The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-06-05
a CHANGEABLE BUST.
1t Served to Represent Anybody Who
Was in Power.


Recently there was displaced from a
commanding place in the marie Oh
town hall in village in the mountains
of Auvergne, France, bust of Napo-
leon Ill, whose reign as emperor of the
French ceased in disaster more than
twenty years ago. The bust, quite I'M
noticed by the officials of the republican
government at Paris, had TRANQUILITY
presided over the public proceedings OF
the town ever since the time when it
had really typified the highest authority
in the land. A bust of the republic has
been enthroned in it's place.
This circumstance calls to mind the
story of the famous bust of Verrine-
sous-Bois, another small French town,
which passed through very interesting
career during long course of years.
This bust, which was in plaster, and
was faithful portrait Of Charles X,
king of France, was presented to the
municipality of Verrine usBois by a
conservative marchioness, in the year
1928. Two years later, in 1880, King
Charles was driven into exile, and soon
after Louis Philippe, the citizen-Sing,
assembled a new and more democratic
throne.
All the busts of the Bourbons were
sent to the attics, throughout France
at least, all but the one at Verrine-sous-
Bots. There happened to live at the
place painter named Nicholas Rouffi-
quac, who was also something of a
politician. He set about saving this
bust for his fellow-citizens. He painted
upon it a pair of side. whisl1ers, tufted
up the front hair, and gave the bust a
general appearance of commercial re-
spectability rather than an air of roy
atty. The bust was at once recognized
as striking portrait of King Louis
Philippe. Shortly afterward Rouffi-
quac was appointed the local agent of
the government tobacco monopoly.
The year 1913 came, and with it the
revolution. Routiiquac put himself at
the head of a mob and proclaimed the
advent of the republic on the church
steps. The mob broke into the town
hall, and was about to smash the bust
of the discarded Orleans when Rouffi-
quac interviewed
Hold, citizensn he said. 'Do not
strike the enemy, contemplate though
he be, when he is down. Spare the
bust till tomorrow and 1 will give you
a surprise" Next day the bust had
undergone remarkable TRANSFORMED
ton. The man had turned into a wo-
man, the monarch into the republic
The side-whisllers had disappeared the
hair had grown long, and yellow star
Shone on the classic forehead The
bust, covered with flowers, was borne
about the town to the music of the
"Marseillaise" sung by more than a
hundred citizens. A month later Rouffi-
quac was made tax collector at Ncrrine-
souS-Bois
Next came 1852, and with it Napoleon
Ill, Emperor Routliquac was at the
head of the Imperialist movement in his
town. a crowd of men, armed with
clubs and pitchforks attacked the tran
duii head of the republic in the town
hall. The artist came to its rescue
again. His task was hard one this
time, but he painted imperial epaulets
upon the shoulders, decorated the
breast with the grand Gordon of the
Legion of Honor, painted out the long
hair and the star on the forehead, put
some ''bcau-catchers' on the temples,
and provided the upper lip with a
moustache and the chin with a ''goatee"
1t was Napoleon III. Routfiquac re-
ceived public praise from the new i'm
perial perfect of the district, of the
work of his patriotic and distinguished
pencil, and afterward was given the
cross of the Legion of Honor.
When 1870 and Sedan came, Rouffi-
quac had gone. The old bust, no
longer venerated, was sold to dealer
in secondhand bric-a-brac. 1t deserved
a better fate; for, as Charles X, Louis
Philippe, the republic and Napoleon, it
had epitomized the history of France
and strilsingly illustrated the national
character. Companion.