Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-23
Napoleon.

Napoleon WAS very fond of walking
the streets of Paris ancognit0, in search
OF adventures. On these occasions
he generally wore round hat aud long
blue great coat, in which his appear
ance was not altogether prepossessing.
In consequence of this he was occasion
ally received with GOODNESS and i'll
difference, to which, IA pr0pria persona,
he was uuaccustomed.
One morning shortly before Christ.
mas, he rose as early rs seven. aud az
companied by Duroc, grand marshal
of the palace, who wore the same sort
of disguise IS Napoleon, left the
Tuilleries inst as day was breaking.
After q walk through the Palace Ven.
dome, thence to the Rue de Napoleon,
where he much admired the splend.!
mansions which had recently been
erected there. chatting Familiarity with
Duroc, he observed
"It seems to me that the Parisians in
this quarter are very lazy, to keep
their shops shut at this time of day."
Discoursing thus they arrived at the
Chinese Bath Rooms, which had been
recently painted and embellished. AS
they were criticising the decorations
of the exterior the cafe, which be.
longed to the establishment, opened.
"Suppose we enter and breakfast
here. said Napoleon to Duroc. "What
do you say Has not your walk given
you an appetite p
"Sire, it is too early; it is only eight
o'clock"
Bah bah ! Your watch is always
slow. AS for me, am quite hungry.
Afterward We can return home"
And without waiting for an answer,
Napoleon entered the cafe, took his
seat at table, called the waiter and
ordered some mutton chops and a bot
tie of Chambertin wine. After having
breakfasted very heartily, and taken q
cup of coffee, which he protested was
better than he was supplied with at the
Tuiileries, he called the waiter and de-
manded the bill, saying to Duroc:
Pay, and let US return now"
Then, rising and going to the door,
he began to whistle an Italian recitative,
and endeavored to appear at ease.
The grand marshal after fruitlessly
searching his pockets, found that, hav-
ing dressed in haste, he had forgotten
his purse, and he we'll knew that Ma
poleon never carried money about him.
Nevertheless, the waiter came and pre-
sented the bill to the grand marshal,
who stood mute with surprise at not
being able to discharge it, although
the amount was only twelve francs.
Napoleon, not knowing what detained
Duroc, and not accustomed to be kept
waiting, re'entered, saying impa.
tiently:
Come, make haste, it is late"
The grand marshal, now compre-
bending the unpleasant situation in
which he was placed, and thinking that
the best way to get out of it was to
avow frankly his inability to discharge
the debt, approached the mistress of
the cafe (who sat silent and Indifferent
at the counter) and said politely but
confusedly
Madame, my friend and myself
lett home this morning little precipi-
lately; We quite forgot to bring our
purse-but l give you my word that in
an honr | will send you the amount of
your bill"
-" 1t may be 50, SIR" coldly replied
the lady; "hut l know neither of YOU,
and We are every day taken in in this
manner. oyou think that"
Madame" interrupted the grand
marshal, reddening with rage at this
answer. 1--WE are men of honor-we
are officers of the guard"
Oh, yes fine excuses, truly-offi.
GERS of the guard, indeed "
At these words, men of honor and
officers of the guard, which Napoleon
had overheard, he turned round. and
IN voice which had caused heroes to
tremble, demanded:
What is this all about? ?"
But at a sign from Duroc, he re-
NAMED impatlently where he was. The
waiter now stepped forward and volun-
teered to be answerable for the debt,
with which assurance the mistress of
the cafe was satisfied. Duroc regarded
the young man with surprise, and
drawing from his pocket gold watch
enclrcled with brilliants, said to him {:
My friend, you have acted nobly;
Eeep this watch till l return to recon-
pense you"
Sir" replied the waiter. 81 have
no wish to take it; feel convinced that
you are men of honor"
Good, my FRIEND" said the grand
marshal, you shall never repent your
confidence in u.s."
he then rejoined the emperor.
on their way to the palace, Duroc
recounted the particulars of the ad.
venture to Napoleon, who laughed
heartily, and was much pleased with