Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-23
CHAPTER 1.
The Flight of the Empress.

CHAPTER i.
The Flight of the Empress.
The throng outside the palace had swell
ed to menacing proportions, the gay cooked
hats of the police glittered above a somber
sea of heads. threading the packed square
with double strands of color The throng
was not yet a mob. there We're no rushes,
no sullen retreats, no capricious stampedes,
hut 1t grew denser. Again and again the
imperial police pushed into the square,
only to be crushed back against the park
ratings by the sheer weight of the people.
From the river a battalion of mutinous
Mobiles advanced, singing a deep swinging
chorus. through which the treble voices of
the newsboys scared piercingly: Extra.
Extra, Frightful disaster in the north.
Defeat of the French army at Sedanl Cap
ture of the emperor, Surrender of the
army of ChaloDs, Terrible battle at Sedan,
Extra, Extra"
Across the bridge the people surged
against the Palais Bourbon. receding. adj
vancing. retreating. only to dash back
again on the steel-barbed grille deluse
of eager human beings. a chaos of white.
tense faces and outstretched hands. And
now over all swept a whirlwind of sound
of splendid sonorous song-the Marseil-
laise,''
The crowd had become mob. The en-
pire at end.
A short fierce howl broke from the
crowd which filed the Rue de Rivoli from
the Louvre to the Place de 1t Concorde.
an officer of the Imperial Guard appeared
for moment on the terrace above the
Orangerie and attempted to speak Go
back, Go back!' shouted the mob. Down
with the empire, Long live the republic.
The empress has betrayed Paris, Shame,
Shame" Somebody in the crush raised
gilded wooden eagle on a fragment of
broken flagstaff and shook it derisively at
he eric IL he nnnh
We want eagles now,'
In moment the gilded eagle fire.
drummer of the National Guard reversed
his drum and beat the charge: a young girl
marched beside him, also beating a drum
her thin. white face set with hard smile.
her eyes flashing under the knit brows
A compact mass of people hurled them
selves against the garden grille. the iron
eagle and the imperial y We're torn from
the gilt gates amid a tempest of cheers,
the railing crashed in, the mob was loose.
At that moment. through the alley OF
trees detachment of the Garde Imperiae
marched silently up and massed itself be
fore the great gates Of the Tui!eries. wait
Ing there. solid. motionless, with rifles at
halt
Down with the Imperial Guard. Hurrah
for the National Guard shouted the man
with the blazing eagle. and he swung the
Naming emblem of empire till it cracked
and showered the air with sparks and
burning flakes of tinsel
The girl with the drum sitting beside
the parapet of the Orangerie beat the
rappel and laughed down at the Imperial
Guard
Are you afraid" she called. in a clear
bantering voice. I'll give You a shot al
my drum-yod, there. with the Crimea
medal
young rufisn from the outer boule-
wards climbed to the parapet beside her
Silence. shouted the crowd. Listen to
The Mouse, however. contented himself
with thrusting out his tongue and making
1rightfui grimaces at the Imperial Guard
WINE ms ms Two cornpa Mons, Mon Oncle'
ana Bib la Goutte." alternately laughed
and proffered menaccs. Twice an officer
advanced little way along the alley of
trees. summoning the crowd to fall back
Inc second time a young fellow in the uni
form of the National Guard dragged him
self from the crowd and nimbly mounted
the parapet.
You tell us to disperse' he shouted in
reply. and tell you that well go as soon
as that flag comes down from the Tuile-
ries- Then he turned TO the mob with
violent gestures.
DO you know why that flag is flying? 1t
Is because the empress is still in the Tuile-
ries- Is she TO stay there?'
No. no! Down with the empress, To
the palace, TO the palace"' howled the mob
The Mouse. who had climbed down inside
the gardens. began to yell for pillace. but
drummer of the Imperial Guard kicked
him headlong through the gate and burst
cut laughing. The crowd surged forward
only to fall back again before the leyeled
rifles of the troops.
Get of the WALL cried the officers an-
grfly, you gamin, there, with your drum.
Go back or we fire.
The girl with the drum regarded them
ironically and clicked her drumsticks. The
Young officer Of the National Guard beside
her cursed the troops and shouted: Tell
your empress to go. Who is she to sit in
the Tuileries? Who sent the army to Sc
dan? Who betrayed the nation to the
PruSSianS7 Tell w
she ca1- Do you think the people are blind
and deaf? Do you think the people for
get! Tell her TO take herself and her fam
ly out of the land she sold to Bismarck
Then Yet her remember the city she betray-
ed-the people who watch and wait for
Prussian shells covering in the cellars of
devastated homes-Eere in the city she
soid,''
The crowd shouted hoarsely and pressed
to the gate again The young orators
fierce eyes shOne with hate so intense
that the troops thought him mad And
perhaps he was. this fanatic who in days to
come would prove his brainless bravery to
insurgent city and die under the rnerci-
less saber of Theirs gendarmes.
Captain Flourens," said an officer of the
Imperial Guard. IF you do not call off your
mob, their blood will be ON your head
Shame on you You disgrace your uni
form"
Captain De SELLER" replied Flourens
nercely, tomorrow, II the Prussian army
haltS before Paris. | will he the first to face
II, FOR the honor of France. But | will not
face II for the empire. Shall Paris fight
for the woman who sold France to battle
for rotten dynasty tottering to ruin? A
dynasty that seeks 10 pull down the moth
eriand with it into the abyss of corruption
and eowardiee and treachery. The Prus-
SLAMS are here. Let them come But be-
fore We face them let us cleanse ourselves
from that which brought to destruction
Down with the empire
He ceased and stepped back. The girl be-
side him swung her drum to her hip.
sprsng up and facing the troops, began to
sing:
Ca ira! Ca irar'
A thunder of cheering answered her; the
steel stanchions of gate and grille were
wrenched out: the mob was armed.
The Imperial Guard hesitated, then fell
back slowly. as old Gen. Mellinet galIopad
up, glittering with orders. sashed and spur
red his face crimson with anger.
1T Is well" he shouted. shaking his
clenched fist at the crowd, lit 10 well for