Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-04-30
(Copyrlght, The Frank A. Munsey CO.l

blue-gray mist was che g1lded dome
of the Hotel des 1nvalides. Not even
the sky-kissing uplift of the Eiffel
tower, which had been exchanging
news and views all night long between
the armies of the east and west, by
wireless, like some supernatural inter
prefer; not even the white basilica on
top of the Butte Montmartre, nor the
towers of Notre Dame, we're visible for
q good ten minutes afterward.
And. in the meantime, the dome be-
came sort of counterpart of the sun
itself-shimmering golden, afloat in
the opaque air. 1t hung like an au-
reole of glory over the great man
whose tomb was there-Napoleon-
last wish fulfilled
II desire that my ashes may rest
on the banks of the Seine, in the midst
of this French people l so greatly
loved"
Then, as the sun mounted still
higher, the rest of the Hotel des In
valides came into view great mass
of buildings as blue-gray as the dawn
had been. After a while, when the
place was flooded with genial light and
warmth. out came the invalids them
selves-the veterans who made this
combination OF barracks, museum,
church and tomb their home.
First to appear was Corporal Pic
tou, who lost part of one leg and all
of one arm at Solferino. in 1859, yet
was still the fine, military semblance
of a man-pink face, choleric eye,
white mustache waxed and white i'm
perial trimmed, the breast of his long.
blue coat adorned with half dozen
medals.
A second or two afterward came
Marine Frenzy, famous beau in his
day, but now slow of foot, much
stopped. and very deaf. never quite re-
covered from the wound in his head
received in Tongking in 1862.
They sat down side by side on the
bench that ran along the sun-warmed
wall, and the corporal glared at the
marine. The latter put up his ear.
trumpet, and the corporal roared into
It:
1H0 INu6bldub SIlli duNduC6.
The marine looked dreamily into
space and whispered:
I'VE lack Napoleon"
Trumpeter Martin had come out
truculent, spry, and barely eighty
walking on two wooden pegs. neatly
turned and painted black. In response
to the corporal's words he ripped ou
-, 1t l.. i
1.-THE army's led by lot of unlocked
cubs" he declared. There's Joffre
for example"
Other comrades Joined the group
Quartermaster Sandeau, decorated OIL
the field of battle at Montebello; Ser
geants Motto and Latude, inseparabl,
now as they we're In the Crimea; Far
Fier Saint-Lambert, who helped pu
down the Kabyles of North Africa il
1868.
A desperate group they were, toe
In a measure, they felt themselves al
most the last hope of France.
Something had to be done.
We'll form brigade" said Fal
rier Saint-Lambert, "and-name of
cannon-if they do come into Paris
we'll drown ourselves in their blood!
Last night" quavered Quartermas
ter Sandeau. 81 slept with this unde
my pillow" He drew from under hi
coat an enormous horse-pistoI of al
tique pattern. at kept me from sleeI
ing. 1t hurt my ear, but by the
Sergeants Motto and Latude e,
changed a look Of mutual understand
ing, and the former unbuttoned hi
coat, his comrade aiding him
Look" painted Motto.
He held his coat open with arm
that trembled from age and rheum;
tism. The group stared in amazemen
some of them saluting, others unco,
ering their bald or frosty heads.
Around the breast of the sergean
where it had been concealed, was
faded flag. thin and torn.
A dozen voices whispered:
The colors of the emperori"
1--WE took 1t yesterday" said Sc
geant Latude in stifed tones. as |
stood at the side of his friend wit
that mingled air of reverence and ne
sonal pride with which a sacristan @
htbits the bones of a saint. "The cor
mandant was having the battlefiags
the nations taken down, in there.
that they could not fall into the han,
of the enemy should he enter Pari
as he did In 1870. Motto and |. waite
ing our chance, took this-his flag.
our fag-the flag that fioated over h
sacred tent-the flag of Napoleon!"
Latude began to choke, with EN-
ton, or age, OF both.
While this was going on, two 9th
comrades had arrived-a strange ma
strangely llnked-one of them pushil
the other In an invalid-chair. TIL,
were the two extremes-the oldest al
tha youngest of that little band of v,
erAps still sheltered in the Hotel d
Insalides.
The man in the chair was Adiuta
Latour Michel, who had been blind
away back in the revolution of IS.
But, as he himself always said. he h
seen enough before the accident
rived. Those eyes of his-now wi
open, gazing mystically on space-h
ence looked into the eyes of Napole
himself The adjutant was very old
more than hundred. He was a me
white shadow Of a man in a rolf
chair. but he still carried with him
aroma OF power. He was the man w
I'D seen Napoleon!