The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-08-29
A NAPOLEON|C BULLETIN
How 1t Was Worded to Tell the
Truth and Satisfy the French
People.
Copyright, 1899, by Erwin Wdrdmdn.

What time is it, captainY' asked the
secretary of the imperial cabinet, NJ.
Mounier.
Half PAST II. In an hour at the very
latest we should have finished" answer
ed Castellanc. rubbing his hands. This
cold is dreadful. Through every crevice
the frost enters"
1.-TWO scntinels have frozen to death
already" said the third man in the room.
Castellane put down the pen and threw
two big logs into the immense stove. A
third he dropped to listen at the wooden
wall. Nv ho is making that noise next
door," he asked.
THE king of Naples. who has moved
his headquarters there replied NJ. de
Narbonnc. He is raving because the
emperor wouldn't take him along to
Paris"
Castellane once more dipped the quill
into the ink. "Narbonne, approved has
your approval has it not?" The cour-
tier merely groaned. Il haven't the
heart to object. Do what you please,
write what you please, invent what you
please don't want to see the draft at
all. Give me the thing when it is ready
and | will pass it. Oh, my head. have
the fever, do believe"
Napoleon had left the army at Smor-
goni at 10 p. M, an hour before this con-
versation. Recognizing that the army
was lost, he had determined to hasten to
France to procure another. In his big
sled were Dairy, Laurston and a few
minor lights whom he needed absolutely.
Berthier cried because the emperor
went without him. Murat swore and
raved. Nevertheless, they were left be-
hind.
Toward midnight second sleigh. load
ed with necessaries of life and fodder,
was to follow under the protection of
mounted guard. Napoleon had had no
time even to finish the bulletin-bulletin
No. 29-the last to the French army in
Russia. When going away, he almost
threw the paper into the face of the chief
of cabinet "Finish it, quick. Let the
courier bring it to wilma for my sigma
ture."
Mouner began again. "No no, it won't
do. We can't say that the emperor 'ap-
proves of the condition of the army
Reflect, we have been losing 1000 men
daily during the past week by frost
alone"
But pleaded Castellane, "the word
is needed to sustain the fiction that the
emperor still is with us. Neither the
army nor Europe must know that he has
gone ahead"
''Of course that is the principal thing,
but approves is too strong. Better
I leave out the whole sentence and substi'
tute The enemy has suffered great loss
| es.'"
| Immense losses" cried M. de Mar.
bonnie.
"Tmmense losses by the cold and by
our bullets. The pursuit on the part OF
the Cossacks is weak
Here Castellane took out his watch
"It's past II. Am l right, gentlemenT
81 believe So"
| Sand it's the 9th of DecemberT
"Well, yes"
"Then you will have to excuse me fol-
an hour" The captain fastened his fur
pelisse about his throat and ran out de-
spite the others protest.
The village of Smorgoni was a small
place, and the postoffice, where the
French had established headquarters.
was its only building deserving the name
There were a lot Of fusel dispensaries
but their proprietors had fed, as nobody
either native or foreigner, paid for things
and as the French were known to destroy
I what they could not eat or drink or carry
off.
Castellane was going to the near sta
bles to find a gentleman with whom he
had an affair of honor. "Parbleu" he
murmured as he waded through the
snow "One has to get up early in this
COMPOUNDED Russia to find his man alive
Delay might mean that Jack Frost car
ries him off without seconds or witness
es."
| As he said this he stumbled over some
| thing, and when he turned out to the
right there was another impeachment in
the road-two bodies, frozen stiff, giant
Westphalian chasseurs, who once had be
longed to his own brigade.
In the center of the yard burned big
FIRE. A group of eight grenadiers sal
around it. Castellane, looking closer
saw that only three of them were alive
The faces of the rest had the appearance
of yellow marble. They had been dead
for hours probably, without their com
rades noticing it. They were too busy
keeping life in their own bodies.
Ten PAGES farther the carcass of 9
| horse was lying. One of Casteilane's
friends, a colonel in the bodyguards. and
a private of cuirassiers were trying t.
saw off a piece of it. When the captain
entered the stable masters quarters, he
ran against two generals, chamberlain
and an Italian duke, who were fighting
savagely over the leg of a dog which
they had roasted between them. They
blackguarded and threatened each othel
like loafers.
Through a crowd of household troopi
and servants wearing the imperial livery
Castelane made his way into the innel
court. The sled that was to follow hi!
majesty's train was about to be harness
ed. Hundreds Of ragged, shivering sol
diers and officers looked on, seemingly
without realizing what it meant. AL
they cared for was to be as near to thu
fires as possible. Castellane examined
the faces about him and at last stood still
before a man of some 40 years of ag'
who sat in corner brooding. Touching
his shoulder, he said politely, Major Du
fresno, have the honor to wish you
good evening"
The person addressed raised pair o.
tired eyes. "Ah, it's you. captainT
"You remember our little affair in thu
Moscow theater"
"Where you insisted upon taking
place that rightfully belonged to me
perfectly. You said, believe, that
ought to feel honored to give way to hi
majesty's favorite. For that called you
q simpleton." -,
sand | returned the compliment witt
interest. II | am not mistaken. So w