The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-28

ses.,,s sin,nsf f1crasI Making all allow
at,te for Dimass bonatast IL VIII Ds sssn
5that at the most he has only bcen glilty " ~
the noyelists eyaggeratiofi mid Trough ~ I.
thef{yne the stery Of the adventure WIS a sl
Init scented. Ii could not be disproVeo I'D ns
facts, which are given with the most minute
details Of dates. names, ana phces. ~ wao
settled that Bard and Hutin were 10 takeLo u
fIar aud contriye to get into the eatheaIa,
under pretence of seeing the sun rise lson1
ths tower. II the sacristan made any re-
,istanca he was to be Gung over tao parapeR'
Then. having dragged down the Whlte nag
md act the ty..coiOr floating over the lower,
Hard was to hurry OH to lend bis cid TO Du.
mas who would be engaged at the powGcr
,nsrazi1,e. Such was the dlshinS plan Vi
these three men. :.
THEY started at day break, and Dumas made
his way to the Fort st. Jean, where snlaii
n1yilou close 10 the gateway was USED as Tue
narazinc. He dared not attempt the gaze,
hut stealing round, climbed upthe wall eau
fiotisIy and took peep into the lott. ne
saw two soldiers busy hoeing III little gar
ID, ot tie corner. He let himself DOWN
AGAIN and looked oyerat the distant cathearai.
RE saw distinctly against the sky dark out
line Of some figures; then the Wn'te nag,
of-cr being tossed about in an extraordinary
f,sh;on that could not have been owing 10
Tic wind, finally disappeared, ana tle VI
color TOOK is place. Now was Inc lnoh'eIt
his companions had done their part. NC
Sing bis tlouSle-barre!ied gun ABOUT niH
and began to climb the wall. " men ne
cot II Ibe top he saw the two soldiers
S,arinr With wonder at the strange flag
an the cathedral. then, cooking both bar
r,.ls Of his Gun, hc leaped down and stood
before them. One was named captain
No,i,rd; tho other, Sergeant Ragou. He
advanced on them, presenting his piece, eX-
mining who he was aud his elTapd. he
was Monsieur Alexandra Dumas, sen OF
General Dumas, sc. he came in the nams OF
General Gatard TO demand the surrender OF
tine powder, and there was his order, sig ed
by the General, which he presented WITH one
hand. holding his cooked gun in the other.
'Thc MIR were much taken back, and knew
not Whit TO do, when the Colonel (POr'
courD. who WAS III command, was seen al'-
,roac;iing. The matter was explained to
him, and after many courteous phlascs
,,ra,y WAS ARRANGED by which the three
officers promised tliair neutrality and ell
ragct 10 keep within doors. Thus the
poyGcr-!a3"azine would seem 10 have been
cartrred ~ Dumas singe-;landed. 1t has
~. u,r Of Il very brilliant achievement, and
the lc;i,rt. Of the hero alone lii tue fort, Ills
finger OH the triggers Of his gun, courte-
o,,slv but firmly controlling his three opDo-
ncn;s. is q most dramatic scene. When
writing the account Of bis adventure, from
;yI,lel we take these particulars, however,
Du,uas ,cr-Cts that in the official report luF-
pjsn2i to tDc Noaitewr t"enty-thrse years
before he had stated that three OF bis
friends were waiting at the gate. :,
Thu, successful, he opened the gate aud
found bis friend Bard. TO bin le handed
owe, The Charge Of the magazine and went
away 10 deal wisl tho comlnandant Of the
fort. LINERS. lilo found this officer J0st
rising pn0 discussing ine news Of the sudden
nDpeaIance Of tbs dag Oh the Cathedral.
dumas laid down bis gun at the door, into
duc.d himself, and made his demand Tor an
order TO remove the powder. The other &c
ciHea u acknowledge General GertIu5 Or
der. and said that there was scarcely any
r3Wdvr in the magazine. The commandant
seemed. III feet, rather amused, and smiled
scorufujv when Dumas answered that the
na,;v at lie magazine were his prisoners,
Alexandra replying that he would 60 back NJ
once and brn. proof under their hand That
The powder was there, made his bow and re-
tired. lie llc;r buck, found that lie was right,
aDd returned presently with satisfactory
proof that Il large quantity Of powder was
j., tie mawizinc. But when he reached the
communicates Office nc found That the parry
had hecn increased during his absence, and
that Lenieria, III. officer oi gendd,n,s, ana
Bouyiiiiers, colonel vi The ens1ueers, were
l,lefc IN iuil uniform AID armed. The
commandment addressed him in sort Of BAN
tc.ing tone, telling him that ne bad sent for
these officers, who, with him, were i'll con-
nllud CT the tnWD, in order that they mlg"t
Egyc the pleasure OF hearing u. Dumas OK
,;Iajn his mission. The young man saw that
Lo;Gnc,s WAS his only resource. anu coo'ly
told him that lie had been engaged by La
.lyutte 20 bring the powder TO PARIS, or 10
lose lis lie, aud that he insisted on the CON-
IA ,udanJ handing over that powder 10 HIM.
he ctIieers passed Oh Gcrard's order from
one TO the other with SOFT OF smiling cIll-
tempt.
"Aud So" said the commandant, III the
same TOME SO, sing lc-handcd, Monsieur
plunas--I think you said that was your
nane--yUu propose 10 force NE 10 uo THIS.
You see hat We Gre Jour-"
The Young man saW that matters were
coming IL crisis, and took Il prompt re&olu-
ton. De stepped back, pulled his double
barrclied pistols from his pocket, ana pre-
senteu them at tLe startled party. You
are four" he said, gentlemen: but we are
five. Il that order DC not signed III hve
seconds / give YOU my word OF honor /
Will blow your brains out, beginning with
tie commandments there /"
lie owned he felt n little nervous, but he
was determined.
take cue," he went en- a mean What
say. / am going to colnt. Ohc-Mo-
three -
At TIL, critical moment 4 side-door was
flung open, and lady flung herself among
lhcu liz Il l)ar0Xysm .; alarm.
Agree .ugrce!" she cried. "Ob, this Is
another revolt Of tic negroes. Think OF ny
poor father and mother, whom they mur-
L~rci in Il. Domingo"
Alexandra owned that the lady's mistake
was cXcu>able. considering Iii, own natura!
lint illecpened by violent browning from
the sum, aud the peculiar character of hair
and voice. But VIC may wonder at the IL.
scn.ibilily to ridiculc which could prompt
him TO set down such Il jest at his own en-
pellsc.' The truth WIS lie was so filed with
vanity that all the nicer senses became
Uluntcd, and ho WIS even UNCONSCIOUS o.
the roals Of laughter tlase foolish conf.
t.ences produced. The commanltlnt could
not resist the entreatieS OF his wife. Alcxan-
Dire declared that he had infinite respect for
the lidy, bu, cutrcated her husband to send
herawly and lie. the men ILL ,sh the business.
The poor communicate protested that his self
respect must be respected. He could not
decenily yield to a siuglc man. Alexandra
tnen offered to s;s1 paper to the effect
that the order had Dcen cxtorted at :" The
mouth Of tie pistol-barrel.' "Or would
you prefer" he added, THAT should fetch
two or three Of my companions, SO that you
shDuii seem 10 huYr WELDED to moro re-