The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-19

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compound within,
The unifom-psrhaps too digniHed a
word-of the private, who iS q soldier only
occasionally and a street laborer at ell
other times, consists Of q sort Of blouse,
trousers tattered and torn and q dilapi-
dated hat, The invariably wretohed con
dition Of the hats vas surprising, No one
ranking under the grade Of colonel seemed
to have need for shoes.
The officers OF higher rank we're uni-
formed brilliantly, but no two we're alike.
Il seemed that each officer must have con-
cOCted his own dress. Sometimes there
we're brilliant scarlet breaches with a
purple stripe, sometimes the order was re-
versed and another dash OF color given by
a green coat with a vast mount Of gold
lace. There was a marvellous variety Of
hats. the cockades with worn aiRrettes
resembling nothing more than a moth
eaten feather duster
There was a pause In our progress al the
gateway. and a General-he must have been
that at least-was called. He gave the
sign. and after standing aside to permit the
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mitted to enter by the sentry.
This individual sat on a boIlike chair
at one side Of the gate. He had In his
possession a long rife. a chassepot Of the
type turned out about 10, with a bayonet.
The butt OF the gun rested between his
bare heels az he sat on thebox; the point
Of the bayonet supported the gun against
the upright part Of the gate, this making
the opposite aide Of q barrier. To permit
passage the energetic sentinel lazily reached
down and lifted the gun toward him, then,
after the party had passed through, he lot
it drop back into place.
The broad driveway was guarded by a
number Of soldiers and a small brass can
non, a Napoleon. The general smell Of the
place was neutralized a bit by sweet per
fume from the rose gardens on either side.
President Alexis is q great lover OF flowers,
We we're told.
The doors Of the palace we're three, each
with chassepot leaning ~diagonally across,
az at the other gate. with a darby sentinel
TO watch it. A highly ~cOlorbd-both in
uniform and otherwise officer nodded
toward a sentinel and the party went
through,
The first object seen within was a bust Of
Dessalines, a horrible looking black crea-
ture. Behind il was the most surprising
thing in the palace, aside from the Presi-
dent, a beautiful marble statue Of a boy,
evidently French, and white as could be.
The general effort 10 have black predomi-
nate was everywhere else, and the presence
Of this beautiful white boy was something
Of a shock.
Tho second floor was reached by a ourv-
! ing wooden stairway, rather riCkety and
not altogether clean. More sentinels.
There were sentinels and sentinels, but the
best Of all was he who guarded the en-
trance Of the reception room.
In the States his Uniform would be called
overals except for the red facing. He sat
on a box at one side OF the door and never
arose. In his hand he had a long I'M
sheathed abre-unsheathed, a glance
showed. because he owned no scabbard.
1t was his duty TO allow no unauthorized
person to pass. When one he knew not APP
preached he barred the entrance by jab-
bling the point OF the sabre into the door
casing opposite, and he kept II there until
a word from some officer or Official
Generals and Cabinet Ministers passed by
now and then, but this sentinel gave no
Sign Of recognition, Every few minutes
he dropped to sleep. to be suddenly awak-
ened by the clatter OF his sabre az II dropped
from his relaxed hand, or by some person
passing by. He sprawled over his chair
in a loose jointed heap, like nothing else
than a Mississippi River darky holding
down a bale Of cotton on the levee Of a
sunny afternoon.
The reception room was marvellous. A
faded and much worn green carpet covered
the floor. The walls and ceiling had a
green paper Of peculiar design, and from
| the ceiling hung a chandelier Of Belgian
crystal evidently long in disuse, for an eI-
posed coil Of wire hung from another part
Of the ceiling with an electric bulb,
Around the top Of the room on three Of its
sides hung portraits Of about twenty Presi-
dents Of Hayti. Every one was black az
could be. and there we're some most iero-
cious looking individuals. The pictures Of
DsssaiiHSs pr5dolhihated, although those OF
Nord Alexis were a close Seoond.
Leaning against the south wall was a
huge portrait OF Dessslines on a horse. 1t
reached from the floor almost 10 the ceiling
and was certainly . wonderful work. Yes,
the Presidents nephew said, 1t wAs painted
by a local artist. II looked it.
The horse was a tremendous bay and
was as much Of a physical imposslbiity as
its rider. One foot Of the horse vas judi
oiously placed on the French flag, another
upon a cat O. nine tails, q third on q broken
chain, while the other was suspended In the
air as IL the steed were impatient TO be on lts
way 70 the unknown destination on 10 the
southwest toward which Dessalines was
pointing with his sword, while turning
10 look back 20 the southwest over his right
shoulder. II Dessalines himself had ever
actually assumed such a position he would
never have been murdered as he was later,
for he would pave passed away then and
there with a broken neck.
At the other end Of the room there was
a life sire painting Of a woman with a bale
OF grass under one arm and a sickle In the
other hand. She represented labor, and
az the women do most OF the work In Hayti
Il was technically correct. On the centre
table was a bottle with a full rugged ship
inside. OF course every n wondered
how 1t got there.
The State Department rested on a long
wicker settee in the shape Of three or four
large journals. Across the room was a
satin covered sofa. The arms wsre broken