he saw an officer who had gone out a moment before, come in and lead Gilpin to the witnessstand. It is customary in almost all countries, whenever a crime is committed, and it is not possible to ascertain who committed it by any ordinary proofs, to allow any one of the accomplices who is disposed to do so, to come forward and inform against the rest, and then to exempt him from punishment in consideration of his so doing. It seems very base for one person to lead another into sin, or even to join him in it, and then to assist in bringing his accomplice to punishment, in order to escape it himself. But they who combine to commit crimes, must be expected to be base. Gilpin was so. There seemed to be nothing noble or generous in his nature. As soon as he found out that Rodolphus was suspected, he feared that Rodolphus would confess, and then that he should himself be seized. Accordingly, he went immediately to Mr. Kerber, and told him that he knew all about the robbery, and that he would tell all about it, if they would agree that he should not come to any harm. This arrangement was finally made. They, however, seized Gilpin, and shut him up, so as to secure him for a witness, and he had been in prison ever since Rodolphus's arrest, though Rodolphus knew nothing about it. Christopher had run away the moment he heard of Rodolphus's arrest, and nothing had since been heard of him. Gilpin was now brought forward to give his testimony. There was a great contrast in his appearance, as he came upon the stand, from that of Antonio. He looked guilty and ashamed, and he did not dare to turn his eyes toward Rodolphus at all. He could not go forward himself and tell a connected story, but he made all his statements in answer to questions put to him by the county attorney. He, however, in the end, told all. He explained how Rodolphus had first cut a hole in the partition, and then he narrated the conversation which the boys had held together behind the wall. He told about the tools, and the dark lantern, and the breaking in; also about going to the corn-barn, burying the box, and then of the accidental setting of the straw on fire, and of Antonio's suddenly coming in among them. In a word, the whole affair was brought completely to light. Mr. Keep questioned Gilpin afterward very closely, to see if he would contradict himself, and so prove that the story which he was telling, was not true; but he did not contradict himself, and finally he went away. There were no witnesses to be offered in favor of Rodolphus, and very little to be said in his defense. When, at length, the trial was concluded, the jury conferred together a little in their seats, and then brought in a verdict of guilty. The next day Rodolphus was sentenced to ten days' solitary confinement in the jail, and after that, to one year of hard labor in the state prison. V. THE FLIGHT. Two or three days after Rodolphus's trial, Ellen, who had done every thing she could to cheer and comfort her mother in her sorrow, told her one morning that she desired togo and see her uncle Randon that day. "Is it about Rodolphus ?" asked her mother. "Yes, mother," said Ellen. "Well, you may go," said her mother; "but I don't think that any thing will do any good now." After all her morning duties had been performed, about the house, Ellen put on her bonnet, and taking Annie by the hand, in order that she might lead her to school, she set out on the way to her uncle's. She left Annie at school as she passed through the village, and she arrived at her uncle's about ten o'clock. Her uncle had been married again. His present wife was a very strong and healthy woman, who was almost all the time busily engaged about the farm work, but she was very fond of Ellen, and always glad to see her at the farm. When Ellen arrived at the farm, on this occasion, she went in at the porch door as usual. There was no one in the great room. She passed through into the back entry. From the back entry she went into the back room-the room where in old times she used to shut up her kitten. This room was now used as a dairy. There was a long row of milk-pans in it, upon a bench. Mrs. Randon was there. She seemed very glad to see Ellen, and asked her to walk into the house. Ellen said that she came to see her uncle. So her aunt went with her out into the yard where her uncle was at work; he was mending a harrow "Well, Ellen," said her uncle, "I am very glad to see you. But I am sorry to hear about poor Rodolphus." "Yes," said Ellen, "but I have thought of one more plan. It's of no use to keep him from going to the state prison, even if we could, unless we can get a good place for him. Now what I wish is, that if we can get him free, you would let him come and live here with you. Perhaps you could make him a good boy." Mr. Randon leaned upon the handle of his broad ax, and seemed to be at a loss what to say. He looked toward his wife. "Yes," said she, "let him come. I should like to have him come very much. We can make him a good boy." "Well," said Mr. Randon. "Well!" said Ellen. Her eyes brightened up as she said this, and she turned to go away. Mr. and Mrs. Randon attempted to stop her, but she said that she could not stay then, and so she went away. "She can not get him free," said Mr. Randon. "I don't know," said his wife. "Perhaps she may. Such a girl as she can do a great deal when she tries." 66 Antonio. 'It is too late now, he has been con- | case. The governor listened very attentively to demned and sentenced." all he had to say. Then he asked Antonio a "But the governor can pardon him," said El- great many questions, some about Rodolphus' len. "Can he?" said Antonio. "Yes," said Ellen. mother and sister, and also about Antonio himself. Finally he asked what it was proposed to do with Rodolphus, in case he should be pardon "Can he ?" repeated Antonio. "Then I'll go ed and set at liberty. Antonio said that he was and see if he will." Two days after this Antonio was on his way to the town where the governor lived. He met with various adventures on his way, and he felt great solicitude and doubt about the result of the journey. At last he arrived at the place. He was directed to a large and handsome house, which stood in the centre of the principal street of the village, enveloped in trees and shrubbery. There was a beautiful yard, with a great gate leading to it, on one side of the house. Antonio looked up this yard and saw an elderly gentleman there, just getting into a chaise. A person who seemed to be his hired man was holding the horse. The gentlemen stopped, with his foot upon the step of the chaise, when he saw Antonio coming, and looked toward him. THE GOVERNOR "Is this Governor Dummer?" said Antonio, as he came up. "Yes," said the gentleman, "that is what they call me." "I wanted to see you about some business," said Antonio, "but you are going away." The governor looked at Antonio a moment. and, being pleased with his appearance, he said, "Yes, I am going away, but not far. Get into the chaise with me, and we can talk as we ride." So the governor got into the chaise. Antonio followed him; the hired man let go of the horse's head, and Antonio and the governor rode together out of the yard. Antonio was quite afraid at first, to find himself suddenly shut up so closely with a governor. He, however, soon recovered his self-possession, and began to give an account of Rodolphus' | to go to his uncle's, which was an excellent place, and where he hoped that he would learn to be a good boy. The governor seemed very much interested in the whole story. He, however, said that he could not, at that time, come to any conclusion in respect to the affair; he must make some further inquiries. He must see the record of the trial, and the other documentary evidence connected with the case. He would attend to it immediately, he said, and write to Mr. Keep in respect to the result. About a week after this, Mr. Keep sent for Antonio to come and see him. Antonio went. "Well, Antonio," said Mr. Keep, as Antonio entered his office, "Rodolphus is pardoned. I should like to have you ask Mrs. Henry if she will let you go to-morrow, and bring him home. If she says that you may go, call here on your way, and I will give you some money to pay the expenses of the journey." Early the next morning, Antonio called at Mr. Keep's office, on his way after Rodolphus. Mr. Keep gave him some money. Antonio received it, for he thought it would not be proper to decline it. He had, however, plenty of his own. He had already put in his pocket six half dollars which he had taken from his chest that morning. Mr. Keep gave him a bank bill. He put this bill into his waistcoat pocket and pinned it in. He then proceeded on his journey. In due time he arrived at the place where Rodolphus was imprisoned. The pardon had already arrived, and the jailer was ready to deliver up Rodolphus to his friends. He told Antonio that he was very glad that he had come to take the boy away. He did not like, he said, to lock up children. Antonio took Rodolphus in his wagon, and they drove away. It was late in the afternoon when they set out, but though Antonio did not expect to get to Franconia that night, he was anxious to proceed as far as he could. He intended to stop that night at a tavern in a large town, and get home, if possible, the next day. They arrived at the tavern safely. They took supper; and after supper, being tired, they went to bed. Antonio had done all that he could to make Rodolphus feel at his ease and happy, during the day, having said nothing at all to him about his bad conduct. He had talked to him about his uncle, and about his going there to live, and other pleasant subjects. Still Rodolphus seemed silent and sober, and after supper he seemed glad to go to bed. The two boys slept in two rooms, which opened into each other. Antonio proposed to have the door open, between these rooms, but Rodolphus seemed to wish to have it shut. Antonio made no objection to this, but at last, when he was ready to go to bed, he opened the door a little to say good-night to Rodolphus. Rodolphus, he when he opened the door, was sitting at a little table, writing upon a piece of paper, with a pencil. Antonio bade him good-night and shut the door again. saw, "I hope he is writing to his mother," said Antonio to himself, "to confess his faults and promise to be a good boy." The next morning Antonio rose pretty early, but he moved softly about the room, so as not to disturb Rodolphus, who he supposed was asleep, as his room was still. Antonio went down and ordered breakfast, and attended to his horses, and by-and-by he came up again to see if Rodolphus had got up. He listened at the door, and all was still. He then opened the door gently and looked in. There was nobody there, and to Antonio's great surprise, the bed was smooth and full, as if had not been disturbed. Antonio went in. He saw a paper lying on the table with his own name on the outside of it. He took this paper up, and found that it was in Rodolphus's handwriting. It was half in writ. ten, and half in printed characters, and very ly spelled. The substance of it was this. "ANTONIO, minority good-naturedly to yield to the majority. It is this sentiment which is the political salvation of the United States. Not unfrequently, when hundreds of thousands of ballots have been cast, has a governor of a State been chosen by the majority of a single vote. And the minority, in such circumstances, have yielded just as cordially as they would have done to a majority of tens of thousands. After our most exciting presidential elections, the announcement of the result is the harbinger of immediate peace and good-natured acquiescence all over the land. The defeated voter politely congratulates his opponent upon his success. The French seemed to have at tained no conception of the sanctity of the decisions of the ballot-box. Government was but a series of revolutions. Physical power alone was recognized. The strongest grasped the helm, and, with the guillotine, confiscation, and exile, endeavored hopelessly to cripple their adversaries. Ten years of such anarchy had wearied the nation. It was in vain to protract the experiment. France longed for repose. Napoleon was the only one capable of giving her repose. The nation called upon him, in the loudest tones which could be uttered, to assume the reins of government, and to restore the dominion of security and order. We can hardly call that man an usurper who does but assume the post which the nation with unanimity entreats him to take. We may say that he was ambitious, that he loved bad-power, that glory was his idol. But if his ambition led him to exalt his country; if the power he loved was the power of elevating the multitude to intelligence, to self-respect, and to comfort; if the glory he sought was the glory of being the most illustrious benefactor earth has ever known, let us not catalogue his name with the sensualists and the despots, who have reared thrones of self-aggrandizement and self-indulgence upon the degradation of the people. We must compare Napoleon with the leaders of armies, the founders of dynasties, and with those who, in the midst of popular commotions, have ascended thrones. When we institute such a comparison, Napoleon stands without a rival, always excepting, in moral worth, our own Washington "I am sorry to go off and leave you, but I must. I should be glad to go and live at my uncle's, but I can't. Don't try to find out where I have gone. Give my love to my mother and to Ellen. I had not any money, and so I had to take your half dollars out of your pocket. If I ever can, I shall pay you. "RODOLPHUS. "P.S. It's no use in me trying to be a good boy." Antonio made diligent inquiry for Rodolphus, in the town where he disappeared, and in all the surrounding region, but no trace of the fugitive could be found. He finally gave up the search and went mournfully home. FRA NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. BY JOHN S. C. ABBOTT. THE CONSULAR THRONE. The next morning after the overthrow of the Directory, the three consuls, Napoleon, Sieyes, and Ducos, met in the palace of the Luxembourg. Sieyes was a veteran diplomatist, whose gray hairs entitled him, as he supposed, to the moral supremacy over his colleagues. He thought that Napoleon would be satisfied with the command RANCE had tried republicanism, and the of the armies, while he would be left to manage experiment had failed. There was neither the affairs of state. There was one arm-chair intelligence nor virtue among the people, suf- in the room. Napoleon very coolly assumed it ficient to enable them to govern themselves. Sieyes, much annoyed, rather petulantly exclaimDuring long ages of oppression they had sunk ed, Gentlemen, who shall take the chair!" into an abyss, from whence they could not rise, Bonaparte surely," said Ducos; "he already in a day, to the dignity of freemen. Not one in has it. He is the only man who can save us. thirty of the population of France could either" Very well, gentlemen," said Napoleon, promptread or write. Religion and all its restraints, were scouted as fanaticism. Few had any idea of the sacredness of a vote, of the duty of the 66 66 ly. "let us proceed to business." Sieyes was staggered. But resistance to a will so imperious, and an arm so strong, was useless. 46 Sieyes loved gold. Napoleon loved only glory. | sands. "Gentlemen," said he, very coolly, "Do you see," inquired Sieyes, pointing to a 'should this transaction come to my knowlsort of cabinet in the room, "that pretty piece edge. I shall insist that the whole sum be reof furniture?" Napoleon, whose poetic sensi- funded to the public treasury. But should I not bilities were easily aroused, looked at it with in- hear of it, and I know nothing of it as yet, you, terest, fancying it to be some relic of the disen- being two old Directors, can divide the money throned monarchs of France. Sieyes continued: between you. But you must make haste. To"I will reveal to you a little secret. We Direct-morrow it may be too late." They took the hint, ors, reflecting that we might go out of office in poverty, which would be a very unbecoming thing, laid aside, from the treasury, a sum to meet that exigence. There are nearly two hundred thousand dollars in that chest. As there are no more-Directors, the money belongs to us." Napoleon now began to understand matters. It was not difficult for one who had proudly rejected millions, to look with contempt upon thouVOL. IV.-No. 24.-3 A and divided the spoil; Sieyes taking the lion's share. Ducos complained to Napoleon of the extortion of his colleague. "Settle the business between yourselves," said Napoleon," and be quiet. Should the matter come to my ears, you will inevitably lose the whole." This transaction, of course, gave Napoleon a supremacy which neither of his colleagues could ever again question. The law which decreed first duty to restore them to liberty." the provisional consulship, conferred upon them | placed them under restraint, and that it was my the power, in connection with the two legislative bodies, of twenty-five members each, of preparing a new Constitution to be submitted to the people. The genius of Napoleon, his energy, his boundless information, and his instinctive insight into the complexities of all subjects were so conspicuous in this first interview, that his colleagues were overwhelmed. That evening Sieyes went to sup with some stern republicans, his intimate friends. Gentlemen," said he, "the republic is no more. It died to-day. I have this day conversed with a man who is not only a great general, but who is himself capable of every thing, and who knows every thing. He wants no counselors, no asssistance Politics, laws, the art of governing, are as familiar to him as the manner of commanding an army. He is young and determined. The republic is finished." But," one replied, "if he becomes a tyrant, we must call to our aid the dagger of Brutus." "Alas! my friends," Sieyes rejoined, we should then fall into the hands of the Bourbons, which would be still worse." Napoleon now devoted himself, with Herculean energies, to the re-organization of the government, and to the general administration of the affairs of the empire. He worked day and night. He appeared insensible to exhaustion or weariness. Every subject was apparently alike familiar to his mind; banking, police regulations, diplomacy, the army, the navy, every thing which could pertain to the welfare of France was, grasped by his all-comprehensive intellect. The priests had been mercilessly persecuted. They could only escape imprisonment by taking an oath which many considered hostile to their religious vows. Large numbers of them were immured in dungeons. Others, in dismay and poverty, had fled, and were wandering fugitives in other lands. Napoleon redressed their wrongs, and spread over them the shield of his powerful protection. The captives were liberated, and the exiles invited to return. The principle was immediately established that the rights of conscience were to be respected. By this one act, twenty thousand grief-stricken exiles were restored to France, proclaiming through city and village the clemency of the First Consul. In the rural districts of France, where the sentiment of veneration for Christianity still lingered, the priests were received with the warmest welcome. And in the hut of the peasant the name of Napoleon was breathed with prayers and tears of gratitude. Some French emigrants, furnished with arms by England, were returning to France, to join the royalists in La Vendee, in extending the ravages of civil war. The ship was wrecked on the coast of Calais, and they were all made prisoners. As they were taken with arms in their hands, to fight against their country, rigorous laws doomed them, as traitors, to the guillotine. Napoleon interposed to save them. Magnanimously he asserted-" No matter what their intentions were. They were driven on our soil by the tempest. The Directory had tyrannically seized, as hos- They are shipwrecked men. As such they are tages, any relatives of the emigrants upon whom entitled to the laws of hospitality. Their perthey could lay their hands. Wives, mothers, sons must be held inviolable." Unharmed they sisters, brothers, fathers, children, were imprison- were all permitted to re-embark and leave France ed and held responsible, with their lives, for the Among these emigrants were many men of illusconduct of their emigrant relatives. Napoleon trious name. These acts of generosity on the immediately abolished this iniquitous edict, and part of Napoleon did much to disarm their hos released the prisoners Couriers, without de-tility, and many of them became subsequently lay, were dispatched all over France to throw open the prison doors to these unfortunate captives. firm supporters of his power. The Revolutionary tribunals had closed the churches, and prohibited the observance of the Napoleon even went himself to the Temple, Sabbath. To efface, if possible, all traces of that where many of these innocent victims were sacred day, they had appointed every tenth day, imprisoned, that he might, with his own hand for cessation from labor and festivity. A heavy break their fetters On Napoleon's return from fine was inflicted upon any one who should close this visit to the prison he exclaimed, "What his shop on the Sabbath, or manifest any reverfools these Directors were! To what a state ence for the discarded institution. Napoleon, have they brought our public institutions. The who had already resolved to reinstate Christianprisoners are in a shocking condition. I ques-ity in paganized France, but who found it necestioned them, as well as the jailers, for nothing is to be learned from the superiors. When in the prison I could not help thinking of the unfortunate Louis XVI. He was an excellent man, but too amiable to deal with mankind. And Sir Sydney Smith, I made them show me his apartments. If he had not escaped I should have taken Acre. There are too many painful associations connected with that prison. I shall have it pulled down one day or other. I With singular tact he selected the most skillordered the jailer's books to be brought, and find-ful and efficient men to fill all the infinitely varied ing the list of the hostages, immediately liber-departments of state. "I want more head," said ated them. I told them that an unjust law had he, "and less tongue." Every one was kept sary to move with the utmost caution, ordered that no man should be molested for his religious principles or practices. This step excited bostility. Paris was filled with unbelief. Generals, statesmen, philosophers, scouted the idea of religion. They remonstrated. Napoleon was firm. The mass of the common people were with him, and he triumphed over aristocractic infidelity. |