Catoctin clarion., 1897-04-22

ants than among those who lave sprung
like you, from the ranks now desire
you to afford me reason tor bestowing
upon you the Cross Of the Legion Of
Honor. Would you care to possess it?'
my emperor, my one happiness is to
serve you. My one grief, that cannot
serve you enough"
"Ah, pretty compliment! In return
have compliment for you. In France
are thirty million Frenchnen. OF these
thirty million have chosen one man
whom, for certain important duty, !
can trust most implicitly Who is that
man, Captain SolangeY'
The captain stood erect and expanded
his chest. "Sire, that man is myselfr'
The emperor twisted his mustache to
conceal faint smile. The bluff soldier,
in his artless vanity. had no notion of
criticising the parvenu character Of an
empire which was compelled to intrust
some of it's most vital secrets to its hum
blest subjects. But as the world now
knows France early in 1870 was "dane-
ing on a volcano" De Morney, the as
tute statesman, to whom mission Of
confidence might have been intrusted;
was dead; some say he was the half
brother of Napoleon. Prince Bonaparte
had just shot Victor Noir, The growing
prominence Of Gambetta, the lampoons
of Rochefort, indicated the riss of Lib
eralism. Napoleon saw his danger; he
was i'll in body, but his brain was busy
with intrigues. A plebiscite was In
contemplation to juggle French,nen and
foreign nations into the belief that the
empire was secure. He perceived that
war was inevitable and he was feeling
his way to an alliance with Austria. A
successful war might retrieve every
thing; but meanwhile the edihce that
he talked of "crowning" was crumbling.
He feared the mob of Paris, and the
gamblers instincts in him led him on.
"You are, perhaps, aware" said the
emperor, "that in few months France
may be drawn into great war-one Of
the most important in its issues of our
generation:
with Prussia, sire? All! ah have
prayed for it! And you permit me
to-
my brave Solange," interrupted the
other, shaking his head, with u smile, 81
know that a man like you likes nothing
80 we'll rs to risk his life on the battle
field But it is not this that l now ask
of you. When war breaks out you will
be on the other side of the ocean-three
thousand miles away"
The soldiers enthusiastic look faded.
BE shrugged his shoulders deprecat-
ingly.
"There are other paths to glory" con-
tinued Napoleon kindly. "Come nearer.
You are soldier and You know that the
fortune of war is uncertain. France
who can tell - may fail to accom-
plish"-
Impossible, sire!" exclaimed the
other, boldly. "France will conquer!
She mustT
"Let us hope no. If our army were
composed entirely of men like you, there
would indeed be no question Of it. But
some of our most dangerous enemies are
not among those who will confront Us on
the field"
"f you know of any such, my eui-
peror, arrest them and order them to be
shot! Ma foil There is powder and ball
enough for traitors, at all eventsr'
"That may come afterward, mon ami.
For the moment, it is expedient to ap-
pear blind to disloyalty; in order to in
duce it more fully to betray itself.
Meanwhile, it is the part Of wisdom to
80 act that nothing that may happen
shall find us unprepared. Many VIC
tory, Captain Solange, has been lost
through not having sufficiently antici-
pated the possibilities andssoccasion Of
defeat" .,,t,.
"Well, l am but s1lhier," said So.
lange, my business is to obey orders.
After all, you are the emperor"
Napoleon sighed. "Yes, it is singu-
lar thing, this being an emperor" he
muttered. half to himself. I'm order to
maintain your place at the summit Of
the pyramid you must suffer the pyra-
mid itself to be undermined. Let US re-
turn to business, my brave Solange," he
went on in another tone. "As for the
war, must have faith In my star, as
did my uncle before me. If, like him,
am destined to fall at last-well, all
things come to an end! At least Ger.
many shall know that she has an enemyT
1.-The good God preserve you and
France, my emperor" said the other de-
voutly.
"Aud now to business" repeated Ma
poleon. "If France receives check it
may be desirable that retire for sea-
son. But it is not my purpose to wear
out my life chained to lonely rock in
the ocean, as the greatest of men was
forced to do. mean to go to plac0
whence can again return-either o.
my descendants - with treasure and
power to re-establish my fortunes. For
France, if she is to fall. will not long 70
main prostrate; and though, perhaps. shS
may for time turn to anarchy or re-
publicanism, yet in the end she will turn
again to the man whose name Is asso-
ciated with her greatest glory Mean
while shall retire to a country which
has before been hospitable to me, and
whom France herself assisted in her hour
of need. shall go to the United States
of America"
"Ah! America! That is a iong ~Sy
off" murlnareu tns soidisf,
fro BE Co%TNUED,
----+~"