The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-07-03

neavy hIacK eyebrows ana nerce INNS
tache. He was plainly clad, but tbonol
his dress was that of a civilian he had
the bearing of soldier.
Captain Maurice Solange," said tn,
gentleman with the cigarette, "you anf
became acquainted some years since Al
the battle of SOlferino. You were tber
a private in the Twenty third regiment
l had lost my aid-de-camp. and intrust
ed you with dispatch to General Ton
taine, on our left wing. On your wa,
to him you were wounded in the breast
with rifle ball. You delivered the dis
patch, however, and returned with hi:
answer. In handing it to me You fell
from loss of blood. had you taken &c
my tent and placed in charge of nv best
surgeons. On your recovery you were
promoted to he corporal"
Captain Solange bowed low. "Yor
remember it, sire"
ooh, very well. also remember that
on several subsequent occasions com.
mitted to you the execution of or
ders involving danger and demanding
prudence, faithfulness and courage. Fol
your successful performance Of these
duties you were promoted to be sergeant
and finally captain. From year to veal
have not lost sight of you. Ny uncle
and myself have found no better sery-
ants than among those who have sprung
like you, from the ranks. now desire
you to afford me u reason for besowing
upon you the Cross of the Legion OF
Honor. Would you care to posses itT'
MY emperor, my one happihcs skSSi
serve you. My one grief, that / cannot
serve you enough"
"Ah, pretty compliment! In return
have compliment for yon. In France
are thirty million Frenchmen OF these
thirty million l have chosen one man
whom, for certain important duty, l
can trust most implicitly. Who is that
man, Captain Solange?"
The captain stood erect and expanded
his chest. "Sire, that man is myselfr
The emperor twisted his mustache to
conceal faint smile. The bluff soldier,
In his artless vanity. had no notion of
criticlsing the parvenu character of an
empire which was compelled to intrust
some of its most vital secrets to its hum
blest subjects. But as the world now
knows France early in 1870 was dane
ing on volcano" De Morney, the as
tute statesman, to whom mission of
confidence might have been intrusted,
was dead; some say he was the half
brother Of Napoleon. Prince Bonaparte
had just shot Victor Noir. The growing
prominence of Gambetta, the lampoons
Of Rochefort, indicated the rise Of Lib
eralism. Napoleon saw his danger; he
was i'll in body, but his brain was busy
with intrigues. A plebiscite was in
contemplation to juggle Frenchmen and
foreign nations into the belief that the
empire was secure. He perceived that
war was inevitable and he was feeling
his way to an alliance with Austria A
successful war might retrieve every
thing; but meanwhile the edilice that
he talked of Browning was crumbling.
He feared the mob of Paris, and tine
gamblers instincts in him led him on.
You are, perhaps, aware said the
emperor, that in few months France
may be drawn into great war-one of
the most important in its issues of our
generations" ~--
"With Prussia, sire? All. ah! have
prayed for it! And you permit me
to-
"My brave Solange," interrupted the
other, shaking his head, with smile, Il
know that a man like you likes nothing
so well us to risk his life on the battle
field. But it is not this that now ask
of you. When war breaks out you will
be on the other side of the ocean-three
thousand miles away"
The soldiers enthusiastic look faded.
He shrugged his shoulders deprecat-
ingly.
There are other paths to glory" con-
tinued Napoleon kindly. Come nearer.
You are soldier and you know that the
fortune of war is uncertain. France
who can tell - may fail to accom-
plish"-
impossible, sire!" exclaimed the
other, boldly. France will conquer!
She mustw
Let us hope so. If our army we're
composed entirely of men like you, there
would indeed be no question of it. But
some of our most dangerous enemies are
not among those VINO will confront US on
the field"
eff you know of any such, my en-
peror, arrest them and order them to be
shot! Ma foil There is powder and ball
enough for traitors, at all events!'
That may come afterward, mon ami.
For tho moment, it is expedient to ap-
pear blind to disloyalty, in order to in
duce 1T more fully to betray itself.
Meanwhile, it is the part of wisdom to
so act that nothing that may happen
shall find us unprepared. Many vic
tory, Captain Solange, has been lost
through not having sufficiently antici.
pated the possibilities and occasion of
defeat"
"Well, am but a soldier" said So
lange, my business is to obey oriers.
After all, you are the emperor"
Napoleon sighed. Eyes, it is a siagu-
lar thing, this being an emperor he
muttered, half to himself. I'm ordsr to