New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-22
NJ. THEIRS.
HIS cowARDIcE AND IT'S coMICAL SIDE

HIS COWARDICE AND ITS COMICAL SIDE
Albert D. Vandam in The Saturday Review
There are stories OF Thierss cOwardice which
his greatest admirers and sincerest friends haye
never been able to contradict. The semi-ofiiciai
account Of his arrest on the morning OF the
COup-d' Fiat would reach the acme OF comica
ity but for a scene enacted at Bordeaux after
tho equalization Of Paris he was then in
mortal terror Of being apprehended by Gambet
ta who. for the space Of four-and twenty hours
seemed prepared to set the whole world at de.
nance rather than consent to the peace which
put an end to his dictatorship. Those scenes
though intensely comic. paled before THERE'S
antics when fear made him the assaier instead
OF the assailcd. No lie was too glaring. no pre-.
text too fimsy step too mean. no combna-
ton too absurd that held out the slightest
chance OF satisfying his wrath and alaying his
white livcred poltroOncry. And inaSrnuch as the
most subtle OF his devices were too Transparent
to impose upon the merest child. his anger In.
creased not at their frustration--for one
troubled to Illustrate them-but at their being
published. lie never forgav- Nine Rouher for
having made him the laughinS-stock o: the
whole Of France When the vice -emperor" as
her husband was ironically called during the
Empire took up his residence once more In
Fnrjs THEIRS Immediately dispatched a number
OF detectives TO keep watch one evening it
suddenly poured eats and dogs. and Nine
Rouhcr sent umbrellas for every single detective.
apologizing at the same time for providing only
cotton ones Madame regrets. SAID inc servant
in his misiress's name; but times are TOO bad
for SILK ones. she Dduc IH' tNii J'u H'"'fcI
that when tho Emperor returns you shall have
silk ones to watch NJ. Theirs.
The Imperialists at the Cafe de la PAX did
still better They treated the dozen mouchards"
told on TO report upon their doings like men
and brothers. invited them to join their com.
pany and supplied them more thnn hDcraIly with
refreshments Then Theirs burst out into frantic
rage IL really believe those mountebanks OF
Jmperialists arc trying to make a fool Of me-!
ne screschcd one night at the top OF his fal-
setto voice 10 the MARQUIS Phiiippe de Mars1
who though an avowed partisan or inc taiicn
| regime was a frequent vlsltor al the frcA-
| d.ncy at Versailles in virtue Of hs mother hav-
ing married the Comte Roger ,du N'rd''
sianch republican and friend OF Theirs. AZ
the Marquis did not answer. Theirs screened
| Inuder Than ever expecting his interlOcu,or 10
| DENY thu. Impeachment. II really believe those
| mount ebanks OF Imperialists are Trying 90 MAKE
| a fool OF me- Absolutely. n. lie PRESIDENT,
! was the quiet reply Ihey are ho' ohy lying
| but succeeding 49, $500
| This proved too much for the irascibe hue
man A fresh gang " informers was ordered 70
| tho ca n De la Paix to intimidate the Imperial
| ists II possible. but at any rate 10 eaten tne
| old ,,,ng In a fragrant neglect Of duty. The I'M
| n.rialists however. would not be ntlmldated
! and took care that the friendly detectives
should not be caught. The Imperialsts had not
| only been warned in time of the contemplated
move. but Of tho exact moment TOT us eNscu-
| ton ON that memorable night a trenl ilulus
! storm broke over Paris AS the hour Tor me
,xp.ctcd appcarance OF the newcomers ore"
| near the others were informed ~ what vas
| going 10 happen and they arranged 10 nect
| their colleagues outside in order 70 sho" mem
/ that Their, was no neglect or duty. but HAS. IL
was raining in torrents and they had no UNI
brellas Thcrcupon wcll-known lmperlalst
went In "A cab an English establishment nara
by and bought round dozen OF th"Se uSelu'
a.-icIcs Next day the bill was sent. not 70 the
Pres dent ~ the Republic. but 10 MS fihus
Achates w. Barthelcmy saint fiila're WIN
request for reimbursement The letter was ','a'
/ acteristic You. Monsieur VINO are rtpultu W
he The only surviving Carbonaro in France
must know how hard it is for spy To nc
| drenchod 10 the skin In the execution OF nus
duty. and We trust YOU VIII point 'iiis ou' "
NJ L. President OF the Republic.