Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-08-25
MISCELLANY.
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE EMPE-
ROR NAPOLEON,


BY MRS. ABEL, LATE MISS ELIZA BALcoMED
DURING THE TIME SPENT BY HIM IN HER FATHERS
HOUSE AT HELENA.
Republshed in the New York Albion
(Conciuded)
Shortly after his arrival u little girl Miss l.egg,
daughter OF n friend, came to visit us at the Br-
ars. The poor child had heard such terrific sto-
ries Of Bonapsrle, that when told her he was
coming up the lawn, she chung 10 me in an agony
OF terror Forgetting my own former fears, /
was cruel enough to run out and tell Napoleon Of
the chds fright begging him TO come into the
house. lie walked up 10 her, and brushing up
his hair with his hand, shook his head, making
horrible faces and giving sort of savage howl.
The ltllle girl screamed SO violently, that mann
ma was afraid she would go into Mysteries, and
took her out of the room.
Napoleon laughed good deal at the idea of his
being such bugbear, and would hardly believe
when told him that | had stood in The ter
ror Of him. When l made tits confession, he
tried 10 frghen as lie had poor lite Miss
Legg by brushing up his hair and GIsorling his
features; but he looked more grotesque than hor
rioIe and only laughed at him. He then, as u
last resource, tried The howl, but was equally un-
successful, and seemed, | thought, ule provo
ked that lie could not irighten me. He suid the
howl was Cossack, and II certainly was barbarous
enough for any thing.
He took good deal Of exercise at this period,
and was fond Of taking exploring walks in The val.
ley and adjacent mountain. One evening he Stroll
led out, accompanied 10y General Gourgaud nv
sister, and myself, into a meadow in " hich some
cows were grazing. One of these The moment
size saw our purity, put her head down, and Il be.
eve) her tail up, and advanced, pas de charge a.
gainst the Emperor. lie made a skilfuI and rap
id retreat, and euping nimbly over wall, placed
this rampant between himself and the enemy. But
General Guurgaud vaantly stood his ground, and
drawing his sword threw himself between his SOY
eregn and the COW, exclanng,
"This is The second time have saved the EN-
peror's life"
Napoleon laughed heartily when he heard the
Generals boast, aud saiu,
" tie ought 10 have put himself in the position
TO repel cavalry"
l Told him lie COW appeared tranquilized, and
stopped the moment he disappeared and he con-
tinued 10 laugh, and said, -
"She wished to save the English government
tbs expense and trouble OF keeping him"
The Emperor during his residence under nv
fathers ROOT, occupied only one room and mar
quee. The room was one my father had built for
ball room. There WINS small lawn in front.
rallied round, and in this railing The marquee was
pitched, connected with the house by "A covered
way. The marquee was divided into two com.
purIlneDs, the inner one forming Napoleou's bed.
room, and ut one extremity OF the external com
partnenI there was small lent bed, with green
silk hanglngs, Oh which General Gourgaud slept.
IL was the bedsIead used by the Emperor in nil
his cuInpagns. Between The two divisions of the
tent was u crown, which his devoted servants Ind
carved out Of The turf floor and il was so placed
that the Emperor could not pnss through without
placing his iuot oil this emblem OF regal dlgni,y
Napoleon seemed TO have no penchani for the
pleasures OF the table. He lived very sinIply and
cared litlle or nothing about what he ate He din.
ed at nine and at that hour Cipruni the mnitre
G'holeI made his appearance, and with profound
"a Galll "A
ire majesle est seryl."
He linen relreated backwards, followed by Ma.
poleon aud those OF his suite who were 10 dine
with him.
When he had finished, he would abruptly push
AWAY his chair from the liable, and quit ,lie dining
room, apparently glad IL was over. A few days
after his arrival, he invited my sister and myself
10 dine with him, aud began quizzing the English
for their iondness for rosbii aud plum pudding.
/ accused the French in return OF living on
frogs aud running into the house | brought him
a curicalure, oil lunk lean Frenchman, with his
mouth open, his tongue out, aud frog on the lin
OF it, ready 10 jump down his throat: underneath
was written, "A Frenchman's Dinner"
He laughed nj my impertlnence, and pinched
my ear as he often dill syhen- stfftiseh; and some
--rIi1es Wien lille provoked at my espiegiere.
LIE petit Las Cases. he called Lus Cases so n
formed one Of the party Oh that day he was
then lad of fourteen, aud the Emperor was fond
of izzing me about him. aud telling me should
be his wife. Nothing enraged me much |
could not bear 10 be considered such "a child and
parlculary at that Moment for there was a hall
in prospect to which had great hopes Of papa
allowing mo to go, and knew that his objection
would be founded on my being too young.
Napoleon seeing my annoyance, desired young
Las Cases 10 kiss me, and be held both my hands