The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-08-07

but now L Threw out my enesJ unU1I II
was as tight as sausage skin. And
my little sweetheart of a mare tossed
her name and paved with her front
hoofs, frisking- her tail about, as
though she said: We've done it to-
gether this time. It is to us that COM
missions should be intrusted" When
kissed her between the nostrils when
/ dismounted at the gate of the Tuil-
Ieries there was as much shouting as if
bulletin had been read fromthe grand
army.
! was hardly N costume to visit a
king, but, after al, if one has a soldier
" figure one can do without ali that. 1
was shown up straight away to Joseph,
whom had often seen in Spain. He
seemed as stout, as quiet and. as anna
BILE as ever. Talleyrand was in the
room with him, or suppose should
call him duke OF BeneventU, bat l
confess that like old names best. He
read my letter when Joseph BUono-.
parte handed it to him, and then he
looked at me with the strangest express
sion in those funny, little. twinkling
eyes of his.
Were you the only messenger he
asked.
There was one other, sir" said 1,
Mai. Charpentier, of the horse grena-
diers."
''He has not yet arrived said the
king of Spain.
IF you had seen the legs of his
horse, sire, you would not wonder at
it. remarked.
There may be other reasons" said
Talleyrand, and he gave that singular
smile of his.
Well, they paid me compliment or
two, though they might have said a
good deal more and yet have said too
little / bowed myself out, and very
| glad was to get away, for ] hate a
court as much as L love a camp. Away
l went to my old friend, Chaubert, in
| the Rue Miromesnie, and there got
his hussar uniform, which fitted me
very well. He and Lizette and 1,
J supped together liz his rooms, and all
my dangers were forgotten. In the
morning l found Violette ready for
another twenty league stretch. 1t was
my intention TO return instantly to the
emperor's headquarters, for I was, as
you may imagine, impatient to hear
his words of praise and to receive my
reward.
l need not say that rode back by
safe route, for had seen quite enough
of Chlans and Cossaclzs. i passed
through Nfeaux and Chateau Thierry,
and so IN the evening l arrived at
Rheims, where Napoleon was still
lying The bodies of our fellows and
of st. Prest's Russians had all been
buried, and could see changes in the.
camp also. The soldiers looked better
cared for, some of the cavalry had re-
ceived remounts and everything was
in excellent order. 1t is wonderful
what a good general can effect IN a
couple of days.
When came to the headquarters
was shown straight into the emperor's
room. He was drinking coffee at a
writing table, with a big plan drawn
out on paper IL front of him. Berthier
and Mcdonald were leaning one over
each shoulder, and he was talking so
quickly that don't believe that either
of them could catch half of what he
was saying. But when his eyes fell
upon me he dropped his pen on to the
chart, and he sprang up with a look in
his pale face which struck me cold.
''What the devil are you doing here?"
he shouted. When he was angry he
had a voice like peacock
81 have the honor to report to you,
sir" said 1, that 1 have delivered
your dispatch safely to the king of
Spain"
What" he yelled, and his two eyes
transfxed me like bayonets- Oh, those
dreadful eyes, shifting from gray to
blue, like steel in the sunshine. can
see them now when have had bad
dream.
What has become of Charpentier?"
he asked.
He is captured" said Mcdonald
'su- ---l~-a9'