The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-24
ST. HELENA TO PARIS
THE REMOVAL OF NAPOLEON,s sOOY
TO ITS LAST RESTING PLACE.

t. Tcors-Imprcssivo Corcanoniess at tho
Church OF tho Invalidcs.
Tho grave n the valley Of Napoleon,
ON st. Helena, as the plnco had come to
be called, was surrounded by On iron
railing set IN a heavy stone curb. Over
tho grave was covering Of 6 inch stone
which admitted to vault II feet deep,
s feet long and feet 8 inches broad and
was apparently filed with earth, but
digging down some seven feet layer of
Roman cement was found This broken
laid bare layer Of rough hewn stone 10
inches thick and fastened together by
iron clamps Ittook ~ hours to remove
this layer. The stone up, the slab form
ing the lid Of the interior saroophaRus
was exposed. inclosed In border of Ro-
man cement strongly attached to the
walls OF the vault So stoutly Ind all
these various coverings been sealed with
cement and bound by iron bands that it
took tho large party of workers ten
hours to reach tho coffin
"The outcrmost coffin wns slightly IN
jured, says IN eyewitness "Then came
one of lead, which was in good condition
one of wood. The last coffin was lined
inside with white satin. which, having
become detached by the effect of time,
had fallen upon the body and enveloped
it like winding sheet and had become
slightly attached to It
'It is difficult to describe with what
anxiety and emotion those who were
present waited for the moment which
was to expose to them all that was left
of tho Emperor Napoleon Notwith-
standing tho singular state Of preserva-
ton OF the tomb and collins, We could
scarcely hope to find anything but some
misshapon remains of the least perish
ablo part of the costume to evidence the
identity of the body But when Dr.
Guillard raised tho sheet of satin, an in
describablo feeling Of surprise and affec-
ton was expressed by tho spectators,
many OF whom burst into teara Tho
emperor himself was before their ewes
The features of the face, though changed,
wero perfectly recognized; tho hands OK
tremely beautiful; his we'll known cos
tune had suffered but little, and the
colors were easily distinguished She at
titude itself was full Of case, and but for
the fragments of satin lining which COW
cred, as with fine gauzo, several parts Of
tho uniform. wo might havo believed
wo still saw Napoleon lying on his bed
of state"
The climax of tho pageant In Paris
was tho temple Of the Invalidea The
spacious church was draped in tho most
magnificent and lavish fashion and
adorned with q perfect bcwildel1ncnt of
imperial emblenls Tho light was shut
out by hangings of violet velvet; tripods
blazing with colorcd flames, and thou
sands upon thousands of waxen candles
in brilliant candelabra lighted tho tenn
pie Under the dome, In tho place of the
altar, stood the catafalque which was
to receive tho coffin
Ib was 8 O'Clock in the afternoon when
tho archbishop of Paris. preceded by
splendid cross bearer, and followed by
Is incense boys and long rows of white
Glad priests, left tho church to meet the
procession They returned soon. Fol
lowing them was the Prince do Joinville
and a SOLICIT few from tho grand oortcge
without In their midst Napoleon's cot
fin.
Tho king descended from his throne
and advanced to meet the cortege.
Sire, " said the Prince de Joinville, II
present to yr.u the body of Napoleon,
which. in accordance with your COM
mnnds, have brought bnck to Franco "
81 receive 1t in tho na1ne of France"
replied Louis Philippe
ST,ch ot looct &c 1x-J,oS 49,,
affirms was said. The Prince do Join
vile gives o different version: "It ap-
pears that little speech which I was to
have delivered when met my father,
and also the answer he was to give me.
had been drawn up In council, only the
authorities had omitted to inform me
concerning 1t So when arrived I sim
ply salutod with my sword, and then
stood aside saw indeed that this silent
salute, followed by rotreat, had thrown
something out. but my father, after 8
moments hesitation. improvisod some
appropriate sentence. and tho matter
was afterward arranged In the 'Moni.
teuE F."
Beside tho king stood Oh of1loez, bear
ing a cushion On it lay the sword OF
Austerlit4- Marshal Soult handed Ii TO
the king, who. turning 30 Bertrand,
said:
General. commission you 30 place
tho ednperoGs glorious sword on the
bier -
And Bertrand, trembling with emo
ton, laid the sword reverently ON his
idols coffin The greet audience witch
ed the scene in deepest silence Thee only
sound which broke tho stiffness was the
half stifled sobs Of the gray hatred sol
dinraa of tho In1,oEdo, x.&,l, oAe.l -