Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-11-15

ant accepted this proposal, and Alexandra
left him, bluntly declaring that no ad-
vantage must be taken of the delay or he
would return and "blow all their brains
out" and that the whole party must give
their parole of honor that they would re.
main exactly as they were,
eyes, yes" cried the lady. Alexandra
made her low bow, but declared that 1t
was not her parole that he wanted, The
Oommandant gave what was required of
him, and Alexandra, hurrying away,
speedily returned with two or three of
his men, whom he placed In the court.
Opening the window he called to them,
and bade them inform the gentlemen In.
side that they were ready to fire on them
at the first signal; an appeal answered by
the significant sound Of the cooking OF
guns. The Commandant understood,
and, going to hls desk, wrote out formal
order.
After this the rest was comparatively
easy. The magazine was broken open,
carts we're procured and loaded, and ut
about five o'clock they were outside the
town. Dumas was so exhausted that he
sank down on the grass, under q hedge,
and fell fast asleep. Reused up presently,
he started on his journey, and by eight
o'clock reached Villers-C Cotterets, where
they found the supper ready, which had
been ordered the evening before. After
jovial meal they set out once more, and
by three O'Clock in the morning were close
to Paris, at the post.house whence they
had started At nine he had presented
himself, with his powder, at the Hotel de
Vile, having triumphantly accomplished
the daring exploit he had undertaken.
When Alexandra told this adventure
Nf,a, SNf 1ard
and loud-scofi1ng laugh; such romance
as this was not thought worth serious
refutation, as coming from so amusing
and notorious gascOnader-an uncom-
plimentary appreciation which he owed
to the incurable vanity which always
madehim set his own figure in the most
effective and dramatic positions. But the
story is perfectly true, abating some
harmless exaggeration. 1t is to be found
set forth in a modest official report ad
dressed to Lafayette, published by his
direction in the M0Riteur of August Q,
| 1880, and signed by Dumas and the
| friends who assisted him in the expedi-
tion. The names of the various officers
whom he forced to submit to him are
given at length. When the memoirs
were published, in 1853, the son of the
Commandant, Liniers, did indeed, come
lOTWdIu with al lnulBudHt TeClbndtlOui
to clear the memory of his father, who
was then dead, but his testimony, for he
was actually present at the scene in the
Commandants Cabinet, only confirms
| Dumas account. The purport of the
sons letter is merely this that the town
was already ripe for revolt before Dumas
arrival, and that when the latter returned
with his friends, these were assumed to
be chiefs of the National Guard, already
known to be disaffected. In short, that
the officer yielded not to Dumas, but
TO an overpowering force behind him.
His son describes Dumas as parading
his pistols, and menacing the Command
ant, but declares that the presence Of the
! four officers armed and intimidated WAS
a fiction of the novelist. He admits, how
ever, that he himself and the Secretary
with Madame de Liniers-were present.
On the whole, the adventure may be ac.
cepted in all faith, and reflects credit on
! the great traconteur.-AH the Year Round