I answered.
" Ye couldn't give me any little evidence that I beant
clreamin, could ye— a little glimpse, for instance?" said
I stepped to the door and locked it, and then threw
open the door of the office safe. It was pack.d full of
gold coin m regular piles. I took out a handful, and tohl
hmith to put it in his pocket. He turned white and
sank down on a chair as I locked the safe. 1 had touched
the weak point in New Eiigland character. The Cai)tain
had seen what all his liie he had only dreamed of. Un-
limited wealth had once in his life become a fact He
arose soberly, i.id his l-andful gold in an inner pocket,
and at the door stopped to ejaculate : " This in business ' "
and went out.
"A note for ^Ton.ieur," said the conci ge, layinf^ a
rolded note on my desk. I opened and read: ' *
HoN.-
Hospii.vi DES Bernardines.
Come down here as soo3>
leon Smith was sent out I
y can. Captam Napo-
,. , „ , '^^' ^1 Trochu on the last
sortie before the surrender, .aid was seriously v ^unded.
He lies here in his same old cot, in the same ward.
From yours,
MoRTLAKE, Surgeon.
.nd now, is it
I.
id in his ear,
loking ! You
•y and bronze
)rk, and when
, I will count
id.
that I beant
stance ? " said
I then threw
ackcd full of
dful.and told
d white and
I had touched
The Caj)tain
ned of. Un-
a fact. He
inner pocket,
is business ! "
ge, laying a
INARDINES.
ipta ii rs^apo-
on the last
ily V unded.
ward.
KE, Surgeon.
NAPOLEON SMITH.
167
"What is up?" said Sturgis, looking at my distracted
face in surprise, as he and Ainide stuppeil in the door-
way.
" Of all the lucky and unlucky men I ever !saw, Napo-
leon Smith is the niost puzzling man I ever knew. Hero
ho is in the hospital again with a bad wound," 1 answered.
Sturgis looked shocked. Then he laughed in a con-
strained way, and said:
" His idventures would m: • a book. He has seen
more experience in three months than any man I ever
heard of; but he is a brave man, and a man 1 love and
respect. I will go down with you and see him."
Aiiiido stood with clasped hands a momenr, then said:
"He has risked much for me, 1 will call my father to
accompany me, and we, too, will visit the brave man in
hih trouble."
1 had aheady given up trying to understand a woman,
but I thought that a strange speech. Sturgis whistled
a !■■ 1 tune while waiting
ho shall describe Hippolyte Boh when he came back
>»
with Ail 'e, dressed for the street ? He had a new uni-
form. X wound was so far healed that he had a new
hat on. hi hi. buttonhole was a small bou([uet. He had
his sword under his arm. He had the decoration of the
Legion of Honor on his heroic breast, and beside it several
other badges. Why this great parade ? Because, the
Marquis Larue and his son being dead, the cla^ . vl
Aimee to the Brinvilliers estate, were to be passed upon
soon at the Palais de Justice. Hoop-la ! wounds are
nothing. But hold! We are going to see the brave
American, who is wounded, and he heaves a great sigh
as Aimde takes his arm. Sturcris and 1 take the lead,
and Aimde follows with her father. We meet the Doctor
in the office. He looks grave, and says :
"Be seated; I have something to say before we visit
the patient. You are all friends, I kiiow, and I have a
deep interest in Napoleon Smith. You, Mr. Secretary,
are his intimate friend \ ou, Mr. Sturgis, know some-
ill
168
NAPOLEON SMITH.
thin^ ofMs wonrlorfu] career. Lieutenant Boh T ♦l.inL-
,^1 A !,""'•■• K""'l'""=n, it was not the .Man," ,«s.
autumn enlisf.wl in fV,« n i , ^^ ^'^^^"^ '^st
witn a reconnoissance hetween the lin..o ti
because no Sr of fietinn" ^«.«^^"ger than fiction/
my work was torn awa.v and NLr.}"!.-,^?^' ^^^
without memory, education^r iS^ nee" H fw"^
but lor years he must be educated lilfe a " ild He t^ll
Boll, I think
May I go a
you aro still
y you are his
said Hyppo-
e formt'd an
was in pii-
>e <,f|-an<l pa.s-
-hi|». Miule-
ai' (liireioiit,"
livclv.
. "1 have
atteis to you
s I may. At
1 wouniled in
to Paris last
dly thronf,'h
ttrusted him
He was
was wound-
' in the hos-
td paialysis.
e and cured
le, with no
neonscious-
ken out by
man, again
ight befoie
lious story,
an fiction/
pagination
n that last
1 Napoleon
spot. All
bh iM again
9 will live,
He will
NAPOLFOX SMITIT.
IrtO
bo brought up to the intclligrrioc of iiiatihofMl, with great
care, in ten yeais. A nurse is witli him who cared for
him when he was here befon^ Now, if anyone heie
loves him well enough to lead him back to ma'rdiood by
tender care, here is your chance, ho you wish to see
him?" Aimee stood with her hands over her face, and
tears streaming through her Hiigers. Sturgis was paleas
he listened to the strange story. Hi|i[)o|yte Boh was
horror-stricken. I will confess that an unciuinv feeling
cauje over me as I heai'd that such a fate bad again over-
taken Napoleon Smith. I shu.ldnt'd as T listened. Wiien
we all sigrntied our dcsiie to visit the patient, Dr. Murt-
lake led the way upstairs.
"Do not be any more afraid of disturbing him than
you would he (»f talking before a baby a year old. Ho
has about that amount of intelligence now," said tho
Doctor, before we entered the room.
How well I knew w hat I was to see ! The same
brawny form. "The same smiling face, and — yes, the
same loving look at the black-ined nurse, who stood be-
side his chair. And she — somehow slie was different.
Her fierce eyes wei-e subdued. A look of resignation
was on her face, and an i\ory cross hung on her^breast,
suspended by a ribbon. She looked up as we entered
the room. Then she tried to move away, but her patient
reached out his hand and drew her back.
Aimde approached near to the chair, extending her
hands.
" Napoleon, do you know me ? " slie said.
A childish smile was all the recognition she received.
With a sob she drew back.
"Enevant!" shouted Hipnolyte Boh to his old com-
rade. Su)ith lifted his hands ar <l smiled as innocently
as a babe. It was too much for the Lieutenant, and he
wept.
" As I understand it," said the Doctoi-, " this man has
no relatives. If he has formed any attachment to any
person which would give them a claim upon him, I wish
170
^ I
NAPOLEON SMITH.
to know It. Nothin^r but a supreme love can make the
care of tlu.s man a pleasure as well a. a duty Doefanv'
one here know of sucli a friend or Jover ? " ^
Ah ! how well Aimee understood the words of Le ^oir
Jd TJd T' "■'"'""''""■^ ^''■'""'' »■««"« before u,y eye»,
"Let tioone liere niiike a mistake. This man N-innVn,.
oi.t thedieusof I„ve, lie liasjnonev enoiml, to liiro all tho
nurses ■„ Par.s Re.nember tl.at;' said f. Heicel ° °
Monsieur the bccietary must know," said Hinpolvie
po i"tl "li '""'' .n clep,eeatio„, ■■ thlt it woulS^I ^
possible toi Ai mee.ni her new |,osition a»hea<l ofa >'re-,f
Sturgis stood silent, watching the terrible play of emo-
or«, as a lover oi sport watches the mad conte^st iuThe
rinof
"It was for this I called you here," said the Doctor in
h>s calm, methodical voice. " You see the patienryou see
the task, and the complications of love, interest and p H de
This man was a lover who would creep up the deamin'"
face of the abyss to win a look from a mai!lens eye He
though no more of facing death in quest of his love than
he would to breathe the zephyrs of his American 'iilL
He was a kmg m battle, but a slave in love. Now he is
smitten down and lies a noble ruin. Is there no . ent le
hand to tram the ivy of affection over his bli-hted litl
\Varriors_were wont to be solaced in death orin wo mi;
by the ministrations of love at some gentle hand This
man was a Bayard, a gentle knight to us all, and now
sriall we f^ash him r,Mf f,^ fi>,. ,a .-r /. , ' .^ "^^
cast him out to the charity of ati
angers ?
ifAPOLEON SMtTlt.
171
e can make the
ity. Does any-
3 ids of Le Noil-.
. Sturg-is caught
cannot ! It was
)ofore my eyes,
man, Napoleon
money can eke
to hire all the
tiercel V.
aid Hippolyie,
t would beiin-
lead of a great
. Is it not so,
see. Ah, it is
e play of emo-
contest in the
the Doctor, in
Ltiont, you see
■est and pride.
the gleaming
en's eye. He
his love, than
nerican hills.
!. Now he is
ore no gentle
blighted life ?
or in wounds
hand. This
aiJ, aiid now
gers ? "
Aimde was crouched down against the wall, moaning :
" I cannot, I cannot !" °
The Doctor went on in his merciless address. " Then,
I ask, is there no one who loves the vase for its fragrance
after it is crushed. Is there no one who can see in the
statue defaced and stained the outlines of a beauty once
fashioned by the Master's hand ? What ! do we hate the
mother when her golden locks are gray ? Do v/e spurn
the father when his eyes are sunken and blind ? Does
the mother cast away the crooked and deformed child
when it yearns for her bosom ? Is there no one who still
loves the ruin of this brave man ? "
Then the daik-eyed nurse with cat-like tread came
and stood before the chair of Napoleon Smith and said,
in a ringing tone and with extended hand :
"See, messieurs, I was beneath him, and a thing of
shame. They called me Le Noir. I saw him strong'and
pure as a young god, and my heart went out to him. I
tried to buy his love. He spurned me away. His pure,
brave young life made me ashamed, and T plunged into
mad crime to bury in forgetfuiness mv love. I followed
him afar, and as I watched my star, it fell to earth. Its
light was quenched, and I dared to approach it. Talk
yru of money ? When no friend stood near I would have
coined my blood in drops and doled it out to buy him
painless breaths, and then when my treasury was ex-
hausted, would have given my soul to win an answering
smile. But again he went away, and spurning me, let^
my heart bitter. Again I. tried to drown my love in
crime and mad revelry, and then she, the pure maiden
yonder taught me to pray to her God and I had rest. I
\.'Duld suffer in silence and seek in penitence to find my
peace. Again my star fell, and again I drew near. God
had heard my prayers— but hark ! I ask something. 1
ask yonder maiden to make her choice. Let her sav"now
that she will love and care for this man, and I will go
away and bury myself in convent walla and find peace
in secret prayer; but oh, if she will giv^e me this poor
V. I
172
I-
NAPOLEON SMTTB.
delve i„ tl, „ro m w h tl T'" "' "•" '"''"' ''"" ".1
your cl.oice, .M,„l,::,:Ii''.,|e J""""' ''^''"■V— '-iil you nrnkc
in 1 pit:;;;:,;';:;,;;,""' ' ''"■«•'• -' "^ ---k,- cied Ai,„&,
e.l the. licet,,,; ' ' *"'" '""' '"■■< l"««'t luve ; " „»k-
he,v'!;;^i,;;;';i;,;,/,„;:;;''' ""' -'^ ''■■" -='' ■^ 1°™ „»
"Hiis:.:r;^::^r:n;;;;;;r;;,;:;rif ' -"' "'""''^'''-
■■«te.T, win ,,■„,. ",;■"';•" f "'-"i^'I't; Mr. ,Soc.
™..ple in .„„;,!,„. :r\\; . r!";^'"^. »■' "nite thi.s
are wiin„,scs of a in.si,,,, l-l'; i "''"'rases, an.l i„„
never h,,ve s,.™ l .t,e'\ ' ' ■''"" '"-'"I "f.l.nt
Oo<»l-ni,.l,t; .m"„i o-Iiv '1™;"?,""="-"' "';'" ''^■""'■
to be k,i„w„ by n,„v " *-' """"' ■''''>' '••'""'■e,
P^.^n:::jj|;;n :'Ull\;;:;;:;" ^"" ';;■'■ ''■'"»' '^"-•« ^^
When , rec„,,n^;,'.^,;::;:;«: : ;;;::; ;;;/'^f^'«-."'i;'-y'-.
i saw hiin w pe hi.s eves i^ ., ,.: i 1. ' f"^-/^ ft^l'l'unie,
«HonM, and li then "i^eukt;!! ^"'^' ^-^''-^^earted nmn
(^o,i know.s wj.at Vies f ,'"■'' '^'^''^' ^ <^«'i yo".
^nuth has the w^ ^ a;^,n f." Tr"' ""'^ ^^P^'l^^'"
vvjiehtt apaithoM) all eternity tor hin..'^
i
!' >
i.t-V.
'ay and be wan -
e lead him an<{
filers, to win hu
lii'^ all, it is ;dl 1
to that choice."
" will you make
•<," cried Aiinfe,
past, and leave
"t love i " ask-
sucli a love as
aid Hippolyte.
, indeed;"
■Ml Mr. See-
and unite this
sses, and you
'e read of, 'but
• than death.
mo she chooses
ol beside the
ag^e ill jirayer.
'. ^V"ash^u^ne,
-hearted man
y of a df)uble
lat I tell you,
lid Xapoleon
dty f(;i' him."
NAPOLEON SMITH,
173
CHAPTEll XXI.
1)EMETKICS ; A mote will turn the halaiK.', uliich Pyramus, which Tliis-
)'e, iH the better ; he for a man, (ioil w.u'uut us ; slie for a woman, God
liless us.
What joyful preparations we were niakiny tor a return
to the United States ! We had received th- Keiu Yli'L
Tribtme, which told in gra[)hic language of the I'croic
Washburne and his long and arduous watch at Paris, over
the interests of his countrymen. The Juilije, that n*ew
contestant for honors in the field of humor and wit, had
come to hand with a laughable oirtoon representing us
at a restraurant table devouring our hoiseHesh, with the
saddle and bridle for ornaments on the walls. Unwit-
tingly, we had, by simply attending to our duties, become
famous. In June we were to attend a rece[)tion at the
Union League Club in New Vork city, which was espec-
ially to do us honor. The treasure had been gotton on board
the Amelia, and was now on the rolling deep, on its way
to Philadelphia. Our trunks were packed, ready for our
rapid transit to Boulogne, Liverpool, and home. 1 will
confess I had been studying Sturgis with a good deal of
curiosity as we were preparing busily for our departure.
His idiom of New England, which was so sweet to my
ear, he had dropped entirely. His clothing was faultless,
while the ridiculous beard, colored hair, and other acces-
sories of his early days, had disa])peared. Anger at times
rilled my mind as I saw the place in Aimde's affections so
lately tilled by Napoleon Smith being usurped by Sturgis.
Lieutenant Boh had inducted him mto the quiet society
of the Quartier St. Germain, where he was rapturously
received as the one man who had followed the heir of all
the Brinvilliers through all her vicis^tudes. He received
this aduiaiiuu calmly, a^pareutl^ caring more for one swtil/
174
NAPOLEON SMITH.
between AiSe and Sfn • t"^ *^' attachment growing
''S])eisawoL~w^^^^ ^^^^ to myself!
not take away the itl n? i ^'" '^P'^^ ^ " ^^^^ ^^^« ^id
w.uid have Xd for tr?s:vr;';^'-^ *^^"^ -^-
Sturiris a.s his tonp ^>>. ^ i .^7, . ^ furtive glances at
Lieutenant wa also t^^^^^^^^^ T'l ^^«,^^a«^^e of|arb. The
American alHance 1 T ^^ ^J'' advantages of a good
1 hen as I thought more deeply
on the subieet 1 wnn^,„.„ I f of .'n?"g''t more deeply
should he eare » ], n ^^Po'^on Smith. But why
the circl, 7a,o„ nV fin "' 'T J'' '"'"''■^- Such i^
it we profit by the "Lie Cl t""" '""''' '""■ '" '°™-
the world who wou?d1 SS l i°^ '""">' "''^ "'^''s '"
under the 'Al^^^^t^ ^Z^^^^Zf' '""^ ^T'"
for perfection in mei'wmL^-^ ^^'^ '"^^"^^^ ^'^<^ look
to tL loved oneVtuirindflstVnTr ''"^ ^^-^^ °^^^"
conjure up in their ,» n!i ^^aston the apparition they
an insatiffied ideal Tnnf" ^^ T''"^/ '^'"^"^'^ ^^^^ with
so shrewd in h slduc ,^ Tad t^^ '' '''• ^ashburne.
the drama enacting iSiXsevin^ ^"f interest in
went to and fro Jtvothul In IT' ,- ,''^'^ nothing, but
tenant Boh ^uld sit Ifd V.^^'f^^ ^'"^^^- ^'^''^-
Ahufo a., sh ' f^M^rul ["''"'"g. '0 "'« girli.* tones of
t..MBri.vuiteL?''^^s^S't:Sthr'"St"L!;:s
1
NAPOLEON SMITH.
175
than for all the
ichment growing
said to myself
3t ? " but this did
ude to one who
irtive glances at
ngeofgarb. The
itages of a. good
le found Aimde
ht more deeply
felt as I did at
ith. But why
^ands. Such i.s
ill is fair in love,
ny are there in
ly from Aimde
JW ; so I smoked
3 looks for per-
as I am going,
ments, like the
it a banquet, to
)petites on the
omen who look
leir eyes often
tpparition they
•ough life with
Ir. Washburne,
riy interest in
^d nothing, but
smile. Lieu-
iiig at the at-
e and Sturgis.
the rest ot us
shburne, with
lish tones of
ngs of her es-
viait from all
of us at the chateau would be pleasant for her, before we
departed for America. She was soon to be inducted into
the chateau as mistress. In her pretty way she arose, and
extending her little hand, said :
" You siiall see my |)eop!e on the estate. You shall see
that they all love and respect the grand old family to
which I belong. You think they are all weary of the domi-
nation of a higher class. Ah ! it is not so. It is the hard
master and mistress that is dreadfid to them. I will be
kind to them. They sliall sing again in the vintage time
in the great park. They shall dance before me under the
great chestnut on the green on the saints' days. Will you
all come down with us tor a day ? Monsieur Sturgis, too,
will come," she said with a blush.
Sturgis was busily writing. lie did not look up,
" It is a pity," she said, thouglitfully, " that the Ameri-
cans have no great faiailies— no noble blood, They are
brave ; they are strong, noble men. They should have
titles and orders," and she sighed.
"Our great names our great titles, are better when we
possess them, for they come IVoia great deeds, or great ac-
(luisitioiis won by our own ability, courage or talent,"
said Mr. Washburne, thoughtfully. " We esteem great
men more highly tlian they do in France, for with us
greatness must be won— it cannot be inherited. Made-
moiselle has often spoken of our great men. Grant was
one of our greatest. Ho was a tanner by calling. Lin-
coln was great, but he was a farmer's son, in a remote
backwoods district. France never had a greatei- son than
our Washington. He was a surveyor in his youth."
AimC^e sighed as she 1 )oked over toward Sturgis as he
wrote busily at his d(:>k, M,-. Washburne went on .
" We have men of -iea^, wealth. They did not inherit
It. They had tinancisi aoility, and amassed it in trade,
in invention, in mastevly schemes of iinprovemf»nf in
railways, in steam boat lines. Would Mademoiselle think
more of money inherited, than of money earned ? We
"^^irVr*
17G
NAPOLEON SMITH.
have great and rich iiien who amassed fortunes in medi-
cines, even in soaj)."
Aimde tinned red and looked fierce. We could see
her v^ince at the word " soap." Mi'. Washburne went on
with a smile :
" Perhaps Mademoiselle would not like to marry a man
whose bar sinister in his coat-of-arms would be a box of
soap ? Is it so ? "
Aiuiee was weepin<r, and rose to leave the room.
" W ait, Mademoiselle," said Mr. Washburne, " We will
not be too hard on you. Would you, before we part, be
honest and tell us if you could love Mr. Sturgisjust as he
"You insult me, Mr. Washburne," she said, angrily.
" This :s luy friend, Mr. Sturgis. He is a brave man. I
care not for his past. He knows I respect him, and the
past will not raise any bars to my respect and friend-
ship."
" Bravo, Mademoiselle I you are becoming now a re-
publican, even if you have a fortune and a name.
There is a great deal in a name," said the kind old states-
man. "jS'owsee what is in a name, Mademoiselle, I
call to yonder man at the desk, NehemiaL i^tiiiyis 1 See,
he does not answer to that name. Now I will call again :
General Bickfonl ! See, he arises and tuins around to
answer me. He has on his shoulders a star, on his breast
a golden badge. He is the Chief of the Secret Service
Bureau of the United States. He has been with me all
the time of my stay in Paris. He has been in the Ger-
man canijis ; he has been in robbers' haunts ; he has tried
to carry away beautiful maidens who were in bondage.
He has won the heart of one of them. He has sold* a
case of Sunflower soap and given away several thousand
beautiful chromo cards and a few lithographs of wonder-
ful paintings. Do you wish to know General Bickford,
01 will you sjjeak to Isehpiniah Sturgis { "
Sturgi.s, or the General, took out a handful of chromq
cards aud said ;
)rtunes in medi-
We could see
hburnc went on
to marry a man
uld be a box of
he room,
urne, " We will
ore we part, be
-urgisjust as he
e said, angrily.
brave man. I
zt him, and the
lect and I'riend-
ling now a re-
and a name,
kind old states-
ademoiselle, I
IStiuyis ! See,
will call again :
uins around to
i.r, on his breast
Secret Service
en with me all
5en in the Ger-
s ; he has tried
ire in bondage.
He has sold a
veral thousand
)hs of wonder-
eral Bickford,
Iful of chromq
NAPOLEON SMITH.
177
" Yew never saw such soap before ; it will wear out
slower, froth u\) more than any soap in this 'ere store •
no animal tats of dogs or cats; it'll poison luts ; beware
of cappers, save your wrappers, and git a picter of Gen-
eral Washington at Mount Vernon in fourteen colors—
that^is, the picter, not the General, is in fourteen colors."
We all roared with laughter. I was as nuich taken in
as anyone. I took the General's hand and shook it warm-
ly. Au.iee was laughing and crying in his attns, and
IIi[)polyte Boh was tlie pi-oudest man _>ou ever' saw.
He carefully unbuckled his sword, so that it Would not
trip him up ; then he swelled out his ciiest ami cut a caper
in can-can style, stopping on the point of one toe ; then
he took the General's baud and kissed it. Sud.ienly he
began to weep, and said :
" Messieurs, it ees magnifique ! " and went out of the
room to hide his joy.
Behold us an hour later nacked in coaches on our way
to Brinvilliers, Mr. Wasiiburne ami all. What pen shall
describe the buiifonnUire on the coat of Hippolyte Boli i
It covered his breast. It loomed up under liis chin. It
filled the coach with odor. You can guage a French-
man^ joy aud_ hilarity by the size of his button-hole
bouquet— that is, if he has money enough to carry out
his views in regard to ornament. It is lather a pleasant
liabit, too, by the way. When we were set down at the
park gate the whole [)opulation of the village was there
to greet the new mistress, a genuine ladv^of the B.-au-
harnaisand Brinvilliers family. The detested Mai(|uis
L;u-ue is gone, and the coxcomb Victorien is dead with
him. Now the little stack of wheat will not be levied on
for rent when the seast)n is bad, or when the grapes fail
they ■will not have to do without the black bread or the
red wine. The older gray-beards have told the youn-rer
men of the good old days vs'lien the m.istcr and mistre.ss
had shared their misfortunes with them, and now hJre
she is, the little woman who steps out of the carriage and
1
178
NAPOLEON SMITH.
stands beside her father, the brave little Lieutenant Boh.
Ah ! be silent, she is gouv^ to speak. 8ee ! she trembles
but she speaks. Be siill, Jacques, Francois, let us hear
the 111 tie mistress.
" My peoi)le of Brinvilliers, we have been parted a long
time. Kings have gone out of fashion, presidents and
emperors have been in vogue, wars have ravaged the
land the aristocrats have died, the people have Tuled—
all these changes have taken place since a child of the
Beauharnais or the Brinvilliers has ruled in the chateau
but in all these changes, through all these ditierent f^ov-
ernments, Fi ance lives ! " ®
" Yes 1 " they shout. " Vive la France ! "
"It IS well, my friends. We have learned that pros-
perity comes not from a form or a name, that men live
and die and sutler under all forms of government, so then
good comes from wisdom, from kind hearts and willincr
hands it is not, then, because in my veins juns the
good blood of a score of generations of good men and
women, or that I came down the line of aristocrats but
It is because I am a child of the same soil with you 'that
I love you, because you are of the same families of my
forefathers, that I put out my arms to you and say to
you love me, and consider me not a mistress alone but a
mother to your orphans, a friend to your poor, and an
unworthy but loving descendant of those men who won
with their swords these broad acres on which we are to
live ; for what says the noble English poet :
(i (
For hearts are more than coronets,*
and I am happy only because I am with my peonle
acrain. j f f
Then a happy shout went up from the people and
they pressed forward to greet her with touch, a hand-
grasp, and often she drew down some motherly old face
and kissed it, or touched lier lips to the white brow of
some fair girl. Yes, fiappier
peasants of Brinvilliers !
days
were
com in o'
to the
U*-.. ■'-
NAPOLEON SMITH.
179
siitenant Boh.
she trembles,
, let us hear
parted a long
residents and
ravaged the
have ruled —
I child of the
the chateau,
iilfereut gov-
cd that pros-
lat men live
iment, so then
-s and willing
eins runs the
jood men and
ristocrats, but
vith you that
amilies of my
)u and say to
s alone, but a
poor, and an
nen who won
ch we are to
■h my people
i people, and
ouch, a hand-
erly old face
k'hitc brow of
Dujing to the
Now a cart comes in thro\igh the open gate boaring a
large cask of wine. On the cart is the old keeper of the
cabaret. Here is wine for all who will drink to the new
mistress of the chateau.
Here, too, comes the village band. It finds seats under
a spreading tree, and laboiiously tunes the instruments
while laughing groups are formed for dancing. But now
the Lieutenant steps proudly forward calling the old
notary, Lebar. What is it ? Why, the announcement is
to be made that the mistress will soon be married. Clouds
gather on many brows. A master — what will he be ?
They have not been happy in their experience with mas-
ters. The old notaiy puts on his spectacles to read the
announcement : " General BicUford of the United States."
It is well they say. He is a general. Good Aimee de-
serves a general. Then the Lieutenant proudly leads for-
ward his prospective son-in-law. The old notary takes
one look, then he takes off his glasses, wipes them care-
fully, puts them on, and takes another look. The crowd
is silent. Jacques, the blacksmith, comes close and walks
all around the smiling General ; then the old curd smiles
in glee as he winks proudly at the General. The little
tailor squints a moment and commences to laufh.
" What is it friends ? " cries Hippolyte, angrily. " Ha !
I like not this. This is my brave son-in-law. General
Bickiord."
" If it is not Monsieur Sturgis of the yellow dodo-ers
and the soap, then is ray head a cabbage," said Jacques
the blacksmith.
Then a shout of joy went up, such as i;s not often
heard. The old notary embraced him, the old cur^ ex-
tended his liands in blessing over bis head ; then he was
seized bodily and carried around the tree in a triumphal
procession.
Aimde stood with tearful eyes a moment, and then told
fci aatuiiisiicu luliiei uiai. OLur^^is, ur uie uenerai, had
been here for weeks watching over her while she was a
. j
180
NAPOLEON SMITH.
priHoner. Hippolyte was outra,-,'ed in his finer feelin^^s at
these liberties taken with his son-in-luw When silence
was restored he hastened to inform his audience that the
General was at that time in disyni.se— inco^fnito. He was
with the American :Ministry, a secret detective for his
conntry. I am positive that Gnieral Bickford lost caste
with the crowd from that moment. They loved the
l^appy-go-hicky soap agent better than the great officer;
bnt they knew they had a kind master— that was
enough.
The banquet at the chateau that afternoon was an
affair long to be remembered. Some of the neighboring
owners of estates were present to do honor to the oeca"
sion. The great American Minister was the honored
guest, while General Bickford sat at his right hand. The
old curd askc i h bless inr; on the feast, and the old notary
sat at his sir)*: v, hU a merry twiiikle in his eye as he met
the gaze of (^.' r.eral Bickford. Such toasts to the new
Republic of F;ance; such references to Lafayette and
Washington; such pi-aise of Trochu and Me.Mahon, were
never heard at a French banquet, and never will be heard
again. At sunset the party broke up, and in 'Tioups
walked through the beautiful park. As our palty of
Americans stood together, General Bickford said to Mr.
Washburne :
" You have never seen the power I exert in my pecu-
liar calling. You know that I am at home in all socie-
ties—that I go where I will and take any character I
aspire to— but you have never seen it in operation. The
Secretary there has seen it, and been mystified with it.
Let us go down to the cabaret and I will for the last time
be the merry dealer in soap, the travelling man, the suc-
cessful leader and controller of men. I feel sad as I
leave this exciting life, so necessary to the well-being of
society, and the maintenance of government It was a
pleasant life, but I am to settle down now as a steady
manager of a vast estate, and, I trust a faithful husband
iL''-- '
NAPOLEON SMITH.
181
feelings at
en silence
e that tlio
He was
/e for liis
lost caste
loved the
at officer ;
that was
)n was an
;i;fhbijiin<f
the ( )cca-
I lionored
Lud. The
Ad notary
as he met
> the new
yette and
hon, were
[1 be heard
in groups
part}' of
id to Mr.
my pecu-
all socie-
laracter I
ion. The
1 with it.
3 last time
, the suc-
sad as I
l-beinor of
It was a
a steady
[ husband
to the .sweetest little woman in existence. Let us go
down to the <'abaret."
There were many tilings to celebrate that day at Brin-
villiers What with the new rtc))ublic, th "turn of the
rightful heir to the cliateau, and the bet i of its mis-
tress, the merry peasantry had their hanii.s lull. Shouts
of revelry ascend(;d from the windows of the cabaret,
while a continuous din of moving Itet tdd of the crowd
within. On this scene we entered, Mr. W'ashburne and
myself in the lead, the (Jeneral following. Silence tell
on them all. How would the General act ? they queried.
Ha<l he come to mar their fun, or had he come down to
be once more the idolized Sturi;is. He set all doubts at
rest by .stepping up to Jac(|U«;s, the blacksmith, who was
leaning against the bar with folded arms. The General
said, with simulated anger :
" Where is the m(;uey I sent down to the carbaret to
buy wino with ? "
Jacques grinned stolidly and shook his head.
" Yes, I see, you have not delivered it yet. Ah, vil-
lain !" and he snatched off his ca]) and shook out of it on
the bar a handful of five-franc pieces. " It is for wine, "
said the Geneial.
" Ah, it is Sturgis again, " laughed the merry crowd.
The General locked aiound a moment.
" \yhere is the little tailor ? Here he is, and he limps
yet from the blow of the sledge when Jacques fell on
that dark night. And he has liad ever since a cure for
the hurt in his shoe, and did not know it, " and he pluck-
ed off the wooden shoe and shook out from the toe
twenty francs in gold.
Then what a roar of laughter from the inerry peasants.
Picking up a pack of cards fi-om the bar, he called to a
man across the room to hold his cap. With a slight
twirl he sailed every card in the pack across the room
and landed them in the cap.
" He is the devil for tricks, that Sturgis, " .said some of
them in a whisper.
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182
NAPOLEON SMITH.
" Where are the bees, Sturgis ? " called the keeper of
the cabaret.
"And can you tear ai^ain the curd's coat?" asked
another.
"Let us sing again, my merry i)earts, as we uoed to.
^ 111 every glass ! Jacques, sing the bass ; Monsieur, the
host, will ring in with his iine old tenor. What shall it
be ? Ah. ! 1 am a Frenchman now. Let it be, then—
LA BELLE FR.VNCE.
Tliere is a land, a .sunny lunil,
Bfgirt by mountains biyih,
Where pitri)le vineyaids thickly .stand
Reneatli an nzure sky.
There coine.s no breeze to bow the trecH,
No storms shut out the sky,
Bnt zephyrs light from morn to night
Pass like a maiden's sij^-h,"
•' Now then, Jacques, the chorus .'—
" ' It is the land, the sunny land —
The sunny land of France !
Her sons are brave, her sons are brave,
Tiiey qunff their own reil wine,
Jied as the blood they shed to save
This fair land of the vine.
On every vine the sun doth shine
In glory from above.
On battle-fields their courage yield-
The glory that they love.'
" Koar it out, the chorus I —
" ' It is the land, the S'lnny land—
The sunny land of France !
There woman's smile, there woman's smilo,
Is like the sun's bright beam,
It will like wine the heart beguile.
And make life one long dream.
NAi^OLEON SMITH.
1S3
the keeper of
cocit ? " asked
s we ur;cd to.
JMonsieur, the
What shall it
be, then —
There let me live, ray life to give
To make my country fiee ;
There let me rove, "/here woman's love
Clin bring such ecstacy.'
" Now, roar the choru, once more ! It is my last song
in a ccbarec '. —
" ' It i^ the land, the sunny hind—
The r.uuny land of France
A tear stood in the eyes of General Bickford as the
strain died away. Mr. Washburne and myself were as-
tonished at che 1,'reat versatility of this agent of our gov-
ernment. He stood a moment in deep thous:ht, then he
said :
" My friends, you have been present at the last scene
in the life of a great detective. 'Othello's occupation's
gone ! ' No more for me the happy surprise, the wily
subterfuge, or the shrewd game. I feel sad when I con-
temj.late the change in my circumstances, If I am to be
the master of this estate and village, I pn y God I may be
a good master. Lee no one ever attempt to draw me into
the sports of the cabaret again. It is past, but if ever a
poor man needs a friend, or a few francs in money, do
not be afraid to approach r.ie. I thank you for your kind-
ness when you supposed I was a poor soap -peddler. It
was not thrown away. Good-night to you all ! "
" Hurrah for t)ie General ! " and then a last bar-room
shout went up. We walked slowly back to the house,
and Mr. Washburne and myself took our coach and went
back to Paris.
If
h :
184
NAPOLEON SMITH.
CHAPTER XXIf.
U' a Htiaii^e fever.
-n.ay^.„.etoc,ear,a,..e,f;
our little ...^upcSSl^r-^-" ^o. all behoMe.s in
^jome. J^wJa brio^t Jul ^^^'^[>r^'^ as we .sailed for
deck the .second day out Thrr'"%^l ^'^ ^^>''« "P «"
eon Smith was of tLt q ieenlv builT i"^ ^'"^^ °^ ^'^>'^^-
which show be,st inthe^ S^i V '"''^
now unconfino.l, crathorod n i^^ • ^^'"^ ''^^^'" ringlets,
pearly ears. Hm cu nnlovi '"'"^: '"^^'^^''^ behind hei^
often found in ^^^^^.^^J^' ^^K^^ry hue so
ne,ss and raven Juai • | on . ll i "^ f 'mdnio-ht black-
the smooth, swellir ; lid. 4, ^,tf '^'^'' '^'^W^^^ on
most magnihcent t?pe oHninl "r^"'''' ^^ l^onestly the
tl'ere was a shadow on ^LZn, ,,'''!• ^' •^' '^^^^''^/tJ^at
down, which lent the r. ah "^ '\^ ^^''"^'^^ "^^'^'^i^e
"Pe lips a fa.scination wld'h Z \ •'''^"■'" '"'^^ ^''^ ^'^^'J
female loveliness. One look Z ""^^ 'V ''^^''' ^^y^^ of
the form, e,-ect. stron , ndsu ll"'''-^ ^'^""^ '« ^^^"'^^"t of
fection at ever; Snt^t^'^ '"^'''^' statue.sque per-
than concealed:^ i.i he tu/n.^'"^ '^"-^•^^^^ "'ore
«"Pl>lic.d she was ot\uch t 'n ?" ^V"^'\'"^'^'"^<^«^J ^^alth
«rst seen u.en involun i, !: :!:;;^^''" '^-"^J th.t when
^-'1 ot rudene.s,s, and onlv do-m/lf ''''''" ^-'^"^' ^o'get-
81.e knew her power ad her ^ T^'^t ^Z ^"'^''''^ '^«aSty.
tion of color, widch f'l p 1 ^ "^ ^""^ ^^owed a suo.^
f -.shall 1 deSiw'Sr ?;"'^^^ ^-^- at evenhi
deep n. he. broa.l chest, and sweet a bdh V''^] '°"1^'^'^^'
such a voice— it cjoes with tW i^ 5 !.' ^''^ have heard
As you re ,d Shake.^el e von 1 n "*^ ° ^"T^" ^^^'^y^-
"'t,t. With the lair soft
I
NAPOLEON SMITH.
185
liiiiself
all beholders in
■"J we sailed for
we came up on
bride of Napol-
najestic carriao'e
i raven ringlets,
•sses behind her
t ivory hue so
"i'lnig-ht blivek-
le.s droj)ped on
be honestly the
by saying- that
most invisible
1 and the i-ed
otlier style of
is warrant of
'Jituesque per-
'ggested more
inited wealth
ty th,^t when
again, forget-
erfect beauty,
ved a ,suo(f(^s-
es at evening,
ich contralto,
>u have iieard
man always.
lat hjsalind
lie fair soft
I
blonde we expect to hear tlie piping feminine voice, but
with the queenly woman nature heralds her approach by
a call as J' tinet and tremulous with vitality as the note
of the brown thrufjh ii. June. I have never seen but two
such women ; one was the woman I describe, the other —
but no nuitter.
When we emerged upon tlie steamer's deck she turned
and gave her hand to one who followed lier. He was as
fair a man as she; a woman. His chestnut curls were
carefully dressed, and his manly lip was ornamented with
a heavy mustache, carefully coml>ed and waxed. He had
on a rich half-military suit, and he moved with the
regular step of one who has moved rhythmicall}' for yeai's
to the cadence of bands, or with armed men in ranks.
On the broad breast of his blue blouse were many badges
and. medals. Some of them were Tamiliar, the dull copper
of the G. A. R., the golden badge of the Fifth Army
Corps, the Croso of the Legion of Hon.;r, and a golden
badge inscribed with the date of the horrible sortie in
front of Mont Rouge. The beautiful wife places a chair
for the veteran, then she sits beside him She looks back
with longing in the direction she believes Fiance to lie.
Then with a sigh slie looks on, on over the long rolling
swells of th'j Atlantic. The man beside her has no eyes
for the grandeur of the ocean — he sees only the Madonna
face besiile him. He leaches out and takes her hand.
Then he smiles with content. Oh, it was a jiicture once
seen never to be foigotten. Such love, such trust, such
fidelity ! In her musical voice she sa3^s :
"Soon vve shall see the land of the great rivers and of
inland seas, my captain. Soon we shall stand on the soil
of the Great Jiepubiic, the dream of the wasted toiler, the
home of the homeless, the heaven of the broken-heart-
ed — the land a good God dedicated as a starting-point for
new lives. Let the ocean roll its highest waves between
the old life and the new. On a virgin soil, we plant a
pure resolve. There is room there, 'my captain, for the
n ,•
i
186
penitent anr] the fori,
"nive, iny.entlecant
NAPOLEON SMITH.
t"'»- America !
'Am
enca," tlie
ptiiiii.
?-'H-Am:.:;^::!':n;:^p'-ni3.
-say it for me, my
Ood hJe.ss A
^
'^tJ(J.' we M'ill
'"enca, he
^ly that my captain," .sh(
' ^fP' ^^.^ ^^««^. careful
■ says,
voice.'
,,""'" we wi ,sooii f>IL' „ • v- Oilier ui voce
r '';';'•!'--•'-". an.l toii'll fr „..^^« -" face L
ti
'e niio-hty deeds, of tl
■itoi
them of th(
great battles, of
bre-ist" I ' ^"^•'
A „;,i:;j;^^:i,i;™;||yi . -—your
ne (iiau'.s near to speak to ^ n . ■ ^"'■^"•' ^''fny bad- 4
^e'-e n. the liob.dli'o tiL,, T '^''^'■'"'- «^ «^v.s : "You
famd.ar badge." '"' "'"^' "^>^ 'J-^'" «ir ? I .noticed the
lardon me, .Monsiem ' / -^'^ notlung.
)r«"»'i on his h.ad thire v' n '\r^ ^^^'^- ^t is the
cuse me, ma.him," a,i,l ] * t !l /r'."-^" fervently. '^ Ex-
f^-e of a sudden^noistj ^J :*!, !'^^^''--' vvi^ed tl^m
, Jn an hour the iv,H„.f,- ^^alked away.
board. At the inln^'^^f "e^ f"^ ""'^'^^^ ^y all on
from some source and w.s V, ,f *'^'f '^'^"^^et was brouX
After that, on deck the sh. 1 'J^^^' "^' ^'^P^ain Smlh
A„en/:?.^"^"-^"'«-t.»yfriead, whence ..each
>Ve win (TO fiitif f,^ C!- 1 .
"It - Im bini;,!ll^i';™'-L""e, Maine," I a„,wered
-™-7, the ..,., „, ,» an, .ee„,.^^^,,, ^,.^,^^^^^^^^^^^^
-say it for me, my
y-
captain," she says
Jow careful voice."
Wo will face the
^« great battles, of
■se badges on your
watches the group
'vawl Army badge
'• He says : " You
^■? Iiioticed the
while a childish
•tJlirKr.
' .talk. It is the
droop to one side,
irica; twice again
ire.
fervently. « E^-
t.sses, wiped them
way.
ierstoodbyallon
Piet was brought
■ CJaptain Smith
f emptied and
'hese tine little
s relegated the
^ on her shining
when we reach
NAPOLEON SMITH.
187
e/'I
answered.
tirhisslugyi«h
ill do It."
" Has he relatives there ? " she asked.
" He has no relatives on earth," said I,
"Then," said she, " is tliere no one to step in and take
him away from me again ? Oh, Monsieur, it may seem
childisli, but my happiness is so great 1 droad to meet his
old friends," and a tear started to her eye."
" Madam," said I, " no power on earth sliall ever dic-
tate to you again. You are his wife, and in America you
shall do as you wish, for next to liis God you are his best
friend. I will not ask you to take him to" his old home
if you do not desire it, but it was his last wish to send a
large gift to his native town. He loved it. It was his
home."
"Ah ! " .said she, "I trust you— you were always and
ever a father to my husband."
T suppose no one caa tell wha<, a foreigner's conception
of America will be before he sec s it. To most of them, it
is asurj)rise. Its vastnes.s, its \v'ealth — its cities so much
like tlieir own.
When we landed at Boston and were sent whirling
away to an hotel the beautiful face of the captain's wite
expressed surprise. She found Paris on a smaller scale
here in the New World. The tall houses, rich mercantile
streets, and magnilicent hotels gave her a shock. 1 saw
that I must explain things to her before we reached our
journey's end or she would be frightened to death. In
our suite of rooms at the hotel I sat down to an exj)lana-
tion. Said I :
" Madam Smith, you will find a vast difierence between
(Mir social methods and tho.se of France. In Franco, the
people transact public affairs with a force and vim, not to
say excitement and display of passion, wliich we do not
evince here. At table, in France, the peoi)le eat and diink
to enjoy ; with us it is business. I never saw two men
embrace in America. It is |)ossible two have acted that
wa}--, but I did not see it. At receptions, at great meet-
ings, there is a president who acts as undertaker, and he
188
NAPOLEON SMITH.
V '° '",'*<^ afteiwJinne,- sd^?! ^^ J,'^'^ ■ » man is select
^O" will seo when wo 1Z„ i?"', .""""ngis voluntari
i^;™ you, they will tfe' ° ^'"'^'"""'o- Ifthepe™
thif4::trte„^-:^^'.i-,the„s„i,.. „b„, ',
-' «'« 4CiZJXTl"'''°''^'^ ''"-^ "Already stud
»■';;-'<-!■/," '*'^' "-^'">o- all about us r
faS: 'i' '™^''™ "f ' «'neLi,:i'i;: ta- ' ^'^P*"- ^apoleo,,
jate war, wounded a< Pwf I ' ^'^'"e, a soldier fn f^
Pa.-, whe,. he h^^l^^^-^f mi returned frot
~S, Srt ,e a": Fr " -^^^^^^^^^^
Spraker Hol.'e'irtTil'TL "' ^"-^ '''.-"t-td "^SZ
a beautiful Frenpl, i i •^' , "® ^^s married in £„ • .
hane- ' i ^^ .^f^thered thesp fo«* "^^S® J" con-
£wiF-rthTs;rtht ?'^^^-"' 'tC
fourteen papers. J see nn^L- '^PPears to-morrow J^.
S":;™' •="■■'-""-; Ts^j-s in h. it z;, j;
wntn you come to form an afV„T •^- ^O" will Jike ,v
:; suppose so." said he wiU. ^'^m ^^^ ^'-
The next mornin. I teSJf ". T'^
hi
I cc
Ul
\\m
ct
A
of
h(
em
•aphed ahead to the
auth
on-
"But is a: h
MITH.
lourners, while the pe
orpse. Every thinS
s spontaneous. A dui
e resurrection has com
US-serious, profoun,
omted ; a man is selecq
, .^"thingisvoluntarJ
^"7^Jie. IfthepeopI
^^il not embraci yS„
m said
ivate ? '
T ^'^^^ ^^''eady stud
terv.evv. I will inter
^now all about us ? '
• 'Captain Napoleon
>ne. a soldier in thr
^« just returned from
"iction on the stafi
a large fortune in
•Jlion dollars to his
01- public improve-!
^gant and spacious
married in Paris to
ipanies him. Theyi
5hia or New York
to engage in con-i
acts from the ur- '
ns party.' There
eais to-morrow in'
•^jfc- Jt stops all
• Youwil^ikeit
lor it."
e.
ad to the authori-
NAPOLEON SMITH. 189
Ities at Sii.dairviile that we would arrive on the early
pv«j;;nS train. I knew what the result would be
When the train stopped at our destination and we
[stepped out on the platforn. a cannon was discharged, an.l
i -Madam bmith for a moment thought of war. I said •
" It IS in Captain Smith's honor. An American cus-
tom.
Four sober men in sober black conducted us to a close
Iiack m waiting. We sat down inside, and the depot
\ committee stowed themselves away, two on the seat with
the driver ani two on the boot behind. Then the villa-^e
band tormed in front, and we started. Ah ! my fellow-
c^juntrymcn, it was ridiculous, no doubt, but it was so
American after our long al)sence that I wanted to get out
of the hack, kick in the bass drum, and batter your brass
liorns mto stovepipe in pure enthusiasm. With minute-
,i(uns trom the cannon as a signal of our distress, and the
.and p aying " Sweet Little Buttercup," we arrived in
tront of the hotel. There a reception committee of six
awaited us. No wor.l of enthusiasm, no embraces,
no laugh er: it was business. The reception com-
mittee led the way two abreast into the viilac^e hall
or opera-house, which was a portion of the hotel ° Down
the aisle we tramped, with the band playing ahead of us.
\V e were placed on the stage in a conspicuous place, and
as I looked at Madam Smith I could see that she com-
menced to appreciate the fun of the thin<r. When we
were all seated a grave man in a grave voice nominated a
president. Ihen a secretary was nominated. Then I al-
most expected the minutes of the previous meetincr to be
read, but instead the president drew out a formidable
paper, tixed his glasses, and commenced to read a recep-
tion speeech « There had gone out from us a youth, etc.,
and on bloody fields had won renown for the i.lace of his
birth etc., etc. "On the tented field he had climbed
step by step, but still he remembered the hiiisand vaUevs
of his native land. Wealth had come to him, and in the gen-
If
190
erous affor-tion nat
NAPOLEON SMITH.
«i
"lal to such
^^inciui, viilo N^f • , ^"<^" a man ho hi,] ....
|ou,sun.l.s— h„t
~ n!;:"™'' ^"-;:..'r:;;r- ^^ '':<» p::::;^
ti
"^^ acconJinir to il
liO
:::'ri,^»';"'<»" ^.^.i. »l:;1;;';'!"" °f ^-,.ioa„
Smith I
2""'" '-k.,i t,„„i,,,, »j
iiavc 1
s;ii/i. "o'^"itL'lir 1(1)1.1 ,.1
•e^ponded. xMa.l
I'CCCp-
to stand
lam
lience.
'°.,'- and .,ai.r.>^ ^^ «"-^'-'' -* a.,,„i„,„„ ,, , ^,„._^^_,
-. cho^r Wfl'i."';', .""?™"'. '-' O.XI bios, the A,„o,.i
md with ,,.-. ""' ■ i' eome,, p,,,,,. „e„ betag^^',:;;;/-
i-.^tttTtfltr ^S - -ched <,o.„ t„°a
turned to t\m P,.^ -j '^♦^^"^e enioy n.r the. i " '•" a
NAPOLi-ox smm. jy^
nas.s grew out of it, an.i KlJor (1™ , . \ , 'i,o, I
interest, so that tut S.! ''""V',''?^' '^^^''^ <>* 'livid,.,! the
and a new hotel w s i m ^^ t'' ^^'^''7^"^*b' clause sides,
were, from £::'^::Z:^' ^?^ ^- <'Ve.llo.v. as it
money will ever he rnVl ) f . T '? ^^'" captain's
ever Lite on .::n';af!i'i ^';j::;::^:,t ^ u'' ' Tr'
>;ou, one inau wanted to h./ild a.i o , '•'' ^''''
there ain't ten orDhms i,. 11 ' pyl'^ni, when
tulated with hi a ; v i ,•/ n" i ^'""^ '"''^''^ ^"^ «-^'POs-
Another man wanto'l to bo;" L nTir!;!'^ "" ^"t^'''^'
manufactuiinf^ to k-om. ^ ndtuial <4as, and start
into the c itv'an^l '^. °"' ^'^"''° P^^i^^*^ f^'^"^ J^ftin^^
with that nnlliorof Lo^v Of ''^''' .!;^ ^""'^ ^'^
meant well bub his nfV TTn ''°"''^' ^^^ <-''^Ptain
thp np-r> I • ^ "^ ^^ ^^^^^e to ru n the town or t\t
the people to go mto aiunatic asylum and thentke the
192
NAPOLEOX (SMITH.
r ! ^i
! !
"loney and hull,! tli
asylum. If lu; had
;; Wflls a.,,1 .-istc,.,,," ^„i,| ,l,e p,,,i,|„„t
How woiiM asystiMii or watuiworki strike vm, ? l„
aquuiliict, a resui'voii- in fl. . . „ i .">'' »"">e you ? An
«" a tablet on tlie .■o«.,vo,tl,' (' a, Lt.' -''' ''''''
V\oll, tile banquet canu' to jin onJ .if i. <■ i
dream^y along the troutst.oa.n, wl nf tDhTo,! n'.'l
the cotWe ad fh..f i V"^°'- ^" the bioad piazza of
m;^}.f I . i^ . '^'''•>' summer, on sunny days th^.v
might be seen at tlieir task.s as tc-achcr and nun I "^
;;^n^ spoke kindly word, to the^h "dLi; ^ vou ^l
vcteian and Le Non- was too happy to bo silent Til.
of exquisite son;. Hoated out on the strcU an " a.-il 1
the attention of passers-by. Smith hhi Sf hJ i 1
a second boyhoo!l when \ lelt ti i^auttl^'w ^
memory ever coming back ? No one mi-d t ay 'but he
.tood there for hours and dreamed as he hrokedTr, a 1 '
Iv aMl "^^",1 T'"' '^l'^ '' "'^^^" -'-'- '- stopped udden
\y at the cal of a robin and put his hand to his he irU
Had she wakened an echo in his heart ? N^n at er
they wore haj.py-l.ai.py as we dream tlu.t l.^ehare
I
i
t.
lad-ive us two inU-
11(1 It'iivo the town."
lit of the clilliciilty
tory iniumcr at fifl.
ila,i,'(.« suppliea with
• lent.
<.s strike you ? An
OS on ov.'iy stiuot,
'iiuy to k-oL'p all in
ids i "
kv i\ sii'-'oostion of
'<! it will oo, nijuk:
that it did M^o, and
Lptain's naniu ap-
it last, and we re-
a beautiful little
e Captain and his
1 them after their
ipoleon wandered
e he played as a
e wandered alon^*-
e l)roa<l piaz/a ol'
sunny days, they
tnd pupij. Lov-
iidsunie wounded
-»e silent. Trills
rcet and arrested
laelf had reached
1 autumn. Was
li^^dit say, but he
looked u{) at hi.s
stopped sudden-
ind to his head ?
t ? No matter,
that angels are.
NAPOLEON SMITH. jgj
They were a^ffuilelo.^: children, and when I loff fl.«^ i
wluspered a blessin^ on the I'r.Widenc that C tWvr
this lovuxg woman acres, the lifo-history of my f dlnr
1
194
NAPOLEON SMITH.
CHAPTER XXIII.
I
and congratulate us Lt oX ';^""^^'^ ^'^ ^'^^^ us
Republic^hrougl, a centurv LuH ^' ''''1""^^ '^ ".e
in our just pride in the growth nrH T^"''^'^'^' ^^^^^ "«
mthattima Ourtwonfi hI 1 ; ^<^^'»^cement made
lions of inhabitants throu^riS ''.::f '"'*'' ^^^^
growth. We had only ten Ve. 7^ ^"" *"^^ "^^'"'^l
war almost unparalleled in ^-0^ / ""'' "1""^^^^'^ ^^'^'n a
that war we had stood lloneTofr' T^ "'^P^^^^' J"
the earth. Not a dollar 01 ^" .nf, """ '''^.'^ °" ^^^^^^^ ^^ce o*
In the eyes of the wo kl we wZ '""T ^? °"^" «««i«tai>ce.
n^ent of popular goTe mJnt wl^ T' ^"^^^ ^^^ ^^P^^^'i'
est test, and meS cooHv wttT 1 ''"f P"^ *^ ^^'« «^'^'«i-
death-agony. It w^atin n p, ""^-^^ "^'«'^^ ^e our
"Let be^ let us seeTf fifas wil ". '?''r. ^^ *^^« ^^^-^^^ ••
the Centennial wa^ The ir^^"^" *° ^'^^ ^""■" ^nd
pangs of politicaT^ea h ^1^1 '^T''^^''' ^^^'' the
vanity when ve had murh !f 1? '^"^,^ '^^ ^^'^^ i^ was
of cnnon. Gratftude to G.^ ^''' ^'"^' ^"^ ^«°'"^"^-
of v.>ice as well as another ^nd . / ^.*' "i-^ ^" ""''' ^"^""e?
Waring trumpets and on U?e tvf ' '^*-°"'' ^^'"^ "P i«
smoke in the goodly yeaTom ""'"^ °^ P°^^^^"^-
the world stoo^d in Vonder as I '''' '^ ^''^^ *°°' ^^'^^
just retrieved from the hV I] '^"^ a nation that had
^en, that had iusTtnme .11'%™^ '^ ^^« '"^^ions of
al^aLalf-^illion -, and S^ t^iK f^ ^JetSt
quiet life,
'.V.
ie CVaitennial Ex-
^versary of our
' ' G. On July 4,
Jivited to visit us
existence of the
liipathize with us
vancement made
lleiJ to forty niij-
lon and natural
emerged from a
nd expense. In
ly on the face of
o our assistance.
'• The experi-
>ut to the sever-
mjght be our
3s at the cross :
'elphim." And
ctior after the
^y that it was
is and booming
in one manner
ura Went up ia
gs of powder-
t was, too, tl)at
ation that Jiad
wo millions of
"s and hospit-
four years six
NAPOLEON SMITB, jgj
^"ttn1t'^°"T^ °^ "t ^'''''^ ^°^ b'-avest of her sons
...s almy Srr'^'st' ''^ ""''^ looked on aS^w
V i .?]. n J^ "''^'^'^ ^^ ^t curiously For fifteen
Of another cent n' hn ,'?] u'f' '''""'^ ^^^' vast treasures
leon Snmh. Ah Jl.eo 'Vrn, ' government by Napo-
timt stood beside Gene il G ant Y .^" ,? u' ^'^''^'^-
ontertaiued only a lew fHemk ''^"^'''^^ , Ihe Captam
iooui„,aow„ ^„ ^:^^ti^ To" ir^'„l:T,[:
gieuL masses of boats drifting bv imnello.l I>,rfl,o' a-
^tea.a«r. Only for a time wo Jd'Ku UL"Xn"2
196
NAPOLEON SMITH.
wonlf] turn and call " Jrarr,]nlinp t" .n,i +i
r-ch .skirtH woul.l fall m , ' I '' «^veopinnr of
oh.LI, a U>y, a 3^ h .;:" I'l r""f^^ ^'"'"' *"^- ^ ^^
all tlio b.a ,t3- of 1 is e-u K ; ^^'^J^om ,ny., he j.ad
rolled away in j:ll,\^,:t;^^^^- '^'"^ --^^-^- y--
"1 I'and, Ma-dalene sits in ^\ith some Jiyht work
tain as i,e s^uok^'l^a^^^^ {^f^^ ^'^''^^^ t'"" ^^^'P"
and takes th^s ::: ^ ^ l^^ ,,^-' ^;---ts hin.elf
asks. ' ^^''"' • ^^ ^'.>' tins heavy sigli ? " she
^^ ^\ l-y tins day nioie than another ? "
face. '''^ do you n.oan, Captain ? " she says, with a pale
tlH-ou,dUnsfin4; 11,' ,1 '" ' '""^ ^•-'^^'••^ How down
into stone. Th^^ tlm Sl'^l^T ^V''"' ^"^^ ^"^^^^^
7on her. ^en Ji/i^^lt^^t^^, ^ ; ^ th: tf' , '''' ^^?"^
of disease, an.I, st vino- to n- ''fi^ ^''^ ^'"^k curtains
glinipseoftheiast Vrnnl ? Z^*""' "^ ^''^'^^^ to o-et a
Jon<r ? " P^'^^' Aapqleou looks and whispers : " tlow
^^ Sl^hispers in answe, while her heart beats tumul-
" Seven years to a dav."
u.
nd the sweopiniir of
fi<l slio would l7end
looth Lrow, lor as a
(-M' Iromcniv, lie hjid
Thus another year
the scenes upon the
th some light work
:t"r beside^the Cap-
is uneasy and i-est-
tlK'U seats himself
He sighs,
heavy .sigh ? " she
he casts aAvay his
' says, with a pale
'Jiy do I feel so
her face.
(311 in a trembliri'T
rour last wound."
tears How down
thiuj and freezes
feared has come
lie thick curtains
n order to get a
vhispers ; " JJow
:ufc beats tuniul-
ow in a copious
the entire per-
iut Qxary t^uj^e
NAPOLEON SMITH. jgy
and sinew every cord and muscle everv rlvnr> .p i.. i
every particle of the sensitivp hv ; 7 °P P^ ^'^°^''
anewikseve.i veai7/ ThoM« n^'^'".^''^^ T''^'^ ^^ ^'"e^^ted
no physiolocdsf nn fl 7 ^ question that no moralist
exi JtencTZ sou? anZ '"" '"" '"^^ ^^^""^^^^ ^^^^h the
? stored th^p^t^li ^ o "3^:^ 'T"- ^^'^''^' ^^^"' -^«
to it in babyhood ?wi "''^^^" « ^^^e as we looked up
-u-al v^' i'ttt has\e:"st;:nt'irtl '' '^^'^''''^ '' ^
years ? Where were the pic ures of Ihe^'-i? ^ ^^°^^ °^
and shouting school-mates whS ^^'® .^''^'age green
"^emorv of the octo°en r!n .1^ i"^'^ "'^ "P ^^ the
restinc/his \vrinkh!l7 he dreams in his chair
howling'supS!l„at^aUr.'Teftf- ^?"f ^^
Ji::ti;:i;ji;^a::i^
man in his death babbles th^^^^^^ ""^ ^^<^ <^'^« «W
the pattern of tL b edtj rL an^^^^^^^^
mother he knew only inTnflnf; Wh^t Si" 'tv' '^ ^
IS the fog only that shnt« m./.i" i , *^" ' ^'«ease
and then tell l.im 1 els arefr-'ht ' "?'' ""'>'^« """>■
The curtain is lifted now What will >.o i i,- ,
He broods with downn-Jf 1 i -Y ^ ^® ^^® behind t ?
198
NATOLEON SMITH.
bilT ",r™l^f tV'?'?!' "'^-?'' -We ™anh„„d
]
;iiii
>nA' nights, with dim, lovv-b
l;s, Mailing for the day. He see« and foel
IS
urninc
liaml Juid oil a throbhin.' head and
lov
iJl;
i'}'e.s to
w
>< now a soft
a soul lookinir out of
Itch tlie heJidess .sleep of an infalit. H
sees a weak and t)-emhlin<r fo
sees h.uie than this: he .... ,, ,
^rl^arit'^ '"'^^ -'^ !-'--. '-^ over a rou^h ground
rrn
,^.. .V .,..o^ wi iauuius, ](',! over a j'ou<>- i <rroun(l ]^y
" How loi.gdid you say ? "
It is coming now. Tiio curse, the rejection th. i if*
Signed MOW as she answei^ : ^""^ '''''^ ^■''-
" Seven years."
right hand and kisses it and sobs". '' *''"^ '^^■""^'
" I am a soldier. I will relieve the .nni-d V,..,
angel ! I have loin .ir.ami ^ fort^ven W^; ':;"' h"^'
;n u,y dreams an angol-face l.?„t abov?"„ , =, S'"' ,'i"
Ussed „,y brow. I have l.ad a troubled .si en b» in m
ho^ut-throb is not yours and yours alone. I offe you I
ove as deep and true as your own. Do you bel eieme
my darling, my angel ? " ^ otiieve me,
" It is too much. God is very, very .rood to mo W^ii
. &ue baiu, ana tLey knelt uown together.
n
•e a noble manhood is
-h dim, low-burning
* and foels now a soft
■ «oul looking out of
ep of an infant. Hu
and ti-embling form
■ra rough ground by
ti the sunlight of life.
rejection, the bitter
ll-hicedgirl ; but she
'oice is Jow and re-
1 her, then he drops
le takes that stron<'
> guard. You nia\'
c, this hand of mine
3 of life. J\Jy eyes
Oh, my love, my
ven long years, but
me, ;ind an angel
ed sleep, but in my
liead back uponm\-
n buried in a tomb,
3d away the stone
1 to |)iove to you
love ? When you
I and see if every
ne. I offer you a
Do you believe me,
good to me. Will
in, my brave, once
L together.
NAPOLEON SMITH
399
ofsoc.ety.youmayseethdrwo.k vvl"'"^ !^ the waste
cons his book with laborious uX^j''^'^^''^ ^"«<^ «Iave
hnds a calm harbor in J^^^^'""' ^e weary sailor
Th^:h^!ii:;/rfif^'/^^
Jt reads like uis • ^'""" '''''' ^>"^«^ ^ short time ago.
BiiiNvjLLiERs, France
J^EAR (Japtaix and Madam Smm : '^"'''~' ^^^^•
Our boy, Napoleon Smith Ti\nhf i •
so much like In-s nameUke 1^."^' ^' -'"^^^^"^ ^o look
shall come on that tour o the 77';"/^' ^' ^^^'^"-'^en he
be astonished at his womlerf^d f 'l' ^'''^''- ^^^ ^vill
chestnut curls and thelcm li ne ,'""^'^"^^ ^e has the
have the carriage and I%Z ^of tt' V'"*!' ^ ^^"^^^«' ^^^^i
love hn)i ! Will yourVacht Ito. f m l''^^''"- ^^u will
weexpeotyouatParis^r We2ll ^l^''f^''> ^^ shall
Unite.l States next year and if f^ -If ^ ^^' ^'^"^ ^^ the
^ve would like our boy ^ /e ' -.f^/;! ^^^ P'easantto you
do him good. Colond M has bef ^^' ''''"• '^^'^^'^ ^.111
good health, and sends the et Isefl fl'''"'"?.*"'^ = ^'« ^^ ^^
ton-holo. Cable us about .? '^^ flower from the but-
and fat you -oul^^Z^I'td't.^ }' '' ^^^^
^^^^i-^s BicKFORD, General.
does V;^shbu;ne, ouSeTtlVhall f'"' r.?^''^'^''^' ^^an
our baby, looks enougl^I 'ke ^ . f '" l'^' ^^'"^^■
Well, and Aim«<e is lame and fV ai^'^'^^ ^-^^^ "^ W-
you not sometimes sony youjost h ^^'' "^T.^^P^'-^'n, az^e
"Never say it a-.ain \? ? , ° ^^'^"^1*"^ ffiH ? "
think thata i,ubt :^:nt^t^Zj "^^^ ^^^ ^
200
NAPOLEON SMITH.
^^And he seized her, drawing her to his knee and kissing
"What a scene this is for married people of middle a"e
to be presenting ? " said the blushing wife.
I think so myself, and so I leave them. You aske-
me who was my friend, three hours ago. He stood f
ray desk, a tall, handsome man, with a sidewise droop t
his head, and a badge on his breast. That was Napoleoi.
omitli. ihat was my friend's story
i
THE END.
ITU.
his knee and kissin^
d people of middle a^'u
ing wife.
ive them. You askd
urs ago. He stood s'
bh a sidewise droop t^
. That was NapoleoK
y