The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-07-01
A. Story Of Sedan.

I As pendant to the German official re-
port ON the battle of Sedan, the Paris cor.
respondent Of the London Times tells the
subjoined story concerning the cottage
where the two Emperors met: 1T Is
known In the locality he says, as La
Maison du Tisscsand,' La Maison de
l'Empereur,' or La Maison DIES Deux
Freres Ennemis.' The two first titles OK.
plain themselves, but the third is derived
from fact which is but little known, and
which is another proof that accession of
fortune is often acquired ut the expense of
domestic peace. The cottage is one story
high with . tiled Fsof. and stands parallel
to the road. A newly-built wall reaches
from the front of the house to the road
and divides the building in two; but be-
fore this historical interview this wall did
not exist. The house belonged to two
brothers, half to each. The room in
which the celebrated meeting was held
is in the corner of the cottage nearest to
Sedan; but in 1871 the entrance door was
at the other extremity nearest to Donchery
and looked upon the road in front. When
the room was being prepared for the inter-
view-that is to say, when the round table
and the two straw chairs, which still re.
main, had been brought in-the Emperor,
who was some distance off, was informed
that all was ready. He alighted from his
carriage, entered the front door, and went
up-stairs-that is to say, he came in at the
right side and entered the room situated to
the left. After the war was over, and in
deed before, a great many visitors went to
see the house, and, after the manner
OF tourists, were careful to follow
the same road, to 60 up the same
staircase and sit in the same room as Ma
poleon Ill. and Prince Bismarck. The
owner of the room soon began to make .
good thing of the curiosity Of the visitors.
He sold photographs of the house. The
four pieces of gold which the Emperor
had given to his humble hostess he had
framed and hung over tue mantelpiece,
for, curious to relate, it was tho fallen
monarch who paid in this way for the use
OF the audience-chamber. The proprietor
found, in short, that his unexpected meet
ing produced golden shower, but his
brother, the owner of the staircase, put in
claim for share of the profits. Hesaid
that as the visitors went up his staircase
he ought, in common justice, to get half
the proceeds OF the exhibition, and he
added that he would stop the way unless
his demands were satisfied. His brother
looked at the matter in different light,
arguing that the people did not come to
look at the staircase or the passage, but at
the room, which belonged to him. Day
by day the quarrel got worse; both were
equally stubborn and the domestic peace
of the house was fatally disturbed. Soon
a stone wall was built between the two
halves of the house, and the weaver
opened new door and erected new
staircase, so that nowadays visitors no
I(fAfApr fhn old cfoS t1o ri rh<
= hich the Emperor passed. Every
day travellers come from all parts of the
world to stare at the bare walls of the room
and sit in the straw chairs, so that the
weaver makes deal of money, but peace
is not restored in the Maison des henx