The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-02-28
: G-CRY OF THE HOTEL DES IN
VAJJDES

III ~. of the great gateway OF the hotel
les iuvalides, the visitors may see an
old brass gold-piece bearing upon its
hreech the following inscription Louis
she Great honored, with his august pre-
sence, for the first time, his hotel dcs
1nvalides, ON the 9th of May, 170J.
That was famous day The war
worn veterans were ranged in line; two
thousand brave fellows, all more or less
mutilated IN war, pressed round the
pierced and tattered banners they had
won in many hard contested fields.
Some had fOugh at Fribourg or Rocroy,
others at the passage of the Rhine, or
the taking of Maestricht; a few of the
oldest had assisted the capture of
Rochelle, marched under Richelieu,
and remembered Marshal Turenne.
Louis XIV. was to pay his first visit to
these relics of his battalions, and they
were awaiting his coming.
At length, surrounded by magnif-
cent cOrtege of guards and mobiles, the
royal carriage approached. With that
delicate courtesy so well understood by
the king, the troops in attendance were
ordered to fall back as he entered the
gateway.
M. de Breteuil, said the monarch
to the captaian of his guard, g the king
of France has no need of an escort when
he finds himself in the midst of his vet
Grams.
Followed by the dauphin, the mar
quis de LOuvais, and other persona9es
of distinction, Louis carefully inspected
the invalids, pausing now and then to
address n few kind words to those whom
he recognized. One very young lad
CHANGED TO attract the kinkg's attention.
His face was pale, and he was still suf-
feTlng from an ugly wound in the neck,
What Ia yo:r name p asked Louis
. MaurIC,. s-re.
In What battle were you wounded ?"
g At Blenheim. sire "
At that word the brow of Louis dark
ene1.
. Under what marshal did you serve?"
Sire, under Monseigneur de Tai
lard"
"De Tallard can reckon q sufficient
number of glorious days to efface the
memory of that one, said the monarch,
turning to Louvdis. even the sun is
not without a spot.
And again addressing the young sol
dier, he asked "Are you happy
here .
All, sire. replied Maurice, your
maiesty's goodness leaves us nothing to
wish for
"And are you all happy, my chill
dren?' asked the king, addressing linn
self to the attentive soldiers
Military discipline up t. this moment
had required silence, except from the
person addressed; but now the kings
question was to put to all, and two
thousand voices shouted together -
" Certainement Certainement Vive
ze roi y
Accompanied by the governor and
gaurd of honor from the invalides. tn
of whom had each lost an arm, and ten
each one a leg, while all were scanned
and SCARED with honorable wounds,
LOUis inspected every part of the grand
establishment The royal procession
quitted the hotel amid The salutes OF
tn" invalids and noise Of cannon: and
the next day, in order to commemorate
the royal visit, the words already quot
ed were engraved on the piec2 of ordi-
paDcp.
One hundred and oneyears after this
event, the great Napoleon. mounting
his horse ut the gates of Sc. Cloud. and
accompanied only by a marshal, an aid
de-camp, and page, rode through; the
streets at his usual rapid rate toward
the Bois dc Boulogne. Drawing up at
the gate of Mailot, he dismissed the
marshal aud the page, and galloping
past the spot where the triumphal arch
was beginning to rise from its fOUuda-
ti01e, he directed his course, Rapp. the
aiG-de-camp, only attending him, along
the Champs Elysees toward the hotel
'CS invalides. As they approached the
4 4 Al
of the noble building first break upon
the view, Napoleon stopped and gazed
in silence. "Grand? grand ~ he re-
peated aloud once and again. "Louis
XIV. was every inch n king p And
then, riding up to the gates, he dis
mounted and gave his horse to Rapp.
q. I am going to visit my invalids this
morning, he said "hold my horse
my stay will be short
Passing beneath the arch and making
I'll" military salute to the guard-who,
seeing man in a military cap and un-
dresF over which last was half-but-
toned redingOte, supposed him to be
superior officer and allowed him to pass
Napoleon stopped in the great court
mld looked around him. Two old sol
diers, both bowed with wears, passed
conversation that they did not notice
him.
Jerome, asked the elder, ''did you
see him 9"
"No, father, replied the other e
did not but never mind, I'll teach bim
a lesson, thoughtless boy he Is, he won't
forget, once l get my eyes on him"
" But, Jerome" responded the elder,
q" the boy is young, and We must make
allowance for youth. You and [ were
boys, you know I dare say he has good
reason for DELAY"
Stepping out from behind the but
tress that half concealed him. Napoleon
addressed the men.
You are looking for some one. he
said - can assist you ,"
The youngerloobed up, and spying the
,..lLl O. .4l- Cp&L,.5 ilylH Jlu,.vr tltG
ridingote, touched his cay. and answer
ed -
Yes, colonel, thank you Ny faith
er, Maurice, and [ are waiting Tor nv
truant son, who should have been at
home an hour ago. He knows that his
Tandfather requires his help to reach
hH dormltory, for 1, you see, cant do
easily and he shook his empty
>leeve.
'' You are brave fellow, replied the
emperor and the boy is doubtless in
t1ult but why are Won so late. father?7
- Because, again answered the
,-Cmger, = II i the anniversary OF the
nnder whom my father served, and he
:lwgys keeps the day
What king -
His late majesty, Louis XIV, an
yvered the elder. who had not before
I'D ia Lax CO.., -i.,.,IJl.
"Louis XIV, !" repeated Napoleon, III
rstouishment. " Are YOU old enough to
ave seen Ie Grand Monarque? Where?"
" Here, in the Lnvalides. He spoke
- me and I answered him. replied
Maurice bis wrinkled face lighting mp
80 the proud recollection.
Pray, how old are you, comade 2
If | live Candlcmas, colonel, | shall
le 12l. "
. \ hundred AMI twenty-one years =
led the emperor " Here, old soldier
take my arm will do the grandson's
ssFNlCP. team on mo r.nTOr91P will