Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-08-23
N4PoLEoN HI AND THE CHESHIRE
va SOUIRE

TFrOm the Liverpool journal, July % II
His present Majesty Of France has been m sde
r fundstion for truth in the lively imagination
of their authors. The following anecdote in
TIE life Of that remarkable man we can youcb
for as entirely authentio.-It 1t was commuui.
csted to Us By . gentleman in whose veracity
we can place implicit confidence. He was him
self acquainted with the individual who figures
as . character in the story. " -
Many years ago, when Louis Napoleon was q
mere lodger in st. James street, London. be
was invited as guest to the hospitable man.
sion Of the late Sir John Gerard, a few mil, ,
from this town. During that time he Joined in
all the sports and pleasures common to Enp.
lish country gentlemen. and in which the In 4
Sir John was distinguished. On one occasi, n
he joined the Cheshire hunt; and being an ex-
eelent rider, he is said to have appeared to
great advantage in the field But pleasure
8earies ike labor, and ere the DAYS sport had
closed, tho distinguished horseman was found
l1gging far behind the hounds, by Squire.
81 wrapped up was he in deep meditation.
tlat he did not notice the Squire's approach
until their horses were abreast, when they cor.
daily saluted each other. "Your Highness, ~
sid the Squire clocks tired" ''Not with the
sport, good sir" replied the Prince, "but of
my life The Squire looked up, SURF rised,
bat at q glance at that strange and sad conn
tenance, which is remarkable in the Emperor,
convinced him that the Prince was serious,
You are young to be so mels n ,holy - o5sery ed
the Squire. His companion smiled, remark.
ing. "Short as my life has been. fortune has
dealt strangely with Inc, sir. 'sWhy. Prince. -
said the Squire, ''nevsr heed the Jade. % His
Highness merely shook his head, and said,
Nay, sir, none of US can escape our fate. y
Your Highness surely does not believe in tbat
superstition ~ was the Squire's exclamation.
''Callituhst you will, sir" replied the Prince,
''f is IS religion TO me-" After long pause
the Squire said, Every man has a right to his
own opinlon-none more so than your High.
ness The Prince raised his hat, remarkinp.
Sir you hatter me. 4" snow, Thave heard Ii
said, - observed the squire, that {" "fatalists
stealing a cautious glance at the impenetra-
ole face before him, have an immense adyau-
tage over ordinary men by anticipating their
future in this world The Princes face be.
cane Int up with sudden animation, as he an.
swered, Sir, were as confident of heaven az
L an OF what shall be, I would not The
s4uire's merry laugh cut short the Princes
speech, as he roguishly exclaimed, "Ah, ha;
this Is the advantage the followers of your re-
lgion labor under. Your state hereafter is as
mueh a mystery to you as our earthly exist
ence Is to us poor DEVILS The Prince good
naturedly joined in the laugh himself but soon
refsPsed into his melancholy mood again. The
squire was too interested in the subject to let
II drop. lie said, Il should be afraid to think
then that the future disquiets you" ssIt is
even So good sir; though, to vulgar mind it
would seem as brilliant as could be-, was the
reply OF the Prince "What is that,~your
hlshneSs! asked the squire, now all atten-
non; keigning in his horse, and looking
steadily In the squire's fine open English coun-
tenance, the Prince replied with much empha-
sls, Nothing less, sir, than the imperial purple
ei France" The squire's first impulse was to
isugn, out there was something so indescriba-
Die about the strange man at his side, that he
telt mysterious influence creep over him, and
Tor some time his tongue refused its Office. He.
however, ventured once more to address the
Prince, but In more deferential manner than
ne had been accustomed to use. 80 great a
station as the one You mentioned, your High
ness, would compensate most men for 'all the
Ills that flesh Is heir to- Sir" repIied the
fnnee, with warmth, 5''the majority of man
KIND are mere edRaiLIe; great men are mon
Sters, because they are giants in the midst
oi PlgmIes As Emperor of France, 1 have
q destiny to fulfil. Contemporaries may call
me cruel, false, tyrsnt, but l work for
P9sterity, and by that viii be Judged J.
=, 1ear Highness is right" answered the
squire; ''the responsibility of such an Office
would make man of Your Highness' intel
Ieet Serious but, in the meantime. why be
ssd Sir, said the Prince, with an effort
10 smile, viii 1t not turn history 10 romance
When 1t Is written that Napoleon the Third ex-
PeIeneed the pangs of poverty" The squire
looked up again with still more surprise and
nesitatingly said, 4" L fear to be impertinent,
out you astOnish me. If it should be merely
TOT temporary assistance, your Highness oan
COMMAND me. =" Sir, exclaimed the Prince
srAsPing the squire's hand, ''you are gentle
man and your delicacy does you honor. I
would ask favor, though it may be at the ex-
Pehse oil my own feelings" Your Highness
mas only to tell me how / can be of assistance.
aLu mere Is an end of the matter, and no obli-
Sauoh In a few words the Prince told him
no" he was pushed for money, the victim Of
MS creditors, his misery and his wants
cueHue oi tlOO Immediately changed hands;
a, ana then the Prince, writing out n receipt on
me Hy-leaf of his pocket book, handed it to
Ine squire, saying, Il have an absent mind,
good SIR, and may forget this transaction; let
pA nls DC memorandum. and when you come to
aris call At the Tuileries, and the debt owe
you shall be discharged-though before that
.oPe The obligation may not exist. My graft
tude may not repay you; yet if you think the
respect OF Napoleon Ill Of any value, you
. nave IT, sir, from my heart" No more, l
oeg your Highness," said the squire, ssbut
VIII Keep the memorandum; and you may de-
Rena upon II, shall most certainly call at the
u ulIerles, Tor. Prince. l am not a convert YOU
now BY this time they had reached the
aoor OF >ir William Stanley house, where the
hunt had already assembled; and in 1.-The feast
u reason and the fOw Of soul which followed.
Inc squire did not forget the extraordinary rem
;"nire Of the morning, and it was only the gray
lawn OF the following day that chased the re-
collection Of il from his pillow. .trs
"reat events had occurred since the memora-
Die incident We have been describing Revo-
Iution had once again burst out in Paris, and
rom the chaos that ensued the follower of the
Cheshire hounds had become the Rmperor Of
rance. Squire - had never forgotten the
meeting with the man Of destiny, y on whom
all eyes we're now turned During all the long
years that had elapsed since that occasion. the
squire never heard feom the Prince. lie sun.
posed that, in the whirlwind of politics and
government, the Prince had failed TO remember
even the knowledge Of bis existence; but a
strange impulse, over which be had no control,
md for which he could not account, prom ptsd
him 10 seek once sgain the present Occupier of
the TRiieries, and he determined 10 set out for
Paris without delay. lie arrived in that gay
capital one summer morning, and after sub
stantial breakfast Mt Maurica's Hotel, he took
his way TO the palace, where he left his card
and his address with an aid-de-camp who was
on duty in the vestibuie. he had not long gone
back 10 his apartments when knock came to
The door, and an orderly officer walked in. He
said ne was requested by the Emperor to pre-
sent his compliments to Monsieur, and TO re