The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-08-29


Napoleon reigned as Emperor in rance. The
learned and modest photographer Boiste had Just
put the finishing stroke his! dictionary He had
arrived at the point of time happy for an auhor-
he had Just corrected the last proofsheet and sent
it to his publisher. Sweet was his sleep with bril-
liant dreams of future fameL The nett day the
book that would give him name and we. ath was TO
see the light He awoke to find his bed surrounded
by gensdarmes
Gentlemen. you have cert airly made some mis-.
take ! am Monsieur BOiste, gramm arian to the
Emperor"
'.The very man. answer ed the laconic briga-
der g 1t is all right here is the order for the ar
rest of BOiste, grammarlan !!
The argument was. conclus i've; there was no APP
peal go with them he must and soon the vehicle
stopped before the Fort of Vn lcennes
Once arrived at the prison, poor Boiste had some
hope that the obstinate silence heretofore MAIN
tanned would cease. He hu mbly duplicated to be
told the cause of his arrest protesting his innocence
and devoted allegiance. The officer tn rough some
little feeling of respect for an old man, degned to
open the order for arrest; and after reading it.
cOolly answered, "To secure the public safety"
Poor Boiste was then Sc nj off to a ROOM tine iron
bars of its windows securing to him three months
leisure torture his brain in the endeavor TO dis
cover how he who had spent his whole life arrang-
ing words under their different heads from TO H.
could have compromised the public safety. He
said to himself with all the tranquility of an I'M
trouipled conscience, &c 1t cannot be for my book
that am arrested, since it has been examined three
times over, corrected, and considerably diminished
by both the heads and the subordnates ofthe office
of the i'm Derial censorship.
Boiste did not content hmself with lamentations,
he made strong appeals by mem orialS addressed to
all the influential persons of his acquaintance, al
WAYS concluding with this most logical conclusion,
. have done nothing; but only tell Inc what |
have done, that may Justify myself
But unhapply not one of his letters was an
Al ana grs,ra III
prisoner fell into the hands of Fontanes, the head
of the University, who knew snd esteemed the poor
grammarian: and fully persua ded OF the innocence
of a man whose whole life had been devoted TO his
dictionary he fastened TO mention him TO the En-
peror who. happening to be in favorable mood
that day. smiled at the artess epistle, and viewing
the matter in the same light with Fontanes, sent
for the Duke of Otranto. Fouche ignorant
as they were of the ground of arrest, and was quite
surprised he had probably signed the order with
out reading it, and he III his turn summoned the
project. The project could give no explanation,
and sent for his deputy who, after two days of
search at last found the fatal document 1t was
taken TO the TuiIeries and here it was found that
it was made out upon the denuncation of the CEN
sOr, who had actually charged Bolste with having
spoken of Bonaparte as a spectator. " How =
| when ?-where % This the denuneiation did not
| mention The censor was ordered to make his APP
pearance but he was about hundred leagues off,
on tour of inspection, exercising his vgilant SUI
| perintendence of the provisional press.
g Let Boiste himself be examined, was Napole-
ons next order for besides that believe him in
capable ofsuch an act, it really would not be COM
/ mon sense in a dictionary.
| The next day Boiste was once more permitted to
see the sun and was carried TO the cabinet of the
! Duke of Otranto, where Fontanes was already In
| attendance.
! Sir said Fouche, you are accused of Libel
| against the august prince who reigns over this
| mighty empire.
| "a libel! |, my lord Surely you cannot believe
it, A libel comes from EbeLls, little book. ASK
that gentleman sir, at the head Of our University.
| | know too well the meaning, the force of words,
Nevertheless added Fontanes, showing him
the information, but keeping his finger over the sig
nature read this
Boste cast his eye rapidly along the paper,
"Wel !" cried Fouche, seeing the quiet coun-
tanance unchanged.
g Is that all % said Boiste.
"AII! and is it not quite enoughs hope for
your sake it is a mistake
g Not at all it is the truth -
| g The truth ~
| " Enthusiastically if was all TO do honor to our
Emperor.
sTo do honor to him !"
Yes to show that he was as great a lnguist
as he is a hero"
Come, sir" said Fouche Immediately; " it is
quite time to put end to such foolery. This is
no testing matter"
God forbid that | should make Jest of it; !
would not take such liberty in your Excellency's
| presence"
''Be good enough TO give some explanation then"
Nothing more easy" and taking copy OF his
dictionary, which lay on the table, he opened It at
the word spoator," and pointed TO two words In
the following order: " Spectator BoRdParte
I The two functionares Indignantly exclaimed,
'And what could have tempted you to such an au-
dacious libel ;"
" was but giving his majesty the credlt due 10
him. ] put his name after the word spectator
as the author for the word he, when Gen. Bona
parte having .been the first TO make use of the
preston in the tribune 1t is coinage of his own,
and not known in the French language I'LL he
used iti''
Foncbe aud Fonianes turned upon each other
bevvildering look. Boste was set at liberty; butt
ost him the expense Of the sheets that replaced the
seditious page through the whole edition And
Roiste thought himself happy to get off so cheapy
now that he began to perceive that his tribute to
the Emperors coinage considered so equIvocal
a compliment. Chambers Journal
ONE OF THE B'HoYs-" Samiyel, my darling
little sonny says the mother, we not seen
your book for several days or more, where is Tiny
son %
g knows where it's, y
Where -
" Why it 8 only lost a litte--knder-in the
house down sullar, in the barn. or round out doors
guess or perhaps up garnet or ahind the wood pile