The Washington herald., 1915-09-12
Edited by MARY MARSHALL
The Emperor's Gift:
A True Story
By DAVID kER.

| many a league on either side of Bou-
| logne, was all alive with glitterins
oayonets, and shining helmets, and
flashing swords. and prancing horses
and gorgeous uniforms. and all the
| pomp and splendor of great army
All along the waters below. mile
! /ter mile. bristled the countless masts
ii the famous "Boulogne fotilla -
; with which (as all France expected)
| the great Napoleon was about to fling
two hundred thousand veteran soldiers
upon the English shore, and to sweep
away. once for all, the hateful is
| landers'' who had so long obstructed
his path of conquest
But away to seaward forest of
other masts were bristling against the
| skyline. with the British Union Jack
nuttering Jauntily over them-the
Channel fleet of Old England. COM
| manded by Admiral Nelson.
What is the matter here?" sudden
ly asked a clear, stern voice from be-
hind. at the first sound of which the
shouting, jostling crowd parted as il
torn asunder by cannon ball.
Just at the first glance there was
| nothing particularly impressive in the
appearance of the small, pale-faced.
| rather corpulent man in threadbare
grey riding coat and mud-spattered
boots. who stood all alone in the midst
OF the recoiling throng. as suddenly
as II he had risen through the earth
But from beneath that battered cock
ed-hat looked forth a face which all
Europe knew to its cost and an eve
| whose piercing glance no man had
ever yet been able to meet. and even
stranger would have easily guessed
that this dumpy. sha bby little fellow
was no other than the terrible Napo-
leon himself
In reply to the Emperor's question.
! two soldiers belonging to one of the
coast patrols informed him that an
English seaman, captured few days
before. had succeeded in escaping
from his temporary prison. and was
just putting off to sea in boat of
his own building. when they came
, upon him and stopped him short
Even the great Emperors impas-
sive face wore a look of visible amaze
ment as he heard the story: and he
looked more amazed still when he glanced
from that frail and rickety bark to the
voyager who had been about TO venture
his life upon it-a smooth-faced lad hard
ly beyond boyhood.
Would you really have put out to
sea on thing like that" asked Ma
poleon. looking keenly al his pris-
oner.
Wouldn't I Jist"" cried Jack Gas
the muttered exclamations of those
around him, and the profound respect
shown by them to the newcomer.
that the man who was addressing him
was no other than the renowned
'Boney" in person. Only fist you
give me leave to start and you'll see
how soon I'll be or
Well, you're a brave fellow, who
ever you are" said the Emperor heart
lily. Il suppose he added with a
smile. you have sweetheart a home
in England and are in a hurry to get
back to her"
No, I haven't got none" answered
the English boy simply: but 1 have
my poor old mother to look after. and
she's got ne'er son but me-and I'd
go through fire and water to git back
to her l would"
Well said" cried Napoleon. with a
sudden glow on the marble features
which he never changed amid the
storm of a hundred battles. Il have
mother too. whom / love as much
a. you love yours: and since you are
so bent upon getting back to her, you
shall do it without needing to risk
drowning on the way. I'll set you free
this very day. and put you aboard the
nearest British vessel. under a flag of
truce: and stay-here's some money
TO help you home"
And. ere the astounded sailor lad
(who took the offered gold piece me-
chanically. like one in a dream) had
time to falter forth his thanks. the
great conaueror had turned slowly
and thoughtfully away.
Ten years had passed since that
ering day in the eventful spring of
1914. British cruiser cast anchor off
the Island of Elba. and one of her
boats put ashore there a short, stout
care-worn man in a grey coat and
cooked hat
1t was indeed the same man who
had figured in the camp at Boulogne,
but under widely different circum-
stances. The measureless ambition
that had trampled whole nations un-
der foot had at last wrought its own
punishment: and nothing was left to
the fallen Napoleon, out of an empire
that had covered half Christendom.
save one tiny islet in the Mediterra-
mean. with a handful of unarmed SOL
diers of the sole attendants Of him
who had so lately been followed by
half a million of men.
Leaning upon the arm of the Brit
ish officer in whose charge he had
been placed. the banished Emperor was
just turning to go up the hill to-
ward his house of exile when one of
the boats crew-a handsome young
fellow of eight-and twenty or sol
sprang up as If moved by a sudden
impulse. and shouted after him:
Never mind. your honor-better
luck next time
Napoleon turned quickly round at
the words, and one could see by the
sudden flush upon his pale features
and the sparkle of excitement in his
deep grey eye, how powerfully the
seeming good omen" of this accident
al greeting. with it's unconscious
prophecy. had worked upon the child
ish superstition which so strangely
underlay all his ruthless genius.
Il seem to know your voice" said
he. turning sharply round. and look
ing hard at the speaker. who are
you. pray?"
Dye remember me. then" rejoined
the Enslishman. looking pleased I'll
didn't think yer would Catch me for
gettin' you. anyhow: I'd desarve to
be hung IL did. SEEM as how you
was SO good to me ten years agone at
Roulogne, when you let me go free
home to my old mother in England,
and sived me this here bit o'money
as we'll. I've never changed it. neither"
he added proudly. though. I've been