The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-21
NAPOLEON FEARED |. POISONED FLOWERS Story of Boy Who Gave Him
 Bouquet EMPEROR WAS ANGRY Boys Father Suspected But He Stood Before Emperor, Ate Flowers
 and Proved His
 Innocence
EMPEROR WAS ANGRY

Paris. July 20-(Special)-M. Maurice vaucaire is well known French dram atist He lcollaborated with Sardou in q three act play in verse. La Jeunesse de Figaro" he wrote Hans the Flute Play er," and the 'rManon Lescaut," to which Puccini wrote the music. and his Chat terton' to the music of Leoncavallo has become a classic.
 He can do more than write plays He tells a story better than any man in Paris. Here Is one of his stories: "A great many years ago I was very small boy, and at th>t happy time my grandfather was fond of telling ne how he, when he was years old, made the acquaintance of the Emperor Napoleon. My grandfather was a flower grower at Grasse. His father had grown violets and orange blossoms before him and few days after Napoleon landed from Elba--to be exact, on March ?. 1S15-my
 grandfather. Jean Paul Redelle. made the great mans acquaintance. He used to tell the story in this way. I will tell it to you in his own words:
 "The Emperor arrived at the Gofe Juan on board the Inconstant. He had
 Cambronne, iDrouct and Petrand with
 him. and HOO men. He landed at 8 in | the afternoon, and he left for Grasse at midnight.
 " The little town, or at all events, tho ! townspeople, wished that he were any where else. The townspeople of Grasse did not know just what they ought to do with him. There was no enthusiasm in
 Grasse for the Emperor Napoleon on | March 2, 1915. I remember my father re- moving his nightcap and scratching his head and explaining how badly the towns people of Grasse were treating the Elm peror I remember how he sprang out of bed and pulled me out of mine. Little man. he said. the people of Grasse do
 not know how to treat Napoleon. You and are going to show them. Put on your best clothes'
 Ten minutes afterwards my father put a fine bunch of violets snto my hand and off we went. he In his best clothes, I In mine. It was bitterly cold, there was snow on the ground, and we ran all the way to keep warm. Every now and again my father would shout. 'Vive PEm- pereur,' and though I was out of breath he made me do the same. The Emperor when we found him was standing in the middle Of a group of soldiers with the tricolor cockade. Outside the circle of the soldiers stood crowd of townspeople gazing in silence at Napoleon. Now then, said my father, slip through the soldiers legs and give your flowers to the Emperor. Be quick He must not leave Grasse with the bad impression he has got already
 T slipped through the legs of a big granadier and ran to where the Emperor was standing. l pushed the violets into his hand, and fell on my knees in front of him. I don't know why I did that, but it seemed exactly the right thing to do.
 "'what does the boy want? said the Emperor. who seemed in very bad tenn per.
 Sire said somebody-I was told after wards that it was Duouot-'flowers are the industry of the country. These have been sent you as welcome Do you think sol? said the Emperor. I don't Another general, Camhronne it was. took the flowers and was ging to smell them
 Don't do thatl' shouted Napoleon.
 This may be a Bourbon trick. don't trust these people. Throw the flow CTS down.
 "Cambronne dropped the violets. and I began to cry. Where did you get these
 flowers, child? the Emperor growled. was trembling all over. It wasn't the cold. It was because of his voice. Fla ther gave them me for you. I said. Where Is he? pointed to him without q word. Bring the man here.' said Ma poleon sharply. .st
 My father faced the Emperor. He was very pale and looked as though Ma poleon's big eyes had turned him into stone. You gave the child those flowers to give to me-" Napoleon said. Yes, sire What is your name?' 'Evariste Redelle.' my father said I am a dis tiller of perfume' The Emperor stared at him as though he would read his mind.
 "'Why did you, send me those violets@ he asked. As a homage from an humble individual my father said.
 'Everybody was looking at him, and everybody looked suspicious. There Is some trick in this said the Emperor. Trick? said my father. : A trick In boquet of iowers?' Napoleon laughed. a short. nasty laugh like bark. Poison. he said. The thing has been done be- fore. We know the Bourbons'
 My father smiled. Sire he said. there is no poison In these flowers, and I wal prove it. He snatched up the bouquet and two soldiers leaped forward, Leave him alone Napoleon parked. The two men. my father and the Emperor. stood staring into one another's eyes. My fa- ther laughed again. Then. very slowly. with his eyes on the Emperors eyes, he raised the violets to his mouth and began eating them. He took monthful after mouthful eating the petals as though they had been preserved and crystallized in sugar. and his eyes never left the Elm perors face till he had eaten up the bo- uuet, stalks and all. He nearly choked | over the stalks There! You will not deny that I am still alive, sire he said | as he finished, and I am not friend of | the Bourbons.'
 "sThe Emperor smiled slow smile. You are a good fellow he said. shaking hands with my father and pinching his | ear. Then he slipped his hand into his l -..4 a r,or arhich