The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-11-28
Smith of Paris.

In our city there was large number of
Smiths. One of our Smiths had the ap-
pellation of "Smith of Paris"
All have heard of the Column Ven,
dome of Paris, an obelisk of great
height, with the figure of Napoleon l..
on top; the same that was torn down by
the mob of the Commune during its brief
but fierce reign after the Franco German
war. The radicals of Paris thought
nothing short of hammering Napoleon
down would do.
After the July revolution in 1880, the
figure was first hoisted up on the obelisk,
and there was to be great pageant got
ten up by King Louis Philippe and all
the world was invited to come to Paris
and see the show. Among them came
Mr. Smith of our city. He set out with
a large party, but he and a friend neg.
lected to engage rooms. So when they
arrived in Paris the evening before the
grand opening they found every respect.
able hotel full. Six hours were they
driving over Paris to find a ROOM any
room, merely to sleep in. At last, in a
dingy house in the suburbs, a landlord
said he had one bed left, but the room
was not very elegant. "No matter no
natter" shouted Smith; "let's have it at
once They were terribly fatigued,
hastily surveyed the bed, scarcely took
a look at the room, and tumbled in. In
few minutes they were sound asleep.
They slept the sleep OF innocence, and
many hours passed over their closed eve
lids Finally Smith woke up, but seeing
no daylight nor hearing any noise on the
streets, he recollected the fatigue of the
evening, turned around and took another
nap. After a while his friend awoke.
1t occurred to him that he had been
sleeping sound and long. lie concluded
tie have another nap after so much
trouble, In twenty minutes Mr.. Smith
moved again, and, finding all still, lis
tened if Mr.. Jones, his.fricnd, was awake.
lie found he was. ''Jones, he said,
couldn't you get up and look out of the
Windows" 81 WILL" said Mr.. Jones,
and felt around the room for window.
Finally he found one and opened it,
looked out and said: "All pitch dark
yet Smith-not a ray of dawn-it must
be quite early-nor any matches forgot
all about them in the fatigue last night
and the repeater has run down, toom
So back to bed.
Gradually they heard noises and vol
ces. Its queer" said Smith, and got
up to go for the window. He opened it.
and all was pitch dark yet. lie heard
somebody knocking, and asked: "What
time is itF'
''Just half-past ten"
"What2' shouted his friend, "half-
past ten; and the Ncndome Inauguration
comes off at ten o'clock, precisely! Why
didn't YOU waken usln
'Ah, messieurs, very, very sorry, but
you did not leave orders.
BY this time Smith had approached
the door and opened it. Daylight fell
in copiously from the outside, iiumna-
ating their lodging place. The "win-
dow" was cupboard with glass doors.
The apartment had no windows
They did not witness the grand cele-
bration, and left Paris in disgust
1t was a sore disappointment, but Mr..
Smith was not to be put down so easily.
He was going to Paris again on the very
first occasion there would be show,
and he would arrange quite differently.
The day came when the ashes of Ma
poleon |. lately brought from st. Helena
were to be deposited at the Dome of the