South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-19

Continued from Thursday
And from time 20 time one of the
men, as he talked. rose up and strobe
across the room 10 the great oak
table where lay always on a wooden
plate "A long loaf of black bread. with
q knife and always a glass and bot
tie OF -vie-brandy. And / re-
member how manly it looked to me,
watching. when / saw him take the
loaf under his arm and hold il, and
slice off boldly a great piece OF the
fresh rye bread, and pour out glass
OF brandy and toss it off as he ate the
bread. The stories seemed % grow
better after the teller had done that.
And always I waited, even through
the tale Of the ghost and the fire
breathing hound. till the talk should
swing round, as it did ever toward
the end. TO the stories Of Napoleon
that were fresh in mems minds in
those days IL was as if ! sat on
needles before my bedtime came. yet
1 did not dare 10 be restless and move
about for fear that my mother might
send me suddenly to bed. But 1 al
ways gave sigh Of content and al
ways the srand-mere patted my head
softly 10 hear il, when my father
cleared his throat and began
There is a small thing that hap
pened when the emperor was march
ing-and then he was launched on
his tale
A great hickory log fell, rolled out
toward the hearth. The carved
nymphs and shepherds seemed TO
frOwn in disapproynl at this irreg7
ularity. and the girl in the deep chair
smiled. but the man sprang up and
nut the log in place with quick eff
cheney. lie stood silent by the tall
mantelpiece. deep yet in his reverie,
as the flames caught the wood again
and sparkled and sputtered.
Did any of them ever see Ma
poleon-those men who talked about
him ?" the girl asked.
The Frenchman turned n queer
look on her and did not answer.
Did any Of your family ever see
him, Monsieur" she asked again.
The alert figure stepped backward,
sat down again on the gilded chair
and leaned forward cOnsideringly.
Francois nodded as if 10 the fire.
But yes. Mademoiselle,' he said, in a
whisper.
"Oh tell me-' the girl cried, all in
terest. Who was IL? How was it?
II couldn't be"-she hesitated-
yourself, If you, whom / know so
we'll. should have seen the emperor"
She caught "a deep breath OF excite
ment. This was another Lucy Hamp-
ton from the serious young mistress
of Roanoke house whom the country
people knew. Quickly. Monsieur.
tell me If il was YOURSELF"
Francois turned his eyes on her.
Yes, Mademoiselle." he answered.
A log slipped and slid and the
sparks caught a new surface and flew
aloft in a cracking uproar; the elhsh
light shOwered brilliancy on the girls
fair hair as she bent forward with
her white teeth cleaning, her blue
eyes shining. stirred with the dra-
matte air of the Frenchman. With
a catch Of her breath
You have seen Napoleon" she
said, and then. impetuoufsly. Tell
me about it, But though he
smiled at her with that affectionate
amusement which she seemed. Of all
sentiments, OfteneSt to inspire in him.
he did not answer.
"MOnsieurl YOU Will not refuse to
tell me when 1 want to know SO
much," she pleaded, and went on.
How old were you2 Did he speak
TO you? What did he say TO you?"
And the F'renchman laughed as if
at a dear child who was absurd.
"MademOisene asks many questions
which shall I answer he demand
ed, and the tone TO her ear was the