Show A nashin 1 EXPLOIT when the revolution or of 1830 set in alexandre dumas then a very young man and seeing nothing in life but one series of tableaux took his share in the most stirring scenes in the capacity of 0 a skirmisher he tells telis the whole story in his memoirs and his account seems an anticipation of the best portions of babaras Ba Ra bagas but his narrative of his expedition tion to soissons to bieze some paw i der will be found one of the most stirring bits of adventure in modern times he had heard lafayette say that if the king were to advance on paris there would be no powder to meet him alexandre conceived a bold scheme and proposed to the general to set off for gols gois soissons soissons sons a town he well knew and belze beize on the magazine there lafayette laughed at the idea but consented consented to give him a pass to beneral general gla gib G rard erard to which dumas coolly added and we recommend his scheme to you from gerard he with some di difficulty obtained a requisition addressed to the author ties of the town for the powder in this he ingeniously interpol abed the words minister of warf warl war a rank which no one but himself had conferred on the general with this official document he be returned to lafayette and persuaded the old patriot to write him a sort of letter of introduction to the citizens of Sols soissons sons recommending them alex dumas one of our combatants us a fit and proper person to whom they should hand over the powder then our hero for such he was on this occasion prepared himself for as spirited and dramatic an adventure as can be found in the books of romance it was about 3 in the afternoon of the of july 1830 As he was hurrying away he met a young painter by the name of bard who was only nineteen he asked him to join the other agreed with alacrity and alexandre sending him back for his double barrerd barre ed pistols and his horse set off himself in a cabriolet for le bourget then the first post on the road to soissons and which has since obtained such a disastrous notoriety arrived there he exhibited hib his lafayette and gerard letters to the postmaster and demanded a chaise and horses for his mission the postmaster was friendly and even em presse and supplied him at once with what he asked he went out to buy some pieces of calico red white and blue which were sewn into a tricolor flag fixed to a broomstick which latter was tied on to the chaise with this ensign they started in hopes of getting to Sols sois soissons sons about midnight the postmaster shook his bis head but as he fagac mn r duall ed so many mira miracles clet ciet lad bad bt ute uni t i fr F rr r formed during the last three jo a mat it might be possible As they hurried through through the various villages the flag cause caused the greatest excitement his fellow traveler delighted declared that all was going on splendidly but they ought to have some sort of cry shout away then said dumas dumag and while you are shouting ill take some sleep the only difficulty was what was to be the cry and with some hesitation the now well worn and tattered plus pius la be pub lique was decided on accordingly I 1 y the young painter his head out of tho the window and his flag waving roared on on ahey meta eta chaise going to paris jand land a traveler of some am bome e fifty years old asked aked for news the Louvre 19 taken the bourbons bourdons Bour nour bons dons nned fled provisional government establish edvice ed trgve la the excited pain ter roared out the gentleman fifty years old scratched his ear and continued his journey JO u rne F ir r the next blat they had an ai old oid who persisted per ver isted in going at a steady trot rind find at evely remonstrance answered doggedly leave it all to me nie a man knos k no ws his dwir business busi busl ness nesa be beati beatt ra dil mas mab at last croaa froni the chaise window laid or mi the backs af the horses with a astick stick ad ard made thom them gallop ln in a 6 rage 0 e the man nian pulled up swore he would unyoke his beasts bets an ani 1 actually proceeded to do so dumas fired at anthim him with blank cart carl cartridge uridge and so scared urn min him bim that he rolled on the ground in terror AIex alex alexandre andre then put on the huge posting boots and mounting galloped on to the next post they soon boon cached the old familiar villers cotter 1 etythe eti ahe whole town as may well be imagined being thrown into intense excitement by the appearance of the chaise with the tricolor and the excited alexandre AIex alex andre dumas late as it was every house poured out its inhabitants who rushed rubbed tp the post house A thousand eager questions were put to him what did it mean this flag and the guns he knew all the townspeople and told the story of the past few day it was insisted that he should stay a short time and have something to eat and he was carried off to the house honse of an old friend where a ahasay hasty supper was got ready A number of old companions who had been boys when he was wag in the little town gi gathered round listening eagerly as their old friend declaimed and recounted between every mouthful As he yle dashed in ill for them which ho he could do admirably vivid sketches of these thrilling scenes the rustics listened with delight and wonder but when wehen became he came to explain the tho objector object of his present expedition when I 1 announced that I 1 meant to handed all the powder that was iii lil ina lma a military town containing eight thousand inhabitants and a garrison of eight hundred men they looked at him doubtfully and thought he was crazed this was of course w welcome to alexandre who always delighted to put himself in a theatrical attitude taitu d e and be the centre ofa dramatic sensation fon ion he turned to his companion bard what were my words when proposing this expedition to you I 1 you asked was the reply was I 1 inclined to get myself shot with you and what do you say now that I 1 am ready still all were confounded at sueh such gallantry one of his friends now stepped forward and offered to get him into soissons as he had a friend at the gates then alexandre ex andre always anticipating his da D tagnon dartagnon Ar raised his glass and drank to his bis own return to them on the next evening have dinner ready he be called to the host for twenty people and it is to be eaten just the same whether we are alive nilve or dead here are two hundred francs franes theother Tb the other eother answered he might pay on the morrow but if Y I 1 should be shot then I 1 shall pay A shout arose hurrah for car tierp tier durnas dainas drank off his hla wine and we might ht add the act drop fell it was now about 11 0 clock the horses were put puh to the chaise which was waiting walting and the bold trio tho dumas bard and wg huntin buntin H who was to pass them through the tha gates drove away on their daring expedition by iry 1 they had bad reached the gates ot of soissons Sols sois sons throy were allowed to P pass ass the doorkeeper little dreaming says alexandre the great that he was admitting the revolution they went straight to the house of buntins Hun tins mother ni other where their first business was the manufacture of a laree inre tricolor flag she her blue bine and red curtains with a table cloth cioth and all the women of the Itou hebold sebold 1 vere were set to work to sew the pieres tv together ether by daybreak the task w completed the pole of course gave avo him to no trouble as the one from which which the bourbon white flag was floating would answer the flagstaff as damas says had no political opinions the plan they had urra arra arranged narod was quixotic in mi M i ex extravagance trava gance ganco and indeed seems almost Q incredible e making slaking all allowance for du dumas bombast it will be seen at the most he has only been gul gui guilty ty of the novelists exaggeration an and d though at the time th the story estory of the a adventure d venture was all but scouted it could not bo be disproved in the facts which are given with the most minute detail of dates names and places maces it was settled that bard and huntin were to take the flag and contrive to get into the tho cathedral under pretense of seeing the thil sun rise from the tower if the sacristan made any resistance h he 0 was to be flung over the parapet the then ii h having dragged down the white te flak flag and andset andret set the tricolor floating from the tower bard was to hurry on to lend his aid to dumas who would be engaged at the powder magazine such was the dash ap plan pian of these thes three ethree men they started at daybreak and dumas made naad e his way port eort st jean whelp where a smail crha ili iii to the gateway was waa used as the magazine he daled not attempt the gate but stealing round climbed up the wall cautiously and took a peep into the fort he saw two soldiers buhy busy hoehe in a little gar den at the corner he let himself down again and looked over at the distant cathedral eth edral he saw distinctly against the sky a dark outline of some figures then the white flag after aher being to tossed asea about in an extraordinary fashion that could not have been owing to the wind finally disappeared and the tricolor took its place row now was the moment his companions had done their part his double gun aboud about him and began to climb the wall when h he e got to rhe the top be saw the two soldiers 0 with wonder at ohp strange flag on the cathedral then the cocking both barrels of his gun fl he leaped down and stood before th them a in one was named captain mollard the other sergeant ragou he advanced on the them in presenting his piece and made them a courteous but hurried speech explaining who he was and his errand he was monsieur alexandre dumas son of general dumas etc he came in the name of general gerard to demand the surrender of the powder and there was bis his order signed by the general which he presented with one hand and holding his cocked gun in the other the pair were much taken back and knew not what to do when the colonel darcourt DOr court who was in command was seen approaching the maiter was explained to him and after many curious phrases a treaty was arranged by which the three omm off meers leers promised their neutrality and engaged to keep within doors thus the powder magazine would seem to have been captured by dumas single handed it has the air of a very brilliant achievement in en t and the picture of the hero alone in the he fort his birgers on the triggers trigger 8 of his gun courteously but firmly controlling his three opponents Is a most dramatic seene beene when writing the account of his adventure from which we take these particulars however dumas forgets that in the official report furnished to the eur twenty three years be fore he had bad stated that three of his friends were waiting at the gate thus successful he opened the gate and found his friend bard to him he handed over the charge of the magazine and went away to deal with the commandant nian mandant dant of the fort Lin liniers finters Li lers he found this officer just risen and discus ing the news of the sudden appearance of the flag on the cathedral dumas laid down his gun at the door introduced himself and made his do de mand for an order to remove the powder the other declined to acknowledge general gerards order and said that there was scarcely any powder bowder in the magazine the commandant seemed in fact tact rather amu ed and smiled scornfully when durnas dumas answered that the party at the magazine were his prisoners alexandre replying that he would go bak ba k at once and bring proof under mir their hand haud that the powder was there made his bow and retired he flew back found that he was right and returned presently with satisfactory proof that a large quantity of powder was in the magazine but when he reached the commandants office he found that the party had been increased during his absence and that lenferna I 1 nn an officer of gendl gendarmes gen darmes armes and bonvil lela beis colonel of the engineers were therin thiera full uniform and armed the commandant addressed him in a sort of barite bantering ring mone pone telling him that he had bad sent for these officers who with h him m were in command of the town in older that they might have the pleasure of hearing heading M dumas explain his mission the young man saw that boldness was his only resource and coolly told taid them that he had been en py by lafayette to bring the powder to 10 paris or lose his life ilfe an and that he be insisted on the commandants handing that powder over to him the off officers leers passed on gerards order from one to the other with a sort of smiling contempt and so said the commandant in the same tone so go single handed monsieur monsieur dumas I 1 thina think you yon said that was your name yon propose to force me to do this you eo ee that we are four if the tho youns man saw that matters were coming corning to a crisis and took a prompt resolution he step sten stepped Ded back pulled his hla double pistols from liis ills IS p pocket fiock et sand presentad presented them at the star startled party you are four I 1 he said gentlemen but we are five if that order be not signed in five seconds I 1 give you my word or of honor I 1 will blow your brains out be ginning beginning with the commandants there therel he owned he felt a little blittle nervous but he was determined take taue care ho he went oh menn mean what I 1 say I 1 am going to count ono one two three at this critical moment a side sid edoor door was flung open and a lady ang flung herself among them in a paroxysm of alarm agree agree she cried oh this is another revolt of the negroes think of my poor father and mother whom they murdered in st domingo alexandre Alex aiex andre audre owned that the ladys mistake was excusable considering his own natural tint deepened by violent browning from the sun and the peculiar character of hair and voice but we may wonder at the insensibility to ta ridicule cute which could prompt him to set down such a jest at his own expense the truth was he was so filled with vanity that all the nicer senses became blunted and he was even unconscious of the roars of laughter which these foolish confidences produced the commandant could not the entreaties treaties sod of hi his swire wife ed that he had infinite respect for the lady but entreated her husband to send her away and let the men finish the business the poor commandant protested that seif beir respect must be respected he could not decently yield to a single man Alex aiex alexandre indre then offered to sign a paper to the effect that the order had been extorted at the mouth of the pistol barrel or would you prefer he added that I 1 should fetch two or three of my companions so that you should seem to have yielded to a more respectable force the thu c commandant 0 in accepted this proposal and alexandre left him bluntly declaring that no advantage should be taken of the delay or he would return and blow all ail a their brains out aud and nd that the whole party must give their parole of honor that they would remain exactly as they were yes yes cried the lady alexandre made her a low bow but declared that it was not her parole that he be wanted the commandant gave what was required of him and alexandre hurrying away speedily returned with two or three of his men whom he placed in the court opening the window he called to them and bade them inform the gentlemen inside that they were ready to fire at them at the first signal an appeal answered by the significant sound of the cocking of guns the commandant understood and going to his desk desh wrote out a formal order after this the rest was comparatively easy the magazine was broken open carts were procured and loaded and about 5 they were outside of the town dumas was so exhausted that he |