The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1895-12-04
ST. HELENA TO PARIS
THE REMOVAL OF NAPoLEONS BODY
TO ITS LAST RESTING PLACE.


T. Tears--Impressive Ceremonies AT the
Church OF the Invalides.
The grave i'll the valley of Napoleon,
on st. Helena, as the place had come to
be called, was surrounded by AN iron
railing set i'll heavy stone curb. Over
the grave was a covering Of 6 inch stone
which admitted to a vault IL feet deep,
feet long and feet inches broad and
was apparently filed with earth. but
digging down some seven feet "A LAYER Of
Roman cement was found. This broken
laid bare a layer of rough hewn stone 10
inches thick and fastened together by
iron clamps. 1t took y hours TO remove
this layer. The stone up, the slab form
ing the lid of the interior sarcophaguS
was exposed. inclosed i'll border Of Ro-
man cement strongly attached 70 the
walls of the vault So stoutly had all
these various coverings been sealed with
cement and bound by iron bands that it
took the large party of workers ten
hours to reach the coffin
The outcrmost coffin was slightly in
jured. says an eyewitness. "Thcn came
one of lead. which was in good condition
and incloSed two others-onc of tin and
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 envelupcd
it like winding sheet and had become
slightly attached to it.
1T is difficult to describe with what
anxiety and emotion those who were
mr. rRN 1N,s1 Il, \
was to expose 10 them all that was left
Of the Emperor Napoleon. Notwith-
standing the singular state of preserva.
tion of the tomb and coffins, we could
scarcely hope to find anything but some
mlsshapen remains of the least perish
able part of the costume to evidence tile
identity of the body. But when DR.
Gulllard raised the sheet of satin, an in.
describable feeling of surprise and affec-
tlon was expressed by the spectators.
many of whom burst into tears The
emperor himself was before their eyes
The features Of the face. though chan~cd.
were perfectly recognized; the hands cN
trcmeiy beautiful; his well known cos
tune had suffered but little. and the
colors We're easily distinguished. The at.
utude itself was full Of ease, and but foi
the fragments of satin lining which Gov
cred, as with fine gauzc. several parts uf
tho uniform, we might have believed
we still saw Napoleon lying ON his bed
Of state y
The climax Of the pageant in Paris
was the temple of the Invalides. The
spacious church was drslpcd in the most
magnificent and lavish fashion and
adorned with perfect bewildermeut Of
imperial enlblems. The light was shut
out by hangingS Of violet velvet; tripods
blazing with colored flames, and thou
sands upon thousands If waxcn candles
IN brilliant candelahra lighted the tenn
pie. Under the dome, in the place of the
altar, stood the catafalque which wa
to receive the coffin.
1t was 3 o'clock i'll the afternoon when
the archbishop Of Paris. preceded bv
splendid cross bearer, and followed hv
I6 incense boys and long rows of white
clad priests, left the church to meet the
procession. They returned soon. Fol .
lowing them was the Prince de Joinville I
and select few from the grand cortege .
without. In their midst Napoleon's cuf- .
fin.
The king descended from his throne
and advanced to meet the cortege.
Sire, = said the Prince de Joinville. II
present to you the body of Napoleon,
which, in accordance with your com
mands, | have brought back to France. .
receive it i'll the name of France. =
replied LOuis Philiuna
Such at least is what the "Moniteur''
affirms was said The Prince de Join
willie gives q different version: 1T an
pears that little speech which was 70
have delivered when l met my father.
and also the answer lie was 20 give me.
had been drawn up in council. only the
had omitted to inform me
it. So when arrived | sim
ply saluted with my sword, and then
stood aside | saw indeed that this silent
salute, followed by retreat, had thrown
ont, but my father, after
hesitation, improvised some
appropriate sentence, and the matter
was afterward arranged in the Moni-
reur. -
Beside the king stood an officer. bear.
ing cushion. On it lay the sword of
Austerlitz- Marshal Soult handed it 10
he king, who, turning to Bertrand.
;aid
General, l commission yuu to place
he emperor's glorious sword on the
,ier. .
And Bertrand. trembling with emo
ION, laid the sword reverently ON his
dol 5 coffin. The great audience watch
d the scene in deepest silence. The only
ound which broke the stiffness was the
lalf stified sobs Of the gray haired sol
Iers of the Invalides, who stood in
places Of honor near the catafalque.
The king and the procession returned ;
o their palaces, and then followed a
majestic funeral mass-Ida NJ. Turbeu
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