The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-01
DI CHARLfS JAnES LEVER


 alone. Looking through the door. he called to Tom: Young man, how comes 1t that you have in your pos session a French bank note? I saw you slip this to Bubbleton. Are you. young as you are. an emissary of France as you are a rebel to your King? I know more about you than is well for you, Tom made hot reply, acknowledged the French note was his. demanded it back and ten dered Crofts twenty pounds. The captain waxed more and moro inso-' lent and threatening. and at last losing his temper he drew his sword in a frenzy and rushed on the boy. The sharp steel peneterated Toms side The captain shortened his blade to run him through, when Darby rushed into the room and felled Crofts to the ground, where he lay apparently dead.
 Its life or death now!" said Darby. Wipe the blood from your face and try to be calm as we pass the sentry. Can you walk"
 By a great effort--for the blood was pouring from his wounded side-Tom managed to walk as far as the street and down to the river front. As in a dream he felt himself taken to a house by the water. Then he fainted.
 However. he was not badly wounded after all; and before daybreak was taken to a smuggler's vessel lying in @ cove down the coast.
 Thus 1t was that Tom left his native land and found himself at last in France, and. thanks to the letter of Charles de Meudon, a student in the Polytechnique. There the young for efgner became as much Frenchman as any foreigner ever can be; and he filled his young soul with military as- pirations and a blind devotion to Ma .t,1. ell, rxrffA and which was such as no hero, prob ably. ever before inspired in the hearts of his followers One day the poor. friendless Irish boy flushed his course and became an officer. He was really From Burke of Ours" at last, as the half-crazed Bubbleton used to call him.
 He gained his epaulets little pre- maturely. One day, while leading the attacking force in a mimic battle Of the students, he was stunned while leading desperate charge. General d'Auvergne had come to review the cadets that day and brought with him 1 two ladies. As Tom opened his eyes, | the younger of the ladies was stoop- | ing over him holding a. cup of water | to his lips. She was of about his own age. delicately formed, her complexion | and her dark -fringed eyes bespeaking l the Provenca1: Her features were beautifully regular and when in re- | pose seemed perfect Greek. While Tom still gazed at her he heard the roll of drums, the clash of I arms and cries of "C'est lui! C'est lui" ''vive Bonaparte! vive le Premier Con- 1 suli" He looked up. Surrounded by a l brilliant staff stood a short man look | ing down upon him with pale but | handsome face on which command was l tempered by an almost wemanly soft I F. lad Co lAr | youth. It needed but glance to tell + Tom that 1t was the First Consul. On | that face like an antique cameo was | written "Destinyy l 'It was we'll done. my child" said Napoleon. ''very well done, and as you have lost coat in the struggle we | must give you another to replace 1t. Monsieur Lagrange. what is the charac-. | ter of this boy?"
 | It was thus that Tom, Burke became | an officer of the 21st Regiment of Foot, stationed in Paris. He found himself quartered with Lieutenant Tascher, nephew of Madam Bonaparte, from I Guadeloupe. And on my word" said l Tascher, "the only favor I have re- ceived from my distinguished uncle was | a sharp reprimand on one occasion for a boyish freak when all the other de- | linquents got of scot-free. I am now under orders for service. but for where | uonL knoWs but or tnls am very | sure; whatever good fortune is going a-begging. I. Lieutenant Tascher, will | get only the hem of the garment" He | was frank, happy spirited young man and Tom liked him at once.
 One day Tascher came in greatly ex- | cited. Ma foil" cried he. '1tsis a great thing to be the nephew Of the First Consul. You know have the en- tree to my aunt's soireesz Well, va- cancy has occurred in the Eighth Illus | sars--a corps always stationed here or at Versailles. We'll, was to have it.
 But it fell out last night that my uncle, coming unexpectedly into my aunt's quarters found us acting charades. I was dressed up as galley slave He stood for a moment with his arms fold ed and his eyes wandering over the | room. We were all silent and terror stricken. 'Hap cried he. I have made mistake! thought I was in the Tul-
 lieries. but I find am in the Port St. Matin. You, sir said he, turning to
 me, shall be employed on a duty
 worthy of your tastes A gang of pris- oners starts for the galleys of Toulon tomorrow. You will go along as com mander of the escort So there you are; and I am off for Toulon. Oh, I forgot to say that you are to receive
 the vacancy in the Hussars and will be
 Invited to the Tuilleries tonight"
 And so 1t was that the nephew of the First Consul went to Toulon: and the unfriended Irish youth received his appointment in the Hussars that very day and an invitation to attend the soiree of Madame la Consulesse'' that evening.
 His old cadet uniform would never do. Tom rushed to a fashionable tail. or's to provide himself with uniform of his new regiment-the gorgeous uni form of Hussars The taiior's shop was filled with young dandies. mili- tary and civil The proprietor of the shop was insolent. A languid young lounger joined in a rude remark about 'tpresumptuous cadets.
 You are insolent sir" cried Tom to the languid young man. "Ha!' cried the stranger; all the bystanders caled on Tom to apologize on the spot Apologize? Not he. He gave his name and rank. The other annouHced him. expressed his delighted willingness to accommodate" Tom early the next morning.
 Tom left the shop in a rage and went to the sofree in his cadet uniform. II was his first introduction to the great world His eyes opened wide and his
 heart beat rapidly as one great name after another was announced-names
 which then filled the trump of fame and fill it still. Madam Bonaparte received him with that charming grace and kindliness that made the power of
 Josephine over the hearts and minds of men scarce less than that of her il- iustrious husband. Finally she turn ed him over to Monsieur de Custine
 who told him all about those present