The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-02-10

igare of the soldier evidently strucl
her Majesty. That same day Colone
Sumner received through the Legation
an invitation to one of the Queens en-
tertainments or suppers in the pslac
gardens.
1T Is a great compliment paid you
Colonel Sumner, remarked Soule.
"At what hour precisely am to go7
asked the military bearer of dispatches
"Gol" cried Soule, "you viii no
surely go; you must decline on the
ground of severe indisposition.
"And why7"
"My dear friend, you do not under
stand this jealous and treacherouG
people. Were you to accept the invi
1 tation, you would be assassinated
either In going or returning, or before
you could leave Madrid" >.
ga queens wishes are a.'soldier's
command" responded the gallant colo.
mel "When a pretty woman invites
me to an entertainment, I will take my
chances.
And SO the nesolute fighter tucked his
sword under his arm and left. He
appeared next morning at the American
minister's residence In good health and
spirits; and Mr.. Soule must have
strangely misapprehended the Spanish
peoples jealous and treacherous spirit,
for Colonel Sumner came safely to Paris
on his return from his great diplomatic
mission.
Touching these entertainments in the
gardens of the palace at Madrid, Senior
Calderon de Ia Barca, who was so long
aresident of Washington city as Span
ish Minister, told men in Paris. where
he appeared with cotton umbrella and
carpet sack, an exile driven from the
Office of Minister of Foreign Affairs and
his home by mob that rose to the dig
nifty of a revolution, because instigated
by the Queen, that the government of
his gracious sovereign Isabella was
about as open and shameless in its dis
sipation and corruption as if it had be-
longed to a former age, when royalty
had the divine right to be wicked.
On one occasion great scandal was
caused by q report spread over the city,
that at one of the little suppers in the
gardens Spanish grandee, who had in
herited with his title more adipose than
4nteIlect, had been thrown naked into o
fish pond by his drunken companions.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs thought
it his duty to demonstrate with the
Queen; so asking an interview, he told
his story, and added his moral refec-
tions.
"It is falsehood, =" cried the Queen,
in some excitement; sit is low ma
hcious falsehood. He was not naked.
saw it all; he had his shirt on"
Colonel Sumner was anxious to be
presented at the imperial court; and
after the proper application the honor
was accorded him, through our minister,
the Hon. John Y. Mason; also to Col:
D. 4. McCrea, then our consul at Paris
The day selected was Sunday, the one
ordinarily given to such ceremonies by
the court. It was a beautiful morning,
with sunlight softened from the glare
we suffer BY the moist atmosphere
through which If shines In Paris. Col
Sumner had his apartments directly
above those we then occupied in the |
Rue de RivoH, and, for hours after I,
breakfast / could hear his heavy tread |
while busted In the important prepara-
tions for the grand ceremony. The
preparations were SO prolonged, that at
last / assembled on tour of inquiry. As
I approached, through the haif-open |
door I heard the Colonel addressing
Madeleine, our bonne, very pretty girl, |
by the by, who had learned Just one |
English phrase, and that was "Yees,
sir"
"Well, my good girl" I heard Sum-
ner ask in his bass voice, "can you
speak Englishi"
"Yees, sir.n
every good; now will you have my
boots polished2"
"n est done drole, ce monsieur La,
avec ses bottes, I" responded Madeleine !
soliloquizing.
"Ehl what can't you speak En-
glish7"
"Yees, SIR"
"Well, I say, black my boots"
"n parle Francois CONNIE una yache |
Espagnole," she continued.
I saw that it was another case of
"lind me the loan of y'r gridiron," and |
SO went to the rescue of my friend. |
His appearance somewhat startled me. |
His uniform, none of newest, had not !
been in its best days more picturesque |
and becoming than American uniforms |
were. Certain stains upon the coat |
might be Indian blood, and might be
tobacco. But to cap all, on his soldier
ly head was that hat, the result of JEFF. |
Davis anxious inquiries as how best |
to reform our army. said nothing, |
but assisted the Colonel In putting the
finishing touches to his toilet, all the |
while enjoying the anticipated pleasure |
of witnessing the shock evinced when |
my rotund and good natured chief, the |
Hon. John Y, came to see that hat. !
At eleven A NJ the minister's carriage
ratified to the door, and the minister, |
accompanied by the Hon. d. 4. Nc |
Crea, ascended to our little drawing
room So soon as Old Virginia's spec
linen of diplomatic adipose could get
breath for the purpose, it attacked
Sumner:
'tI say, Sumner, what's thsti"
"That3 why that's our soldiers hat
'Tm going to showit to the Emperor"
"You're not going to wear ltf"
"Yes, I am"
"Well. I'll be -" Iwon't go;
wen get put out by the servants. We
couldn't get in. Why the devil don't
YOU send it to the Minister of War
he viii show it to the Emperor"
Now, Colonel Sumner had two OBJ
jects in view in soliciting this presenta-
ton, as he subsequently confded to me
in very injured tone. He wished to
exhibit this hat to the Emperor, and
himself to the Empress. But the min
lister was master of the situation. His
wishes could not be ignored.
"Confound it." said the Colonel, In
sulky tone, I've got no other
"Well, buy. one, " said Judge Mason;
and Madeleine was dispatched for that
purpose to the street, and soon return
ed with an elegant French chapeau
with the French colors. Sumner swore
that he would not sail under false colors.
"Well, then, pluck the feathers out, "
growled the Minister, "and let's go,
for times up"
"Now," said the Minister, while roll
ing along towards the palace, "Sum-
ner, when you are presented to the En-
press, be careful to say nothing to her
about Cuba. She's an iltempered
woman, and won't stand much, 1 can