Evening star., 1923-02-04

not done so. I will tell you why she
would have done so. You can read it
in Napoleonic gossip, recently re-
peated to give France black eye.
Marie Louise, second wife of Ma
poleon, being at Fontainebleu in
1910, was approached by a red-eyed
raven. which glared at her. And
Marie Louise tainted, because she
recognized what bird 1t was"
Chapter and verse can surely be
found for both faints, because the
Bonapartes were fine psychologists-
a supernatural curse accredits like
a supernatural blessing. and having
Joined their own to the original, the
pipe layers of the party proceeded
to revel in the crow curse. as late as
after the death OF the prince i'm
perial in Africa.
A few weeks after her son sailed
with the British expeditionary forces
Eugene, being at Farnsborough, was
glared at by a red-eyed crow. Doubt
less she saw the bird, rural England
being full OF them.
How could she not remember il,
after the boys tragic death? All
was set from away back. In par
ticular, the gray raven which ap-
peared to Napoleon III at St. Cloud
the evening before he started for
the Rhine front in 1870 had gone into
literature.
But what you will not find any
where (even in the autumn OF 1920
is the printed allegation Of a presi-
dent Of the French republic being
glared at by red-eyed crow in q
personal way.
x i u (:
WET, the Elysee, become white
L house OF the republic. continues
to be crow-haunted uniquely. first, by
the birds numbers, and second. by
the non-existence of such another
crow colony in Paris.
What about that?
Louis XIV took back" the Elysee
from Pompadour's brother. A finan-
cier bought 1t. Louis XVI bought IL
back. He gave it to his cousin, and
she willed it to the nation.
Still the crows came!
In 1892 it was the national print
ing ONCE. In 1900 it was made a
dance palace of the republic.
Neither took the curse off. There
was moro to come.
In 1906 Prince Joachim Murat own
ed it, and there. in 1916. Napoleon
signed his last abdication, amid
pandemonium OF cawing crows, which
reached paroxysm at twilight"
The Duke OF Wellington reQuisi-
toned it for his residence at the
first peace conference why dont
you clear out those dirty birds7" he
asked (they had been very noisy)-
I'D get rid of them in two shakes"
Doubtless" replied the sardonic
Talleyrand, "but the stupid owners
found IL difficult
The palace returned to the family
of France.
In 1919 King Louis XVIII gave it
to his nephew, the Duo de Berri,
eventual heir to the throne. When
the young couple went to give it the
once over, the duchesse (who was to
become mother of the Comte dc
Chambord) saw a red-eyed crow that
glared at her. And the duchesss
tainted. Yes, yes, because she knew
what bird it was! Six months later
her husband was assassinated at the
opera.
In 1S4S they started a new repub-
lie. The Elysee became the French
White House. There, in 1851, Louis
Napoleon, as prince president, plotted
the coup d'etat with Persigny, Morny
and Gen. de st. Arnaud. At 6 o'clock
next morning (black night of a Paris
December) he was awakened In a
nightmare start by "a hell OF cav
ing"
Sure, he knew what birds they
were. Immediately he moved to the
Tuileries-and stayed there.
ONCE 1871 the Elysee has been in
y habited by eleven presidents And
the crows have inhabited it with
them. There has been no let-up.
What do you say to that?
Only this, and It seems magnificent.
Early in 1915 the crows Char
bingers Of woe") absolutely quit the
gardens. Throughout the entire war
they sedulously stayed away. They
did not return at armistice-they
gave good measure. Only In 1922 did
they lag leisurely back to the old
homestead.
1t seems answer enough to the
"uneasiness" professed in London and
New York papers when a "harbinger"
was seen in an Elysee sycamore.
What misfortune threatens Presi-
dent Millerand and hovers on the
horizon of France" deplore the
tendencies"
None, dears. The crows have an
swered.
which 10 stronger. than the .~erk,
Of swerd--ey pen.