presented it to her.  Madame de Polignac hastily glanced over the letter, recognised the writing, and fainted.  As soon as she recovered, Bonaparte, offering her the letter, said, “Take it; it is the only legal evidence against your husband:  there is a fire beside you.”  Madame de P. eagerly seized the important document, and in an instant committed it to the flames.  The life of Polignac was saved:  his honour it was beyond the power even of the generosity of an emperor to redeem.

CHARITY.

The Price of Bread.—­Some years ago, the bakers of Lyons thought they could prevail on M. Dugas, the provost of the merchants in that city, to befriend them at the expense of the public.  They waited upon him in a body, and begged leave to raise the price of bread, which could not be done without the sanction of the chief magistrate.  M. Dugas told them that he would examine their petition, and give them an early answer.  The bakers retired, having first left upon the table a purse of two hundred louis d’ors.  In a few days the bakers called upon the magistrate for an answer, not in the least doubting but that the money had effectually pleaded their cause.  “Gentlemen,” said M. Dugas, “I have weighed your reasons in the balance of justice, and I find them light.  I do not think that the people ought to suffer under a pretence of the dearness of corn, which I know to be unfounded; and as to the purse of money that you left with me, I am sure that I have made such a generous and noble use of it as you yourself intended.  I have distributed it among the poor objects of charity in our two hospitals.  As you are opulent enough to make such large donations, I cannot possibly think that you can incur any loss in your business; and I shall, therefore, continue the price of bread as it was.”

Kosciusko.—­The hero of Poland once wished to send some bottles of good wine to a clergyman at Solothurn; and as he hesitated to trust them by his servant, lest he should smuggle a part, he gave the commission to a young man of the name of Zeltner, and desired him to take the horse which he himself usually rode.  On his return, young Zeltner said that he never would ride his horse again unless he gave him his purse at the same time.  Kosciusko enquiring what he meant, he answered, “As soon as a poor man on the road takes off his hat and asks charity, the horse immediately stands still, and will not stir till something is given to the petitioner; and as I had no money about me, I was obliged to feign giving something, in order to satisfy the horse.”