The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-04-13

Inc summers OF Napoleon were spent
chiefly at Malmaison-the winters al
Saint Cloud and the Tuilerios. Winter
had come on and the First Consul had
been holding court in the great apart
ments of the last of these places. II
was the third of that month, which Re-
publicans well called Nivose. and in the
evening Bonaparte entered his carriage
to 60 to the opera. accompanied by his
aid-de-camp, Lauriston, and Generals
Lannes and Berthier. The vehicle was
about to start, when q female wrapped
in black mantle. rushed out upon the
Place Carousel, made her way into the
midst of the guards about to accompany
Bonaparte, and held forth a paper to
the latter, crying:
Citizen Consul, Citizen Consul, read!
read!'
Bonaparte, with that smile which
Bourriene describes as irresistible, salut-
ed the petitioner, stretched out his hand
for the missivc. "a petition, MADAME"
said he, inquiringly, and then contin-
ued: "Fear nothing; / shall peruse it
and see justice done"
Citizen Consult" the woman,
impatiently joining her hands
What she would have futhcr said was
lost. The coachman, who, il was af-
terward said. was intoxicated, gave the
lash to his horses, and they sprang of
with the speed of lightning.
The Consul. throwing into his hat
the paper he had received, remarked to
| his companions: IL could not well see
her figure. but think the poor woman
is young"
The carriage dashed along rapidly.
st. Nicholas whena frightful defamation
was heard, mingling with and followed
by the crash of broken windows, and
the cries of injured passers-by. The
Internal machine had exploded Unin-
jured, the carriage of of the Consul and
its inmates was whirled with undimin-
ished rapidity to the opera. Bonaparte
entered his box with serene brow and
unrufiled department. He saluted, as
usual, the assembled spectators, to
whom the news of the explosion came
with all the speed which rumor exer-
cises upon such occasions. All were
stunned and Supplied. Bonaparte only
was perfectly calm. He stood with
crossed arms, listening attentively to
the oratorio of Haydn, which was exc
cuted on that evening. Suddenly, how
ever, he remembered the paper put in
to his hands. He took it out and read
lhese lines:
''In the name of heaven, Citizen Con-
sui, do not go to the opera tonight, or,
if you do go, pass not through the
streets of St Nicholas.
On reading these words, the Consul
CHANGED to raise his eyes. Exactly op-
posite to him, in box on the third tier,
sat the young girl of the chapel of st.
Cloud, who, with joined hands, seemed
to utter prayers of gratitude for the es-
cape which had taken place. Her head
had no covering, but her flowing chest
nut hair and her person was wrapped
in dark mantle. which the Consul
recognized as identical with that worn
by the woman who had delivered the
paper 90 him ut the carriage door on
the Place Cafouscl.
$50, said he, quietly but quickly, to
Lannes; $50 To the box exactly oppo-
site to w, ON the third tier. You will
find Young girl in a black mantle.
Bring her 10 the Tuileries. must see
her, and without delay" Bonaparte
spoke thus, and without raising his
eyes, but to make Lannes certain of the
person, he took the Generals arm, and
pointing upward, ''Sec there--lookr'
Bonaparte stopped suddenly. The girl
was gone No black mantle was to be
seen. Annoyed ut this beyond meas
ure, he hurriedly sent Lanncs to inter-
cept her. IL was in vain. The book
keeper had seen such an individual,
but knew nothing about her. Bona
parte applied to Fouche and Dubois, but
all the zeal in these functionaries failed
to find her.
Ill.
Years ran on after the explosion Of
the Internal machine and the strange
accompanying circumstances which
tended to make the occurrence more re-
markable in the eyes of Bonaparte. To
the Consulate succeeded the Empire, and
victory after victory marked the career
of the great Corsican. At length the
hour of change came. Allied Europe
poured its troops into France, and COM
PEELED the Emperor TO lay down the
scepter which had been so long SHAKEN
in terror over half of the civilized world.
The Isle of Elba became for few days
the most remarkable spot on the globe,
and finally the resuscitated Empire fell
to pieces anew on the field of Waterloo
Bonapartc was about to quit France
The moment had come for him to set
foot in.the bark which was to convey
him to the English vessel. Friends who
had followed the fallen chief to the very
last were standing by to give him q fl
nal adicu. He waved his hand to those
around, and smile was on the lip