The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-24
As subsequent events proved, he had not /
heard q word his friend had uttered.

cent reception ball of the palace he found,
to his alarm and disgust, that he had thrust
a huge piece of tobacco In his mouth. TINT
had to be cot rid of before the Emperor ap-
peared. He looked anxiously about him.
The polished floors were like mafble, no
conveniences could be found, he windows
were inaccessible, the fre-plaees gorgeous
blesome contents were deposited in q rich
antique vase that graced niche In the wall.
We used to laugh at the legation over the
surprise that must seize upon the servants
while engaged in cleaning that vase, when
they would come upon this strange COM
pound, wondering what 1t could be, and
ending, perhaps, In sending the curiosity
| to the Academy Of Sciences for analysis.
That this learned body would eventually
pronounce 1t masticated tobacco we were
satisfied !; but whether learned and inge-
nious essay would not follow as to whether
the ancient Greeks knew of and used the
| weed. made up the question.
fhe interview with the Emperor was
pleasant and satisfactory. His Imperial
ln.isniticance was evidently struck with the
soldlerly figure and bearing of our Colonel,
and the talk about Indians and Indian
lighting was long and interesting. When
| it terminated, Judge Mason and bis friends
were conducted to the reception apart
ments OF the Empress. She, stood sur
rounded by the ladies and officers of her
household, in the subdued lieht of the
painted windows, beautiful as a roval poet's
dream. She was then in the noonday glory
Of her lovely womanhood. Her sweet face,
with features regular to fault wasSamed
in by hair delicate and bright essfhe silk
! upon the corn, with golden chestnut tfnoe
! impossible to describe. Her lovely head
sat on her white rounded neck with the
ease of bird on a swaying limb, while her
| graceful figure carried its drapery as If
every fold of the costly fabric were part
of her queenly self, and had been woven
into grace by fairy fingers.
Judge Mason presented his two compa-
triots, and Colonel McCrea, an accom-
plshed, self-posSessed gentleman, took I'D
the ,s conversation, and for some time it
flowed on gracefully and well. At last
Colonel Sumner thought it was time to say
something, and be said it.
81 have just returned from a visit to
your native land, your Majesty. found l,
very beautiful, but regret that I had moi
time to visit its famous battle-felds."
"Ah, Colonel SUMNER" she responded
graciously, land why were you SO hur
Iried?"
"I was bearer of dispatches, your Ma
ljestv. in the Black Warrior outrage" ,he
replied. -.
/ Here was trouble, here was diplomatic
complication. Judge Mason broke into
profuse perspiration, known to US at the
Bureau as "dtplomatic sweat" and tn tht
color came to the face of the Empress like
| II storm cloud, and her dove like eye:
seemed to change entirely, SO alive Were
: they with indignant flashes.
"You call that an outrage, do you, gen
/. tlemen-an outrage-that Infamous vessel
built to carry Lopez and his piratical fol
lowers?"
"I beg your pardon. your Majesty
broke in, desperately, Judge Mason, "tht
} Black Warrior was built after Lopez wa!
executed"
"I don't care don't care It was bull
. for an infamous purpose, and ought to have
been sunk" And on and on she continued
!, Judge Mason was sorely distressed; Col
McCrea looked as if amused; but Summer
!; grew indignant as her Majesty got wild
and when She said:
You want war, gentlemen-you want
war, so as to seize upon Cuba; and yol
think we cannot prevent it, with this Cri
mean war on our hands; but we have plen
ty OF arms, plenty of soldiers, and if the
worst comes to the worst, we'll turn the
negroes upon YOU"
~ beg your pardon, your Majesty
thundered sumner; lin protecting our
rights and defending our flag, we care
nothing tor your arms, soldiers, nor the
! niggerS."
Histone Of voice, together with dis
turbed movement on the part OF the officers
of the household, seemed to recall the EN-
press to herself.
81 cannot talk upon this subject, gentle.
men," she said in more subdued manner
60 must wish you good morning. Good
morning, gentlemen"
"Good Lord. Sumner - exclaimed Judge
Mason, while climbing, exhausted into his
carriage, "did L not warn you to say moth
ing about Cuba"
"See here, Judge Mason," replied the
wicked wrong-doer, "when a woman for.
gets her position, Pm not bound to remem-
| Der it. Talk to me about soaring us with
niggers. Pd half mind to box her Impe-
rial ears"
! Two of the actors in this little drama are
dead. the third is in exile, stripped of her
, Imperial robes, while the Empire itself has
disappeared like the baseless fabric OF Il
vision; but Cuba, then considered so frail
II possession, yet clings to the old Spanish
Government. DOM PIATT.