American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-03-08
: A Story of Napoleon,

In the beginning of his consulate he
often used to escape from the Tuilleries
disguised in big great coat and large
round hat, so that even the soldiers did
not know him, and go early in the morn
ing to Gen. Sebastian's lodgings, awaken
him, and walk arm in arm along the Bou-
levards. In one Of these morning walks,
Bonaparte wishing to make handsome
present to his Josephine, stopped at a
large store of precious curiosities. They
found chamber maid cleaning the store,
went in and asked the master of the house.
The servant answered in dry tone, that
there was no master of the house, looking
with suspicious eye upon the two in
truders. whom she thought might be
pair of rogues who had entered the store
so early, truly with no favorable exterior,
their boots and great coats covered with
mud. She ran quickly into bed room
where two young clerks slept, and awaken
ed them in haste, whilst the two stran-
gers looked upon each other aud smiled.
One of the young men came hastily aud
half clothed from his room and asked
their pleasure. Bonaparte's eyes fell up
on two large and beautifully transparent
vases of an exquisite workmanship whilst
Sebastian spoke with the clerk, who sent
Immediately for the mistress of the store,
when Bonaparte in his a! rupt and per-
emptory manner, asked tn" price of these
vases; the widow measured him from
head to foot and said, "that their prices
were beyond his reach"
"That may be madame" said Bona
parte, irritated but still in moderate
tone, but think it would not cost much
to answer my question"
"Ten thousand francs, sir" answered
the lady in a dry tone.
"Well, madame, is that your lowest
price?"
Yes, sir, have but one price, as ev-
cry one of my customers know"
"Well, madame, think | shall buy
them; be so good as to place them aside,
so that nobody else may take them"
"But, sir" said the astonished lady
"how then? 1 shall say thcy are sold,
but-but-"
"What but, madame ?" said Bonaparte,
growing warm.
Sebastian gave him hint and said:
Madame is right; she does not know
us, and of course is not to be blamed for
asking at least something by which she
might be assured that we are in earnest"
lie handed her at the same moment
bank note of one thousand francs. The
widow, still more astonished, received the
note. turned and returned it, and handed
it to clerk, directing hiD ~ whisper
to 90 to neighbor's and see if it was
not forged one, and then addressing
-herself to the two strangers, said with the
Parisian gracefulness so characteristic of
all those female shop-keepers.
Gentlemen, | ask your pardon; you
appear to be fine and we'll .red gentlemen,
but God knows since that Corsican has
been as the head Of our government, we
are overrun with rogucs and vsgabonds,
who have ever attempted to commit for
geries, (Which is true, and, therefore, |
have sent to my neighbor's who is an
agent de change, "a broker,) and who un-
derstands his business well"
"But how, then madame, thought
Bonaparte was good Frenchman," said
the consul, ''and although born in Corsi-
ca, that be has never ceased to be a
Frenchman.
Yes, yes," answered the merchant,
smiling, she has been good French
man, because he was too greatly interes-
ted to be otherwise"
Sebastian saw that Bonaparte began to
grow warm, and interrupted the loquac-
ious lady by asking her what she had
to say of the first consul, if he had not
crushed anarchy, re established order, and
put France in fourishing state"
Yes, he has so re-established order
that we have now instead of laws, bayo-
nets-iDstead of liberty. slavery, and a
legion of miserable spies who denounee
aud arrest every one who dares to speak
against him or his adherents."
This woman was of an exalted charac-
ter, very handsome and bold, and aston
ished both by her vehemence and the
facility with which she talked to them.
8onaparte could not resist interrupting
her in saying, 'but, madame, you forgot
yourself in touching those very delicate
political matters, in which you cannot
have the least concern, being obliged Of