Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-08-11
FRIDAY, AUGUST IL, 1854.

was Demais, a former comrade of
mine IN the artillery regiment. He
had emigrated, and had returned to
France in disguise, to see his aged
mother. He was about to go,
when stopping, he said, What is
the ma,teri You do not listen to
me. You do not seem glad TO see
me. What misfortune threatens ;
You look to me like a mailman
about to kill himself"
This direct appeal awoke Napole-
on's feelings, and he told hun eve
ry thing. /" Is that all Z" said he,
opening his coarse waisicoat and
detaching belt, he added, here
are thirty thousand francs in gold
take them and save your mother" "
| cannot, said Napoleon, to this
day, explain to myself my motives
for so doing but seized the gold
as if by a convulsive movement,
and ran like a mailman to send it
to NY mother IL was not until 1t
was out of my hands that / thought
of what | had dune. | lIastened
back to the spot where | had left
Demasis, but he was no longer
there. For several days | went out
IN the morning, returned not until
evening, searched every place,
where | hoped to find him.
The end of the romance is as &c
centric as the beginning. For fif-
teen years. Napoleon saw no more
of his creditor At the ED OF that
time he discovered him, aud asked
why he had not applied to the
Emperor Z" The answer was, that
he had no necessity for the money,
but was afraid of being compelled
to quit his retirement, where he lv-
ed happily, practising horticulture.
Napoleon now paid his debt, as
may be presumed, magnificentiy !;
made him accept three hundred
thousand francs as a reimbursement
from the Emperor for thirty thou
sand lent to the suballern of artile-
nv; aud besides, made him director
general of the gardens of the crown,
with a salary of thirty thousand
francs. He also gave a government
place to his brother.
In April, 1915. when Napoleon
was al the head of his army. pre-
pairing to attack the allies, his Mar
shals determined an interview with
him They were opposed to his
plan of operations, and looked upon
an attempt to re-enter Paris as hope
less. They proposed that he
should abdlcaie IN favor of his son.
This was also the advice of the EN-
peror Alexander Napoleon did as
was proposed but Marmont and
his army had surrendered on that
day. After this, the allies rejected
all negotiation. The propositions
and Offers of Napoleon to his officers
and soldiers were. nnheeded by
them, and he at length signed an
uuequlvocal abdicallon for himself
aud family. This led TO the second
attempt upon his own life. He
thus narrates IT:
" From the time of the re'reat
from Russia said he, I" had con
stantly carried round my neck, in a
little sllkeu bag, portion of poison
Gus powder, which Ivan had pre-
pared by my orders, when | was III
fear of being off by the Cossacks.-
My life no longer belonged to my
country the events of the last few
days had again rendered me mas
ter of 1t. Why should | e"dure
so much suffering ; and who knows
that my death may not place the
crown upon the head Of my sou =
France was saved.
81 hesitated no longer, but leap
ing from my bed, mixed the poison
III little water, and drank it with
sort of happiness
" But time had taken away lis
strength fearful pains drew forth
some groans from me. They were
heard, aud medical assistance arrlv-
ed. Ii was not Heavens will that
| should die SO soon ST. Helena
was my Destiny"