The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-03
NAPOLE0N'S FLOWER.
WHY THE VIOLET CAME TO De Ais
EMBLEM OF GOOD FORTUNE.

est Of her children. After such storm as |
history seldom records the last waves of |
the revolution are sullenly beating upon |
the land of the Burgundy rose and Bour-
bon lily. Bya quick combination Of the |
old royalists and Jacobins the new conven- |
tion Of Paris, though preferred by the peo- |
pie, is likely to be beaten by the mob. The |
90 wards OF the city on the Seine are ablaze |
with passion. The women who dipped |
their handkerchiefs in the blood that squirt |
ed under the knife of the guillotine when
the last of the unbroken line of the Louises
died In the Place Of Peace are full Of saw
agery of the ancient days, and nothing but
the red stream flowing anew can quench
their mad thirst. Tho convention is In SEES
sion. 1t il awsd by the old royaiist armies
and the newer national guards.
One commander after another has gone
over either in person or spirit to the enc
mics OF peace Barras, who leads the con-
vention, is alert and ready, full OF the fer
tility Of expedients that characterizes the
Latin race. but he can see no hope. The
republic is lost, and mighty France, whose
traditions of honor and glory for thou
sand years have had one unbroken line in
history, is to lose her place among the ma
tions at last, for who shall be her deliverer
from the awful cruelty Of her own unnat-
ural childrenf
The shadows of the soft May day were
growing longer when Barras, the peoples
champion, left the heated hall of the con-
yention for little rest and thought, and
| his steps led him to the salon OF woman
| famous in those days, for she was beauti-
full, well born and patriotic, whom he ten
derby loved. She was alone, and together
they spoke Of the nations danger, Of the
Il fear which filed each heart that the life OF
the republic might soon run out in stream
of blood.
There is no longer a leader among us,
chere amie," said the great statesman and
orator whose fervor and passion had SO
touched the peoples hearts. 1.-THE end has
| come"
"Never despair. Perhaps the good God
may help u.s." softly replied the gracious
woman who was SO dear to him-a woman
to fill the ideal of such a man as her lover
was; q woman brave with sweet heroism,
tender and true.
"Bahi that good Godl He is long in
coming" said Barras. He had learned his
theology from the great orator of the
mountain, who died saying, Sprinkle me
with perfumes and crown me with flowers,
for death is but an eternal sleep"
Nay, believe it not, mon ami" she soft
ly whispered, help will come"
And you say you have no leader" she
spoke after long silence in n musing
way, thinking aloud. who are your COM
manders, then? Where is that droll little
man you presented to me at Nine. de
Staels the other EVENING" He seemed to
. have brains and courage. too. that little
Corsican."
"pardie," said Barras, springing into
new life. Belle annie, you have given me
5 thought that may yet save Francep
. They talked very seriously for few min
utcs, and ho returned to the convention
full of new hope. But before he left the
salon he had written little note addressed
to 1.-THE general of the brigade, Napoleon
Buonaparte" (who spelled his name thus
until after his coronation as emperor), pray
! ing his immediate presence at the conven
ton, and trusty servant was charged tt
l. deliver it personally into NJ. Buonaparte'.
{ hands and not to fail.
~ have sent for you, NJ. Buonaparte,'
said Barras an hour later to the small, palt
faced man with whom he was earnestly
= talking, because you are our last hope
! and will now present you to the conven
e ton"
Can you restore peace and orderp" said
= the president to the young man before him
The n8ernhers looked curiously on and lis
tened.
$50 France has come to this" whispered
Al one graybeard to his neighbor, that he
a life and fate lie in the hands of youth o
25p (who looked even less than his age)
only 5 feet inches in stature, with hail
combed low on his brow like woman S
!, Farceur var'
~ am perfectly aware of the difficulties
y in the path, but am accustomed to sue
a coed, )" said the young man, speaking witt
v q strong Italian, or rather Corsican, accent
But one thing must insist upon. 1t i
:. that am not to be embarrassed by orders
81 must have supreme command. That Il
II all."
q And. bowling low to the peoples repre-
d sentative, the little, pale man, but 5 feet .
J.. in stature, with gray brown eyes ant
banged hair, left the hall, and the conven
ton with closed doors proceeded to con
q slider his proposition.
As Buonaparte left the hall Barras fol
IL lowed him for last word. go to you
rooms and remain there" said the politi
: clan In quick speech to the young officer
&c land will send you the result as soon a.
al possible"
at must call or nothing" answered tn,
!, other.
n Just then flower girl came up to then
d. with her basket full of fragrant yiolets, ant
leI Barras bought bouquet for the woman b
loved. The little mans eyes softened.
~ ''rhey always remind me somehow o
X home" he murmured apologetically as h
err gave the seller n SOU and took a tiny bou
- quet. A thought struck Barras.
Il go to the salon of Mime. -" said he
land remain there until TO- If l succee,
for you, she will send YOU violet"
The young officer went as he was told.
was early, hours before the time of receE
ton, but he was admitted. The salon wa
empty. Alone the young Corsican pace
the spacious room. 1t was Z, then half past
u then 8. At last the clock in the hall bega
to strike oil .. As its chimes ceased a serS
ant entered the room with billet.
For the General Buonaparte from Mime
-" said the man as he withdrew.
Rather listlessly Buonaparte opened il
and, lol it contained only-a violet
] How the young man crushed out the mo
in awful slaughter with cannon volley,
81 how 10 years thereafter, having changed til
map of Europe, when he assumed the in
perial purple, his ooronal robe was embroit
b. cred in vioets, and how II years later th
sun of Austerlitz went down forever in tn
clouds of battle smoke that hung heav
H. over the plain of Waterloo-all this is hi,
toryi But from the hour of his first glor
until the last the violet was the flower tn
q. mighty Corsican loved best of all. 1t ha
q told him first of his coming renown; it wa
:" the only flower that ever bloomed at 81
lel Helena over his lonely grave.
The Dawn of the Century.
Cyt We hear good deal just now of the la
ntl ter days of the century. Perhaps fe
words about the dawn of the century ma