Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-02-09


Sumner received through the Legation
an invitation to one Of the Queens en-
tertainments or suppers in the palac,
gardens.
1t is great compliment paid you
Colonel Sumner" :" remarked Soule.
AT what hour precisely am to go2
asked the military bearer of dispatches
"Goi" cried Soule, ''you will moi
surely go; you must decline on the
ground of severe indisposition."
"And whyl"
"My dear friend, you do not under
stand this Jealous and tfeacherous
people. Were you to accept the invi
tatiOn, you would be assassinated
either in going or returning. or before
you could leave Madrid"
GA queens wishes are a soldiers
command responded the gallant colo
mel "When a pretty woman invites
me to an entertainment, / will take MY
chances"
And so the resolute 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 Inexperienced 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 lin the
gardens Of the palace at Madrid, Senior
Calderon de la Barca, who was so long
aresident of Washington city es 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 a mob that rose to the Dig
nifty CT revolution, because instigated
by the Queen, that the government of
his gracious sovereign Isabella was
about rs 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 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
intellect, had been thrown naked into a
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.
at 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 Summer 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.
ID. X. McCrea, then our consul at Paris.
The day selected was Sunday, the one
ordinarily given to such ceremonies by
the court 1t was a beautiful morning,
with a sunlight softened from the glare
we suffer by the moist atmosphere
through which it shines in Paris. Col.
Sumner had his apartments directly
above those we then occupied in the
Rue de Hivuli, and, for hours after
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 half-open
door / heard the Colonel addressing
Madeleine, our bonnie, very pretty girl,
by the by, who had learned Just one
English phrase, and that was Yees,
sir"
"well, my good girl" heard Sum-
ner ask in his bass voice, "can you
speak Englishi"
"Yees, sir"
every good now will you have my
boots polishedl"
"n est done drole, ce monsieur la,
avec ses bottes," responded Madeleine
soliloquizing.
"Ehl what, can't you speak En-
glisha"
"Yees, SIR"
"Yell, / say, black my boots"
"u parle Francais CONNIE una vache
Espagnole," she continued.
1 saw that it was another case OF
"hnd me the loan of y'r gridiron," and
so went to ths 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. 1 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. n. the minister's carriage
ratified to the door, and the minister
accompanied by the Hon. d. K. Nc
Crea, ascended to our little drawing
room So soon as Old Virginia's spec
linen of diplomatic adipose could gel
breath for the purpose, it attacked
Sumner:
isI say, Sumner, what's that2"
"Thatl why that's our soldiers hat
"I'm going to showit to the Emperor.
You're not going to wear ita"
"Yes, / am."
"well, I'll be -" Iwon't go
/ VIC II 6Ce Pue OAb ~ Vic SCI soAtc- Wv
couldn't get in. Why the devil dom
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
tion. as he subsequently confided to me
in q very injured tone. He wished t.
exhibit this hat to the Emperor, and
himself to the Empress. But the min
lister was master of the situation. Hi
wiehes could not be ignored.
"Confound ii" said the Colonel, il
q sulky tone, Give got no other"
"Well, buy one" said Judge Mason
and Madeleine was dispatched for tina
purpose to tie street. and soon return
ed with an elegant French chapea'
with the French colors. Sumner swor'
that he would not sail under false colors
"Well, then, pluck the feathers out,
growled the Minister, "and let's 60
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 he
Gxy