The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-11-20
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THE DAILY GAZETTE.


NAPOLEON AND THE WooDMAN
AS Napoleon was riding out, atten.
dad by several officers, ! was one o
The party, we rode past forest, where
some woodmen were cutting timber
Observing one of them singing, the
Emperor With q smile turned round te
us, and said:
Observe that man, who, though
toiling bard for HE daily bread, seems
to be quite happy
The woodman, observing 50 nauy
persons looking at him, made res.
peetful bow, and approached lis to IN.
ouire If We had lost our road.
= No, said the Emperor, but tell NE,
nv honest man, what makes you SO
cheerfull What may you earn a
day
Three francs, your honor.
Three frsncsf said the Emperor,
does that support you and your fam.
lyi Tell rs how You manage to 90
soi
With pleasure your honor, if you
will step q little this way. With three
francs, I no. only keep my wife and
family, but ! also put money out at
interest, and pay of M old debts
Explain Yourself
Willingly your honor. keep my
wife and children; I place my money
cut at interest by educating the latter
at school aud pay of my old debts By
maintaining my aged father and moth
sr. So you see your honor ! may
well be happy
Excellent man said Napoleon,
here is Napoleon for you,' tossing
him the money. Keep what you
have now told me a secret. | am
your emperor, and on pain Of my dis
pleasure, enjoin you to tell no one
till you have seen my face at least g
hundred times
Sir, il shall beso
Napoleon turned bis horses head
and rejoined Us.
The same evening, as he appeared
thoughtful, General Rasp asked him
If anything unpleasant had occurred
that day.
No, said the Emperor, but l met
3 man this morning, who, with three
francs per day, told me he kept his
family, placed money out at interest,
and paid If all his old debts. Gentle
men, continued the Emperor, you will
please me much il any Of You can tell
me the meaning Of what he said,
All fus were very anxious TO please
our monarch, and knowing that he
had spoken to woodman in the fore,
noon, we rode of on the following
morning, and having found the wood.
man, we asked him il he knew 10
whom he had spoken on the previous
day.
The man said:
Yes, had the honor OF talking
with the Emperor
What did you say to him
Excuse me, gentleueu, that must
not tell you
One OF the party said i viii give
you fifty Napoleons to tell me-
The man said: No ! dare not.
You shall have one hundred ifyou
viii oblige us,' rejoined our compan
ion.
The woodman after pausing q min
ute or two, said: 'Place the money in
my hand, and / will tell you
We placed il in his hand, and after
he had carefully examined every piece,
he told US all that transpired.
We rode of, aud on our arrival at
the place, acked to be admitted to the
Emperor, when we ezpounded the rid,
die.
Napoleon, pale with anger, said -
Bring the woodrnan before me, dead
or alive.'
He was soon found, and unsheret
into the presence ofhis angry mon
arch.
'SirrahI how have you dared tc
break your promise with me2'
Sire, said the woodmau, ! hays
not disobeyed your cammands.'
How, slave'.. said Napoleon dare
you tell ne lieP
Sire ssid the woodman, you tolc
ne should tell no one until l hac
seen your face hundred times. -
Then putting his hands deliberately
into his pockets, he laid the pieces 0
money, one by one, before the En-
peror, with thehesd upwards, Their
sire,' continued he, have not ! seer
your face one hundred timesf
Napoleon burst into loud ut Q
laughter, gave him slap in the face
and called him clever fellow, ant
made him a captain in the artillery
where he proved deserving Of his goo
fortune