The Detroit times., 1909-12-23
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EC2NTI1AYE S}J
CORRESPONDENCE |
ny PATH.


Washington. u. c.. Dec %. 1909. Z
Dear Dad; What was the return
from Elba2 I'll refresh yourSrecollec.
ton. ! have just refreshed mine. 1t
was this way
Napoleon had run up agains' his FIRST
streak of hard luck The king trust
had pooled their forces and put him
out OF business. Russia's Alexander
had managed the campaign, and when
he got through the allies marched IN
triumph into Paris and Napoleon had
10 take up modest quarters at Fon-
tainebleau. II was evident that he was
down and out Even Marshal Ney told
him SO
AbdicatlOn was the sentence.
The united kings. after n meeting Of
the executive committee at Paris sent
Bonapartc a contract To sign. BY It's
terms he agreed to quit the emperor
and royalty business in European ter
ritory and to go and live az Elba. this
being small but comfortable island
IN the Mediterranean. The members
Of the king trust promised him pen
sion az 100000 francs n year. which
is almost million dollars In real
money They also said he could call
himself emperor AT Elba. and duke CT
Parma. Palentia and Guastala. In ad-
dition to which he would be permitted
- % have n guard and an imitation
navy.
The seven years reform admins
tratlon which the emperor had given
France had made him good many
enemies right nj home. and the run OF
bad luck which had doggcd his milf
tary operations took from him the rest
of his friends. They told him frankly
that he would not do and urged him
10 skiddoo before he got something
worse. And Boney took the tip.
II was none too soon ON his way
10 the steamer they shook fists and
threw mud at him. and Il was only
by having the coachman take the back
streets that he escaped lyuching. But
he finally got away and settled down
quietly at Elba.
But before he went Napoleon made
little farewell speech lie called his
old guard a. Fontainebleau and told
them how sorry he was To leave them.
Il have one mission to fulnll In life.
said he. and that IS 10 recount lo
posterity the glorious deeds we have
done together" Of course. il made a
great hit with the guard. and sounded
real humble and nice 10 the allied
kings. They had no objection 10 his
writing for the magazines. even II
he made ~ much as 10 cents a word.
The new administration was called
the Return OF the BourbOns. II
lasted 10 months In its general tenor
II was essentially safe and sane. Much
emphasis VAS placed upon constitl-
tional law. ard the party in power set
about "a undo all that had been done
under the previous administration The
kings invited Louis Stanislas Xavier
de- Franco. 70 rather stout, good-natured
person 10 come and take charge OF the
government under the title OF LOUIS
NVIII He came. He had been living
in London. hoping for an invitation.
And in his wake came large assort-
ment OF princes. dukes, duchesses and
other folks. members and relatives Of
the Bourbon family. who had been
living in exile since a date close 10
the fall OF the Bastile Every man or
woman churchman or layman who
had enjoyed q snecure previous TO
the advent Of the revolution, came
trooping 20 the front again looking for
an opportunity 10 connect up again
with said sinecure.
The friends ~ Napoleon were told
where 10 get off The new king ahol-
lshed the red-white-and blue cockade.
The changed the numbers Of the old
regiments. He picked out reaction
ary cabinet (Scven Of its nine mem
bers. as | recall, were lawyers, and all
of them were satisfactory 10 the
Bourse-i. O.. Wal-st. And they made
ready TO restore the confiscated lands,
and to re-establish the old system or