1 84 Reminiscences of 



bare as a billiard ball, without the fine flowing wig he 

 wore when dressed, intently studying his child's French 

 primer book, spelling out the simple words of cat, dog, 

 rat, apple, and sundry other simple words as illustrated 

 above the spelling. But he made slow headway and 

 was much disgusted with his inability to talk and un- 

 derstand French. But it indicated his disposition for 

 work and his activity of mind, which advancing age 

 had not impaired. 



He accompanied me to the interview with the 

 Emperor at the Tuileries, where we received a pleasant 

 reception, quite free from any formality. I had pre- 

 viously had bound up my three exposition works in 

 English, French, and German on large paper, with 

 maps of the United States and Colorado, and a photo- 

 graph of the Colorado exhibit. This book I had bound 

 in elegant form at the Emperor's bookbindery, where 

 all books added to his library were rebound in pale 

 green morocco, embossed on the front with the Im- 

 perial coat-of-arms. This book I presented to the 

 Emperor, who pleasantly received it, and entered into 

 a conversation about Colorado and its resources. The 

 Emperor spoke English perfectly with but slight ac- 

 cent, and I was rather surprised with his apparent 

 knowledge of the western regions of the United States, 

 and of the northern States of Mexico, and upon my 

 expressing my surprise he informed me that he had 

 lately received for the government special reports on 

 Chihuahua, Durango, and other Mexican States from 

 commissioners sent out for the purpose. 



I took pains to impress upon the Emperor the con- 

 spicuous importance I believed Colorado would gain 

 in the future from its practically inexhaustible mineral 



