The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-05-14
ST. HELENA TO PARIS
THE REMOVAL or NAPoLEoN's BODY
TO ITS LAST RESTING PLACE.
Wonderful Preservation Through Nine
teen Years Interment-SpectAtors Moved
q, TeArs-Imprrssive Ceremonies nj the
Church OF the InvAlIdea.

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 in n heavy stone curb. Over
the grave was a covering Of inch stone
which admitted to n vault IL feet deep,
8 feet long and 4 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 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 mp. the slab form
ing the lid of the interior sarcophagus
was exposed. inclOsed in border Of Ro-
man cement strongly attached 10 the
walls Of the vault So stoutly had all
these various coverings been sealed with
cement and bound by iron bands that il
took the large party of workers ten
hours TO reach the coffin
"The outermost coffin was slightly in
jured, says an eyewitness. "Then came
one Of lead, which was in 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 10 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-
ton of tho tomb and cofiins, 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 DIR.
Guillard raised the sheet Of satin. an in
describable feeling Of surprise and affec-
tion was expressed by the spectators,
many of whom burst into tears. The
emperor himself was before their eyes.
The features VI 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 case, and but foI
/ the fragments of satin lining which COW
I cred, rs 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 mvalides The
spacious church was draped in the most
magnificent and lavish fashion and
adorned with perfect bewilderment of
imperial emblems. The light was shut
out by hangings Of violet velvet; tripods
blazing with colOred flames, and thou
sands upon thousands Of waxen candles
in brilliant candelabra lighted the tenn
pc. Uudcs the dome, in the place Of the
altar, stocd the c,itafalque which wa
TO receive the coffin.
1t was O'Clock in the afternoon when
the archbishop Of Paris, preceded by q
splendid c-u>s bearer, and followed by
l6 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
and "a select few from the grand cortegC
without. In their midst Napoleon's cof
fn.
The king descended from his throne
and advanced to meet the cortege
DtAts NslsAA Al&t Alt IOAuNAAAtv
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'
afirms was said. The Prince do Join
vile gives a different version: 1T mp
pears that little speech which was Il
have delivered when / met my father
J and also the answer he was TO give me
had been drawn up in council. only tn,
authorities had omitted TO inform m'
; concerning il. So when / arrived sim
ply saluted with my sword, and theI
stood aside. saw indeed that this silen
{ salute, followed by retreat, had thrown
something ont. but my father, after
D moments hesitation, improvised som,
j appropriate sentence. and the matte
{ was afterward arranged in the 'Moni
{ teur. -
Beside the king stood an officer, bear
E ing a cushion. On it lay the sword o
I Austerlitz Marshal SOult handed il {,
= the king. who, turning TO Bertrand
said:
General, 1 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,
o sound which broke the stiffness was tn
half stified sObs Of the gray haired sol
Z diers Of the Invaldes, who stood il
7 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 McClure's Magazine
The Chief End of Man.
D Mr. Cuyler tells the story Of a littl