El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-08
The EmperOr's Christmas
CBy Francois COffer.)

1T WAS Christmas Eve. 1911 Since 10
o'clock Napoleon has been at work
\ alone in his private study in the
TuilIeries. The large room is almost
dark In the shadow a few gilt articles
of furniture reflect the light Of the wax
candles in the two big candiesticks on
the emperor's desk
For two hours the emperor has been
hard at work, bending his handsome
maps military plans and special re
ports showing the positions OF ms
troops. His head IS heavy with tnoug99ts,
heavy as the earth which he IS planning
The open atlas shows the map Of Asia,
and the emperOr's hand, this nervous,
slender, and feminine hand, slowly
traces with the index finger, q road
through Persia, a road to India I s
to India overland Why nOt2 His naval
power has been destroyed. the emperor
has only this one way left to reach the
famous palm forests followed by his
eagles and strike England in the heart,
in her colonies, her greatest treasure
He has reached the greatness of Caesar
and Charlemagne, now he wants to
become a second Alexander
He already knows the Orient, 1t has
made a strong Impression on his mind.
The Nile saw him once, a slen-
der young general with long halr nd
Gauges only the sacred elephant is
worthy Of carrying on its back the en-
Peror IN his gray oYercoat He knows
how to charm a people and make them
wild with enthusiasm. In that country
he viii command soldiers with faces OF
bronze under white turDanS- Among
the officers Of his staff there Will be
ra1ahss Respondent with gems ana ne
viii ask the idols TO fOreten his fate,
for in. Egypt the sphinx had refused to
betray its secrets
Emperor Of Europe! Sultan OF Asian
These are the two titles which are once
to be inscribed upon his tomb.
There is only one ObStructOn-end-
less Russiai But he is going to conquer
hand nervOusly turns over the leaves Of
the green books which give him de-
tailed information about every man in
his immense armies which are already
gathering on the shores OF the Niemen.
Yes he is going to subdue the autOcrat
Of all the Russias and carry the car
along with him as his vassal 10 help
semi-barbaric hordes.
Emperor Of Europe! Sultan Of Asia
the words are no greater than his
desire or his genius And when once
ne has founded that mighty empire. It
is not TO be divided among his officers
as was once Macedonia, for since March
20 the emperor has a son. an heir to
his Iame and power A smile OF happi-
ness 1lits across the stern features OF
the emperor as he thinks of his son
peacefully sleeping in a neighbOring
apartment in the silent palace
suddenly he raises his head and lis
tens IN surprise A murmur is heard
through the heavy curtains that con
ceal the windows. 1t is as If the gold
en- bees embroidered on the silk tapes
tries have come to life and begun to
hum The emperor strains his ears
ana plainly hears the Ginning Of bells
he remembers that it is Christmas.
All the church bells Of Paris are ring
ing IN honor Of the memory OF the birth
or the saviour These are the bells
WHICH Bonaparte had ordered rehung
In the churches OF France.
How often have they not since chimed
In his honor Only a few months ago