The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-28

at the hat, Lie" And she snatch ed
hat from the hands of her maid and
stuck 1t on the back of her head.
Looks like the Old Scratch!' cried she.
But, Madame lie Duchess, 1t Is the fash =
lon now, all the court ladies wear
| those hats" ITO the devil with the
court ladlesi" retorted Catherine, at
| doesn't suit me at all; as to styles, you
know nothing about them, Lize--and
neither do L But the fellow doesn't
know how to make hat" HE makes
| the empress" well. suppose he does?
This hat Is too small" 1.-The man who
brought 1t Is in the ante-room; would
Madame lie Duchess like to see him?''
"1s 1t the old chap himself?" mo, one
Of his assistants" Let the fellow In
| said the Duchess.
| No sooner had the man entered than
Catherine recognized under the disguise
| of BRIDESMAIDS assistant the Count de
Neipperg. Turning to the maid, she
babe her begone In agitated tones
Then: you here at Compeigne?" she
| cried. "Why?" Neipperg told her hur-
| riedly that when he had left Paris the
| empress had given him a ring. The
emperor had noticed that she no longer
wore this piece of jewelry and, sus-
plc1ous. asked her where 1t was. She
| pretended that she had mislaid it. The
emperor demanded that she find 1t.
Maria Louise had sent the count word
OF the situation, and he had FASTENED
to Paris, at the risk of his life, to re-
store to her the ring, not daring TO
lntrust the task to anyone else. He
regarded Cath crime he said. as his only
real friend In Paris Would she ar
range Tor him to see the empress and
return the rtng?s Catherine would do
no such thing. Col Give me the
ring, said the Duchess, and will
TAKE care that 1t Is placed in the hands
VI her majesty. As for you, begone
ABOUT your business. Clear OUT from
france, or 1t will be the worse for
you" ioi
But must see the Empress for an
o'her reason. Her father, the Emperor
Is anxious to know If she is treated kind
iy-there have been rumors that Mo
poleon is cruel to her. He has cbareed
me with the mission of finding ont Tho
Duchess de Montebello. her first LADY, n
waiting may be depended upon to ar
iahse an audience for me secretly. Rut
nave come to you because I desire vo,,r
neip also. Catherine resolutely refused
to aid him to an audience with tho En-
press, but took the ring and promised
10 restore 1t to the Empress. The conver-
satlon was interrupted by a knock NJ +b.
door, and message from the Er,naro,.
demanding the immediate attendance NJ
catherine In his private apartments was
delivered. Neipperg left hurriedlv. Cath
crime, knowing the storm which w.s
brewing. fastened to obey the ,nper,al
summons.
Catherine found the Emperor in a saw
age mood. He dismissed his attendants
and walking impatiently I'D and down
the room said: Your presence at nv
court has become impossible. You will
nave to CO. I win make an ample al.
iowance-you will have nothing to com
plain of-you will retain your title-vour
divorce will not effect that. But Won
snail not make my court the scene of
such daily scandal. I have decided"
Sire" replied Catherine. "vou are o,,r
master All that Lefebvre and 1 have is
at your disposal. even life itself. But
though at your word 500. 900 men are ready
10 march to the Don or the Vistula. Won
cannot separate me from my husband
nave only defended myself, sire In
SUITS nave never come from me. Yester-
day. for instance, your sisters committed
an outrage upon the army and deferdad
IT, How an outrage upon the armv9-
"hal 10 you mean?' I'm my person.
sire; have followed the colors: I was q
v1vandiere and have been wounded Sac
this SCARF"
she barred her arm and showed the
clcatrice left by a bayonet wound. "you
have skin like satin," said the Fmneror
taking the plump arm in his hands ana
seemingly reluctant to release it after he
hao examined the wound. ut has taken
Your Majesty long time to discover It /"
retorted Catherine. drawing her arm
away. How long time? What do YOU
meanF I mean, sire, that before I
was engaged to Lefebvre used to bring
nome your washing-and you never looked
at me. You lived in the Rue Mail then -
Quite right" said Napoleon, second
floor" NO." replied Catherine, third
floor" You are right I have heard
that you were once laundress. So you
arc the ono we used to call Mam'zelle
Sans-Gene" Yes, sire-and a hard time
had of it in those days"
| Then Catherine rapidly, and with con-
siderable skill. ran over the history of her
life; told what she had once suffered in
the way of hardships in the army, re-
called the services of her husband until
finally the Emperor. much Modified. said
well. well. but really one who can use
her tongue as well as you should know
how to keep It under control. You must
be more CAREFUL win not have my court
the laughing stock of Europe. Yes, yes,
you are out Of place in a court. Be rea-
sonable and retire from one"
| ''Ah, SIR replied Catherine, perhaps
you are right should not miss the court
much as long as I had Lefebvre. Per-
haps I could go back to my old trade,
What a time I had of 1t to make both
ends meetl There were so many bad
debts. Why, SIR there is a great person
at your court now who still owes me for
washing done 20 years ago. He was
poor then, he is rich now and he ought
to pay me-" "Nonsenser' said Napoleon;
but with his mania for budgets" and ex-
act finances continued: How much was