Tombstone epitaph., 1915-04-18
tcopyrlght. The Prank A Mnns.v co

As the sun came up over Paris. one oi 'he hrst things to emerge from the olue-gray mist was the gilded dome of the Hotel des lnvalides. Not even The sky-kissing upiift 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- preter; not even the white basilica on top of the Butte Montmartre. nor the towers of Notre Dame. were visible for a good ten minutes afterward.
 And, in the meantime. the dome be- came a sort of counterpart of the sun itself-shimmering. golden. afioat in the opaque air. 1t hung like an au- reoie of glory over the great man whose tomb was there-Napoleon- last wish fulfilled.
 T desire that my ashes may rest on the banks of the Seine. in the midst Of this French people I so greatly loved"
 Then, as the sun mounted still higher, the rest of the Hotel des h. vaiides came into view a great mass of bssiidinss 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 Dr at was still the fine. military semblance of a man-pink face. choleric eye, white mustachc waxed and white i'm perial trimmed. the breast of his long. blue coat adorned with half a dozen medals.
 second or two afterward came Marine Frenzy. a 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 1t.
 "The Prussians still advance!"
 The marine looked dreamily into space and whispered:
 We 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 corporaIs words he ripped out an oath and shook his cane in the air. The army's led by lot of unlicked cubs" he declared. There's Joffre, for example"
 Other comrades joined the group Quartermaster Sandeau, decorated on the field of battle at Montebe,lo; Ser. geents Motte and Latbde. inseparable now as they were fin the Crimea: Far rier Saint-Lambert, who helped pu, down the Kabyles of North Africa in 1858.
 A desperate group they were, too {n a measure, they felt themselves al most the last hope of France.
 Something had to be done.
 wen form a brigade" said Far rier Saint-Lambert, "and-name of 8 capnon-if they do come into Paris ve1I drown ourselves in their blood!' Last night" quavered Quartermas ter Sandeau, 'I slept with this under my pillow" He drew from under his coat an enorrcJus horse-pistol of an tiaue l.:tern. Tt kept me from sleep ing. it hurt my ear. but by the"
 Sergeants Motte and Latude ex changed a look of mutual understand ing. and the former unbuttoned hi' coat, his comrade aiding him
 Look" panted Motte.
 He held his coat open with arm' that trembled from age and rheuma fism. The group stared in amazement some of them saluting, others uncov ering their bald or frosty heads.
 Around the breast of the sergeant where ir had been concealed. was ; faded flag, thin and torn.
 dozen voices whispered:
 -The colors of the emperor"
 sWe took it yesterday" said Ser geant Latude in stifed tones. as h. stood at the side of his friend witl that mingled air of reverence and per sonaI pride with which sacristan ex hibits the bones of a saint "The com mandsut was having the battlefags sbe nations taken down, in there, s' that they could rot fall into the hand of the epemy should he enter Paris ss he did in 1870. Motte and ], watch ing our chance. took this-his nag our ,ag-the flag that fioated over hi sacred tent-the flag of Napoieon!
 Iatude began to choke, with emo tion, or age, or both- -
 While this was going on. two othe comrades had arrived-a strange pail strangely hnked--one of them pushin tbe. other in an invalid-chair- The were the two extremes-the oldest an tbe youngest ot that little band of ve erans still sheltered in thesHotei de Invalides
 The man in the chair was Adjutar a.tour Michei, who had been biinde away back in the revolution Of ls4 aut as he himself always said, he he asen. enough before the accident .