Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-12-05
Miscellaneous Reading.
A DASHING EXPLOIT.

man, and seeing nothing in life but one
series of tableaux, took his share in the
more stirring scenes in the capacity OF a
skirmisher. He tells the whole story in
his memoirs, and his account seems an
anticipation OF the best portions OF Raba-
ras. But his narrative of his expedition
70 scissors 10 seize some powder will be
found one of the most stirring bits OF ad-
venture in modern times,
He had heard Lafayette say that If the
King were 20 advance on Paris there
would be no powder 10 meet him with.
Alexandra conceived a bold scheme, and
proposed to the General to set oil fo-
s~oissops-a town he well knew-and
seize on the magazine there. Lafayette
laughed at the idea, but consented to give
him a pass to General Gerard, to which
Dumas oooliy added: land we recon-
mend his scheme TO you" From Gerard
Ne, with some difficulty, obtained a requi-
sition addressed to the authorities OF the
town for the powder. In this he ingeni-
ously i~nterpolated the words Minister of
Vera rank which no n bat himself
had conferred on the General. With
this official document he returned to La
fayette, and persuaded the old patriot to
write him a sort of letter of introduction
to the citizens of Scissors, recommend
ing them, "Alexandre Dumas, one Of our
combatants, " as a fit and proper person to
whom they should hand over the powder.
Then our hero-for such he was on this
occasicn-prepared himself for as spirit
ed and dramatic an adventure as can be
found in the books Of romance.
1t was about three O'Clock in tho after
noon Of the 30th of July, 1880. AS he
was hurrying away, he met q yong paint
er naned Bard, who was only nineteen.
He asked him to Join. The other agreed
with alacrity, and Alexandra, sending him
back for mis- double.barreled pistols and
his horse, set off himself in a cabriolet
for lie B~ourget, then the first post on the
road to scissors, and which has siace
obtained such q disastrous notoriety.
Arrived there, he exhibited his Lafayette
and Gerard letters to the Postmaster, and
demanded q chaise and horse for his mis-
sion. The Postmaster was friendly, and
even ea1pTesse, and supplied him at once
with what he asked. He went out to buy
som pieces OF calico-red, white and
b~lue-which were sewn into a tri'color
flag fixed to d broom,stick, which latter
was tied on TO the chaise. With this
ensign they started, in hopes Of getting
to Scissors about midnight. The Postmas-
ter shook his head, but, as he sagacious.
iy remarked, $50 many miracles had been
performed during the last three days that
it might be possible" As they hurried
through the various villages the flag
caused the greatest excitement. His
fellow.traveler, delighted, declared that
all was going s~plendidly, "but that they
ought to have some sort of cry"
"Shout away, then" said Dumas, ''and
while you are shouting I'll take ONE
sleep"
The only difficulty was, what was to be
the cry, anG, with some hesitation, the
now well-worn and tattered 'I1e la Re
8UblJgue' was decided on. Accordingly,
the young painter, his head out of the
window, and his flag waving, roared on.
On the high road they met a chaise going
so Paris, and a travelerof some fifty wears
old asked for news.
"The Louvre is taken; the Bourbons
ded; Provisional Government established
--vive Ia Republique!" the excited paint
cr poured out. The gentleman fifty years
old scratched his ear, and continued his
Journey. For the next stage they had an
old position, who persisted in going at a
steady trot, and, at every remonStrance,
answered dogGedly, leave it all to me.
A man knows his OWL business best"
Dumas, at last, from his chaise window,
laid on the backs of the horses with a
stick, and made them gallop. In a rage,
the man pulled up, wore he would I'M
yoke his beasts, and actually proceeded
to do so. Dumas fired at him with a
blank cartridge, and so scared him that
ne rolled on the ground in terror. Alex
andre then put on his huge posting-boots,
and, mounting, galloped on to the next
post. They soon reached the old familiar
yillers. Cotterets-the whole town, as may
well be imagined, being thrown into in
tense excitement by the appearance of
the chsise with the tricolor and the eX-
cited Alexandra Dumas. Late as it was,
every house poured out its inhabitants,
who rushed to the post-house. Athousand
eager questions were put to him-what
did it mean, this flag and the guns? He
knew all the townspeOple, and told the
story of the last few days. 1t was insist
ed that he should stay a short time, and
have something TO eat, and he was carried
off to the house of an old friend, where a
aasty supper was got ready. A number
of old companions, who had been boys
when he was in the little town, gathered
round, listening eagerly as their old friend
dcClaimCd and recounted between every
mouthfuI. As he dashed in for them,
which he could do admirably, vivid
sketches Of these thrilling scenes, the rus
tics listened with delight and wonder
but when he came to explain the object OF
his present expedition when | an
nounCed that | meant to capture, single
handed, all the powder that was in a mill.
tary town, containing 5000 Inhabitants,
and a garrison of 800 men"-they looked
ut him doubtfully, and thought he wa
crazeG. This was, of course, welcome to
Alexandra, who always delighted to put
himself in a theatrical attitude, and be
The center ofa dramatic situations. He
turned to his companion Bard:
What were my words when proposing
his expedition to you? :"
You asked was the reply, "was I in
Clined TO to get myself shot with you"
And what do you say nowt'
That | am ready still"
M were COMPOUNDED al such gallantry.
One OF his friends now stepped forward,
and offered to get him into scissors, as
he had q friend at the gates. Then Alex
andre, always anticipating his D'Artag.
nan, raised his glass, and drank to his
own return to them on the next evening.
Have dinner ready" he called to the
host, for twenty people; and it is to be
eaten lust the SAM, whether We are alive
or dead-here are two hundred francs.
The other answered that he might pay on
The morrow. 'But if | should be shot ?"
Then / shall pay" A shout arose.
"HuTrah for CARTIER Dumas drank Of