The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-28
LA PETITE MAIsON.

The "small house" has really been one OF the
greatest curiosties OF Paris for some time past.
There is hardly a Partisan who has not gone once
to look at the marvel, and, had il been possible
some speculator would long ago have taken the
house, turned it into cafe and done a roaring
trade. But this could not be the occupant, who
is also the landlord, allows no one to enter-that
is to say, none Of the curious public with myself
he made an exception.
Who in Paris, in France, might almost say in
Europe, does not know the FaubJurgSt Honore,
the modern FaubOurg st. German, where all the
great people of the new era have settled The
splendid Elysee Napoleon in the centre; farther
on. the Russian and English Embassies, huge
palaces with extensive courts and gardens on the
other, the new Ministry of the Interior; the ex-
Paais Beaureau; and q little farther on the
renowned Hotel Castellanu-and so on, one
magnificent edi6ce after the other. The balconies
are richly gilded through the plate glass win
dOws You see costly damask and brOCade curtains
in all the court yards embroidered lackeys, and
eQuipages driving in or out. And then, too, the
new Rue de lElysce, where each house costs at
leasts million. The last open ground between
the Russian and English Embassies was bought
few years back by Pereire, the banker, for TWO
millions, and he built on 1t q hotel, whose in
terror is said to be finer than that of the adjoining
imperial palace-which l can we'll believe, for
Pereire has certainly more money than the
Emperor.
In such neighborhood, though it can hardly
be believed, Is situated the "small house," and
even more, II is exactly opposite the chief gate
of the Elysee so that their Maiesties glance
must inyoluntarily fall on it in riding out. But
IS their hRjesties do not live in the Elysee, and
the masters eye has not yet been offended by
this incomprehensible anomaly, the house has
stood there quietly, and will continue to do so,
for it has its history. The ground landlords on
the right and left made the owner brilliant offers
but to no effect; the small house still stands on
the spot where IL stood in the last century
Under the Restoration and the Government OF
July the small house was forgotten and unno-
tced; not surprising, for the Elysee was unoccu-
pied, and so neglected that part of the side
buildings fell down. There were palaces enough
in and around Paris, and the laYorite palace of
Napoleon was certainly the last the BOurbons
or the Orleans would have liked to occupy. Dur
ing the Presidency Of lS49 and 1850 Prince Louis
Napoleon resided there, and performed the coup
d'etat at it. But this is an old uTy.
1t was just after the coup detat that the small
house began to be talked about. One of the
dOOTkeepers Of the Elysee had noticed for some
time past astrange and very alarming sight at the
opposite house. Whenever the Prince President
rode or drove out the curtains were gently parted
at one Of the low windows, and a swarthy bearded
face became visible, which gazed at his Highness
people were beginning to use the word then.
This was daily repeatedi whenever the Elysee
gates were opened, and the usual roll Of the
drum was heard the curtains par cd, and behind
them always appeared the same swarthy bearded
face The gatekeeper told his comrades, and they
repeated tito the tOOtmen, each Of course with his
own comments. At length the lntendaCt heard
of it; from him ii passed to the Adutant, and the
latter at length impaired il to General Rolin,
commandant du Chateau, very secretly; for that
the matter was suspicious and dangerous was
self-eVident.
Who knew what might be going on behind
those curtains vs-a-yis perhaps conspiracy
against the Princes life, or even an Internal ma
chine The spot was admirably adapted FOR
such an attempt; no better could be selected In
all Paris. The General inquired about the inhabl-
tants of the opposite house, quietly, of copEse,
in order not TO arouse any premature uspFtbn
or alarm the cOnspiratOrs. But he only learned
generalities; on the gTound-fioor there were two
small shops, as there are now, lingerie and
cremeyte; between them the narrow house door,
leading in long dark passage; the two windows
OF the single story, small and low; about them
couple Of naanSardeS, still smaller and lower, and
that was all. The whole was di ty and decrepd
lhe No. SO, large porcelain plate, white on
blue ground, was the sole clean and elegant part
Of the building
The Prince President had accidentally heard,
too, about his unpleasant neighboT, and his
curiosity was aroused. The next time he went
out, the ominOus face again app Ared at the cur
tain and stared at the Prince. Tue latter bowed
politely (at that day he knew how TO salute
people as kindly as ever prince managed it,,
the window was dragged open, aud a loud give
lEmpereurW was shouted. Only think
Scarce two months after the coup R'etat which
consolidated the Republic again, and when the
Maire Of st. Cloud had just been degraded for
having begun his official prUclamations with
those prohibited words.
SO then loud "Viye l'Empereur" and the
next moment the man with the fearful face
which, however did not look near so terrible
was at the carriage door and issing the Princes
boots, coat, and hands-in short, everything he
cou d clutch. They tried TO restrain him, but he
pushed them aside and cried 20 the Prince -
ELfn, Sire, yOus VOLTA dc TetOur. Ca a etc bien
lOL y and then hurst into The PFiupa
was affected, and offered the old man his hand,
who stood as If glOrfed, and gave all sorts Of
unconnected answers TO the questions asked
him. When he grew calmeT he told what he
had on his heart. He was seYenty.tw0 years Of
age, veteran OF the First Empire, served in
Egy pt, fought in twenty battles, and, what was
the chief thing, was personal friend OF the
MRmeluke Russian. Russian Among the Princes
suie was one who remembered that Russian
bad really once lived in the small house which
the Emperor gave him. Quite right" the old
man answered 1--WE lived there together and he
died there, too. Everything Is the same upslairs
as ii used 10 be-" The Pnnce-Presdent had
already got out Of the carriage and prepared 10
enter the house his officers followed him. Up
stairs are two small rooms, one Of which, Rus
taH's former apartment, Is sort Of museum. On
the walls are the various uniforms and arms of
the Mamelukes, and numerous other tTiies from
the campaign, among them the flask from which
General BOnaparte drank In Egypt. In the centre
is species of altar, with the Emperor's bust on
a small velvet cushion the Cross Of the Legion,
fastened to faded red ribbon. Everything clean
and ceVerly looked after, however. In the side
room there is field. bed, with table and chair
on the wall an old hussar uniform from the First
Empire the shake with the bright yellow plume
eighteen inches high, and 30 on.
The President examined everything, and
asked for explanations. The details I'm the old
mans story were excessively comieal, and
aroused general merriment, Thus he had inhabited
the small house for upwards of thirty years,
without any title for he simply inherited Il from
Russian who said 10 him -"When / am dead,
do you keep the house, they will leave you In 1t,
only tell them that the Emperor gave IL 10 u.s."
Strange TO say, the municipality Of Paris, though
recognized him as proprietaire, and taxed him
accordingly. No one Is happier In the whole
affair than the two shopkeepers, who, in the second
generation, pay the same rent as In 1928, fifteen