Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-16

I
frances, one to the right. the other to tn
left. They took, behind the house. tn
staircase Of the left hand part, = little
steep, winding staircase Of wood. The,
reached the first and solitary story, guild
ed by the woman of the house and, open
ing the door OF 4 narrow chamber stu
, ated to the right Of the entrance, the,
shut themselves up there, after making
sign to the woman to withdraw. She re
manned outside while they talked. Thei
voices were low. The emperor SCENE,
crushed. 1t was in this interview tina
Napoleon threw upon his people the re
sponsibility Of war, which his familiar
had declared necessary to tho dynasty
A round table covered with oil.cloth sep
arated the two men placed before til,
window, their gaze upon the land wher'
death had done its work, they remained
Bismark at the right of the mantel.piec
/, and Napoleon at the left. On tho man
tel-piece were some little ornaments o
porcelain gilded with German gold,
special metallic composition, so called, ant
an image representing St. Vincent d,
Paul. The two shepherds Of men coule
contemplate the image Of one who ha.
never knoSn what it was to shed tn.
blood of others.
| The woman Of the house has causct
tho five gold.pieccs that Napoleon pu
into her hand when the conversation wa.
over to be set in frame and su ,pendct
against the wall.
Incredible and ironical as it may seem
this interview Of Donchery, which marked
the fall Of an empire, was destined at tn,
same time to bring an unexpected rivalry
into the house Of the weaver, formerly Sc
peaceful and SO industrious an abode.
This weaver's house was in reality the
house Of two weavcrs, the brothers Fourn
aisc, who worked there in common, both
married and both happy. When Ma
poleon and Bismark passed that way
the humble dwelling became on the NOR
row something like an historical monu.
ment: Visitors crowded thither-tour'
lists, travellers. Englishmcn. Every
body paid to see the room Of the
interview, and to cast glance at the five
louis left by the emperor and at the
image Of St. Vincent de Paul. Some
amateurs Of historical relics even propos.
ed to purchase the five framed gold.pieccs,
and to pay very high for them.
''They arc not for sale,'' replied the
weaver.
And he contented himself with selling
photographs of the house.
All this only pro6tcd one of the
brothers Fournaise, the one into whose
rooms the emperor and NJ. Bismarck had
entered.
'The house belongs to US both,'' said
the other. 1T was by chance they vent
up stairs to the left that is to say to
your room; when they might just as we'll
have gone up the right.hand staircase -
that is to say, to mine, Let US share,
therefore, the potts Of the adventure,
and let us put into common purse these
new earnings, as we'll as those Of our past
labor
mot at ALL made answer that one of
the brothers Fournaise who had received
the visitors; lit was to my home that
they came, and the profits are all mine.
Each for himself and so much the worse
for you.''
The women also interfered. Irrita.
ton and bitterness arose. After so many
years of mutual affection, jealousy di.
vided those Two good hearts, and finally
brought about separation.
To-day little wall of stone rises in
the midst of the house of the wcavers,
and scperatc their two abodes. They
continue to dwell side by side
they must for their roof is there. But
they no longer speak and the Fournaise
who continues to work looks with envy
on the Fournaise who can, if he pleases,
save money while sitting, with his arms
folded, only using his hands to pick up
the coins that fall constantly into his lap
since tho war.
As was returning to Sedan, my coach.
man said to me:
ibid you see the five gold.pieces that
Napoleon gave to the weaver's wife -
YES"
''Did you remark one thing?"
''What is that g.
"Among the five pieces Of gold there
are no two alike. There is one of them
Napoleon l., one of Louis XVIII, one of
Charles x, one of Louis Philippe, and
one of Napoleon III.-the last five reigns.''
The last five rcigns! Those words
struck me. Chance caused Napoleon III,
in drawing from his pocket five gold
pieces, to take thence five different coins.
Chance has often incredible, ironical, ter.
rible encounters.
The two passwords for the guard of
the palace of the Tuileries--pass.wo words
settled, according to custom, a long time
beforehand for tho 4th of September,
1870, were-will it be believed Soult
and Sedan
Why write romances, invent tragedies,
seek for the impossible, the astonishing.
and the touching, when there exists that
eternal tragedy, that incredible romance,
that living impossibility called history!
4 ROYAL CHRISTENING IN HAWAII,
The Honolulu Gazette, describing the
public and private observances of Christ
mas in that city, says: "Saint Andrew
Church was filled to overAowing at O..
clock p. m, to witness q novel scene in
l.onolulu.-thc christening Of an infant
Princess, the first christening of tho kind
since that Of Victoria Kamamalu, sister
Of the late Kamehamcha w aud V. The
bsptismal font was decorated with white
flowers and the Savior's words, Suffer
little children to come unto me- The
ceremony was performed by Bishop vii.
lis, the king appeared as godfather, and
the Queen with her Royal Highness Luka
kcelikolani as godmothcrr. The babe
was elegantly dressed in a baptismal
cashmere robe embroidered with sill, and
behaved with the utmost respect while
receiving its princely name, Victoria Ka
wekiu Kaiulani Lunalilo Kalaninuiahila.
palapa Clcghorn, not uttering sound
during the service. At 2 p. m. there was
{ reception at the palace in honor of the
event, where gathered promptly at the
hour named ono Of the finest asscmblages
wc have ever seen in this city. Ills
Majesty assisted by the Governor and
his Ministers received the guests
at the front entrance the Queen,
assisted by the Prince ROYAL
and ladies Of the court, received them
in tho drawing.rooms. At 2:30 o'clock
the guests were invited to partake of Z
collation. in the dining.hall. The table
was supplied with every relish that even
an epicure could wish for. An hour was
spent mere very pleasurably, when part
Of the guests left, many Of them having