Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-10-17
4 STORY or THE PRINCE IUPE.
RTII

4 STORY or THE PRINCE INPE-
RTiL.
About fifteen years ago, when the Second
Empire was in the hcyday Of its prosperity,
u great commotion occurred one day ut the
Palace of the Tuileries. The Prince Imperial
was missing His tutor NJ Monni,r his val
ct Uhlmann, his equerry NJ. Bachon, might
have been observed tearing down the terrace
which skirts the Quai du Louvre, followed by
young Louis Conneau, the Princes playmate.
Young Conneau appeared ready to cry and
the three officials aboyc-namCd seemed dis
posed to hold him responsible for the mishap
which they dreaded, for every now and then
they turned round, gosticulatiug, and sharply
repeated the question. when did You see
him last - II was about ten O'Clock on
summer morning, and the public part of the
Tuileries gardens was already crowded with
nurse maids and children. Some other walk
ers were abroad too, inhnliug the tonic Of
Partisan June air, and several of these. Lotic-
ing the goings to aud fro Of the persons on
the terrace, stopped and stared imagining
that some court dog must have played the
truaut. 1t would have given them an cleo
trical sensation if they could have guessed
that it was the heir to the throne who was be-
ing sought for among the rhododendrons
and lilac bushes. This little bit Of news, re-
tailed by them IN caics-as 1t would have
been very speedily ly-would have been enough
to occasion heavy fall in rentes, and to have
spread panic on the Boursc that afternoon.
The Princes tutor, equerry, and valet
knew this but too well ard SO did young
Conneau, whose youthful mind had long ago
opened to the comprehension that his impe-
rial playmate was not a boy like others.
Guards surrounded him all his steps were
watched he could not wander out of the
sight of those appointed to keep their eyes on
him without raising an amount Of fuss of
which COnueau himself always suffered rather
more than the Prince did. The functions of
whipping boy lad happily been abolished be-
fore Louis Conneau's time but whenever
the Prince did anything nmiss, it was Con
neau who was held blamcworthy. He was
told that he ought to set n better example,
that he ought not to lead his Imperial High
ness astray; that he was u boy who enjoyed
great honors, and had consequently big du-
ties-all of which sayings Conneau bore with
an air of outward pcuiteuce, but with inward
mutny. Now this much -lectured youth hap
pened to know that the Prince Imperial
chafcd considerably under the tutclagc in
which he was held, aud had long cherished
the ambition Of going forth and having long
days spree by himself in the streets of Paris
There was a certain friod-pOtato stall where
III. |. II. had said he should like to regale
himself iHcogHitO. aud he much wished to go
and mix with the herds of boys whom he had
seen streaming out of the Iycces towards four
in the afternoon, and TO join some of those
delightful combats which they waged among
themselves with their dictionaries and satch-
els. Too generous to drag his comrade into
a scrape the Prince had never asked Con
neau to join him in an escapndc but he had
solemnly warned him that on the first occa-
sion when he should catch NJ. Monnier nap.
ping, the officer on guard DOING and the
sentry at the garden gate looking stupid on
his post, he should avail himself of this COM
binaton of circumstances and be of. Louis
Conneau had treated this confidence as sa-
cred, but he had used the voice of wisdom to
persuade the Prince that there were just as
good fried potatoes to be had at the Tuler-
les as at the corner of the Rue St Honorc,
and that eating these dclicacies with ones
fingers out of piece of greasy yellow paper
constituted no shch treat as II. |. II. fancied.
However, the Prince seemed now to have
disregarded the advice, and Conneau, harried
by questions, was at last fain to own that he
thought'hs Hghness had gone out for a bit
of fun.
Fun" yelled NJ. Monnier, lifting his
arms in desperation docs he think it fun
to make MS run about after him in this fash
ionI Where has he gone, now Tell us ut
once if you know"
Perhaps he has gone to buy two sous
worth of potatoes" suggested young Con
neau timidly. 1t was hazardous statement
TO make, for the three officials gared ut him,
as if they thought n jest would be most un-
seasonable at such II moment.
Potatoes" :" echoed the erudite VI. Mon
nier. "Why, he only breakfasted an hour
ago"
Boys are often ready for two breakfasts"
remarked NJ. Bachon, the equerry, luminous
ly.
That's not the question, " cried the tutor,
retracing his steps, and walking rapidly back
toward the palace. "You must lead us to the
potato shop Conneau, if you know where it
is. Quick come, now, l take il for granted
that you are not misleading us.
II can't affirm he has gone for potatoes"
whined Conneau, feeling the conjuncture was
serious. perhaps he has gone to have a
fight with the Lycde boys"
''Mein Gott a fight init raurieHS" ex-
claimed UhlmRnn, his honest Alsacian face
turning to the color of beet-root.
mot n word more" gasped NJ. Monnier,
for they were nearing a sentry, and observed
the captain of the guard standing on the
steps of the Pavilion de Flore, and shifting
the air as if he smelt something in the wind.
"Come along, come along we must keep
this from the Emperor he would become i'll
from alarm"
And from the Empress, whispered NJ.
Bachon, who feared that her Majesty's wrath
might possibly not manifest itself in silent
prostration.
1t was great responsibility that the party
were assuming in concealing the Princes dis
appearance from the Emperor for there was
a standing order at court that il anything hap
pened to the Prince, his Majesty was to be
informed of it without delay, and that the
Prefect of Police was TO be telegraphed for,
1t was Just possible that the Prince might
have been kidnapped and under these cir
cumstances it was of the utmost importance
that the Prefect should be warned at once, in
order that the entire brigade of the secret po-
lice might be thrown out over the capital like
a huge net closing its meshes all over the
railway stations and the gates which lead out