Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-08-26

y Ia was SAAS q 1851 ~
inc village. and it was chosen to be,
Tor an hour the emperor's headquar-
tcrS. ana the emperOr held a council!
OF war. he and his generals. there. I,
a child of three. was sleeping in a
room which opened from the great
room. and I Weakened with the sound
OF voices. n ran in. unnOticed. for
theE were all bent over the table, look
Ing at the maps and lists OF the mayor
and l pulled at the sword of Marshal
Ney. And the marshal, turning quick
~. knocked me over. l cried out, and
my grandmother ran to me, n l nave
often heard her tell how She peeped
from the door under the shoulder of
the big sentry who would not let her
pass. M how she saw a young gen
eral pick me up and set me on my feet,
and how all the great officers laughed
when he said that the sword was in
contest between Marshal Ncy and me.
And how. then. the young general sug-
| gested that, to settle the point annie
ably. the marshal should draw his
Sword, and give me the accolade-the
blow of knighting. And so mademois-
ellie, to shorten the tale, it was not the
marshal. but the emperor himself who
chose to do it. He made me kneel be-
fore him. Ia baby-and he struck my
shoulder the blow of the accolade. and
said the word which | have told you"
Fraacois srrang to his feet and stood
as he repeated once more the emperor's
words. His voice shook.
Rise Chevalier Francois Beaupre,
one day a marshal of France under an
other Ronaparte,' he cried. thrilled
through with the words which he re-
peated.
The girl leaning forward. watched
him: With a gasp she spoke. Then
that is why you are really Chevalier
Beaupre? Did the emperor have the
riuhf fn-fO nio1 M cp
But yes. mademoiselle," Fancois an
swered with decision. II have studied
the question, and 1 believe that the
a~ccolade-the knighting-was always a
right of the monarcns of France, dis
used. perhaps at times. but yet held in
agree with me. My father, who was
Very practical. thought that 1T was a
mere joke of the e1nperor's-or if not a
joke, then 4 caprice which carried no
weight. But the seigneIr-the General
Gourgaud, who was n of Napoleon's
officers, n others, mademoniselle. be
lieve as I do. And to my mind it is inn
possible that the emperor's word should
carry no weight. There has never lived
on earth a man Of SO enormous a force,
and even the smallest acts of his were
history. II the emperor ordained. then,
that a little child of the people, a
peasant, should be a noble-why, it was
y l. Al1o HOWCI-1S was O1lO
And I am hat child"
The glance of his brilliant eyes met
hers with a frank calmness which
showed that he claimed nothing which
he did not feel; that this haphazard
nobility a lived in his soul and grown
With his growth, and come to be part
of him. With a gentle humility, very
winning as it sprang from his gentle
pride, he went on.
Il know. mademoiselle, that I am a
peasant M that I must be content
with a small place in life at the pres
ent. l know this. And even that posi-
ton which 1 have is more than my
brothers. For you must know, madem-
olselle. that the others grew up to be
m or tradesmen." He hesitated
and then in a few words told her of
General Gourgaud, the seigneur of Vic
ques. and how he had given the peasant
boy all the opportunities which his own
son could have had. And as he talked
he remembered how. after his fathers
ruin. he had stood inside the bare, lit
tie, new cottage n watched through
the window his mother standing at the
gate and talking to the seigneur. who
held Lisette's bride. It seemed to him
ne could see the dark braided hair of
La Claire. coiled around her head, and
the deep point Of her white neck hand
kerchlef. as h stood with her back
to him. and the big bow of III apron
tied about her waist. The picture came
vividly. And it opened his heart so
that he talked on, and told this strang-
er In a strange land many things that
"a lain close and silent in his heart.
He told her about the generals gruff-
ness. which could not hide his good
ness; and how he had come to be the
child OF the castle as we'll as of the
cottages. something Of Pietro also he
told her; but he did not mention Alike.
You spoke Of three children. mon
who was the third?" asked Lucy.
went on as If he had not
heard the question. ut was a happy
life. mademoiselle,'' he said. And it
been so ever since-even, for the
most part, in prison. I have wondered
at times If the world is all filled with
such kind people as l have met. or il
1T Is just my good luck"
Lucy Hampton had been reading
aloud to her sick black thai
day, and some Of the words Of the book
she had read came to her, and seemed
to fit. The Kingdom of God is within
you h quoted softly, to Francois.
Then he considered a moment.
monsieur, would It be Impairment
for me to ask you-a question a per-
sonal question"
Il think not, mademoiselle" he smiled
at her. ~
she went on. hesitating a little. "Fa-
tner was talking Of how Prince Louis
Bonaparte served. a few years ago,
with the Italian revolutionists. I won,
dered Tiff by chance you had fomeht
under him."
Fie shook his head. 81 had not that
mademoiselle."
me heir Of the Bonapartes now is
she questioned.
yes. mademoiselle."
And ne made an attempt on the CITY
OF Strasburg, a few months ago. and
was tried for it-and al that-father
talked about it so much I could not
nelp knowing a little about It, but I