The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-01

years of faithful service. a stranger in a strange land, without means and without employment. It was bitter awakening after all his dreams of glory. But he had found that at every step his pathway had been be- set by pitfalls and snares. Tnat np. erty of which he had dreamed had turned out a galling bondage, 8 gov ernment of espionage and despotism.
 General dAuvergne was with the army; young Tascher was there, too. These were his only friends in all France. Of Marie de Meudon he dared not even think. A great longing came over him to see once more his native land.
 It was not SO easy to get out of France in those days, especially when ones destination was the British Isles; hut after. several adventures Tom crossed the channel and stepped once more upon Irish soil. He could have embraced the very ground at first. but then again came over him the thought. Here also, even here, I have not friend" He had left Ireland boy: he came back a man war worn and weary. but bringing no sheaves with him.
 And then fortune gave another turn to her wheel. Toms elder brother died and he became the heir to large es- tate--a country bQuiTc oh Siic hhSt aioe nitude-and settled down on his estate as a country gentleman.
 But soon he felt how dull and stale the life was after Austerlftz and Jena! While he hunted by day and brooded by night there came the news Of the Russian campaign. the retreat from Moscow and the peril of the Emperor Toms heart leaped into fire again. He had deserted Napoleon at the height of his power. Now that he was in adver- sity his sword was again the Emper- or's.
 Hastily crossing over to Belgium. he made his way to the remnants of the l Grand Army and was eagerly welcomed by the general commanding at one of | the frontier towns. All France was in arms and every step was turned east l ward. Immense crowds of conscripts. | many of scarce the age of boyhood, | crowded the highways. Every town ] and village was a garrison. Tho heavy rumbling of the ammunition wagons and the tramp of horses sounded | through the long nights. No longer, l however. did Tom witness the wild en- l thusiasm which he so well remembered among the soldiers of the army. A sad | and gloomy silence prevailed; look of | fierce but hopeless determination was | over all. They marched like men going to death. but with the step and bearing | VI HcTOSbs
 Thus Tom found himself following | those eagles which upon so many stricken fields he had seen sweep with | victorious wings. Again he saw the pale face of the Emperor. as immobile as of old. but with the light of destiny fading from it. Again he heard dying | men shout with their last breath: "Viye rEmpereur" as Napoleon passed by
 wrapped in the gloom of his own inn
 penetrable thoughts. For time the | tide of battle turned in favor of the
 Emperor, and In the battles of the
 Week of Glory" Tom won his Cross of
 the Legion. the Emperor pinnins 1t on
 his breast with his own hand on a field
 of victory.
 In one of the battles he saw Tasche,
 gailantly leading cavalry regiment tc | the charge. T am a colonel now" cried
 Tascher. but 1t is too late" Tom him.
 self was colonel now, but the words
 of Tascher echoed in his soul-"Too
 late!" Badly wounded. he was invalided and by the Emperor's orders assigned to quarters in the ancient palace of Fontainebleau.
 One evening in the latter part of
 March, as he sat breeding over his
 eventful past, there camo the sound Of
 horses hooffs and he caught the clank
 of dragoons as their sahres rattled and | their sabertasches jingled against their
 horses Hanks. some hurried news
 from the Emperor" he thought. "o' perhaps some marshal brought here
 wounded" And then flashed the
 thought: What If 1t is the Emperor
 himself?'' But the idea yielded at once when he saw that the escort drew up not at the main entrance to the pal ace, but at :. side door In remote wing. There was a travelling carriage in the midst of the escort. but he could not see who alighted from 1t.
 That night, unable to sleep, he wal
 walking in the garden when he was attracted by light shining from c room on the ground floor man IT