The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1895-11-27
ST. HELENA TO PARIS
THE REMOVAL OF NAPoLEoN's BODY
TO ITS LAST RESTING PLACE.

teen Years Interment-SpectatorsM Moved
L, Tears--Impressive Ceremonies at the
Church of the Invalides.
The grave in the valley of Napoleon,
on ST. Helena, as the place had come to
be called, was surrounded by an iron
railing set i'll a heavy stone curb. Over
the grave was a covering of 8 inch stone
which admitted to a vault II feet deep,
feet long and 4 feet s 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 layer of rough hewn stone 10
inches thick and fastened together by
iron clamps. 1t took p hours TO remove
this layer. The stone up, the slab form
ing the lid of the interior sarcophagus
was exposed, inclosed in border of Ro
man cement strongly attached TO 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.
1.-The outermost coffin was slightly in
jured, " says an eyewitness. Then came
one of lead. which was i'll good condition
and inclosed two others-one 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 enveloped
it like winding sheet and had become
slightly attached to it.
1T 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 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
misshapen remains of the least perish
able part of the costume to evidence the
identity of the body But when DR..
Guillard raised the sheet of satin, an in
describable feeling of surprise and affec-
ton was expressed by the spectators,
many of whom burst into tears. The
emperor himself was before their eyes.
The features of the face, though CHANGED,
were perfectly recognized; the hands ex-
tremely beautiful; his well known cos
tune had suffered but little, and the
colors were easily distinguished. The at
titude Itself was full of ease, and but foI
the fragments of satin lining which COW
cred, as with fine gauze, several parts OF
the uniform, we might have believed
we still saw Napoleon lying on his bed
of state.
The climax of the pageant in Paris
was the temple of the Invalides. The
spacious church was draped in the mos
magnificent and lavish fashion anC
adorned with perfect bewilderment o.
imperial emblems. The light was shu
out by hangings of violet velvet; tripods
blazing with colored flames, and thou
sands upon thousands of waxen candles
III brilliant candelabra lighted the TEN
pie. Under the DOME in the place of thu
altar, stood the catafalque which wa.
to receive the coffin.
1t was 3 O'Clock in the afternoon wheI
the archbishop of Paris, preceded by
splendid cross bearer, and followed b,
16 incense boys and long rows of whit,
clad priests, left the church to meet thi
procession. They returned soon. Fol
lowing them was the Prince de Joinvill,
and a select few from the grand corteg
without. In their midst Napoleon's cof
fin
The king descended from his thron,
and advanced to meet the coltege
''Sire, " said the Prince de Joinville, -
present to you the body of Napoleon
which, in accordance with your com
mands, have brought back to France.
Il receive it in the name Of France,
replied Louis Philippe
Such at least is what the ''Moniteur'
affirms was said The Prince de Join
vile gives a different version: 'It ap
pears that little speech which was T.
have delivered when l met my father
and also the answer he was to give me
had been drawn up i'll council, only tn
authorities had omitted to inform IN
concerning it. So when / arrived sim
ply saluted with my sword, and thel
stood aside. saw indeed that this silen
salute, followed by retreat, had throw
something out, but my father, after
moments hesitation, improvised SOM
appropriate sentence, and the matte
was afterward arranged in the 'Moni
teur -
Beside the king stood an officer, bear
ing a cushion. On it lay the sword o
Austerlitz Marshal Soult handed it t
the king, who, turning to Bertrand
said:
General, commission you to plac
the emperor's glorious sword on tn
bier. -
And Bertrand, trembling with emo
tion, laid the sword reverently ON hi
idols coffin. The great audience watch
ed the scene in deepest silence. The onl,
sound which broke the stiffness was tn
half stifed sobs of the gray haired sol
diers of the Invalides, who stood il
places of honor near the catafalque.
The king and the procession returne,
to their palaces, and then followed
majestic funeral mass. Ida NJ. Tarbel
in MCC1uro'S Mauaziue