Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-12-20
MISCELLANY.
YOUNG NAPOLEON.

AT the present moment, the mind inslnctively
reverts To the past, and looks back through the
vista of nearly half a century, 10 that moment
when the reyerberaton Of cannon, together
with the silent voice Of telegraphic dispatches,
and the hasty messages of imperial couriers,
announced to all Europe that son was born
to Napoleon the Great Never perhaps, was
Napoleon mo:e worthy of this cognomen than
at that moment when, on hearing that Maria
Louisa's life was in peril, he silenced the voice
Vt selfish ambition within his breast, and 10 an
swer to the inquiry OF her physician, uttered
these memorable words " Save the mother
lit is her right" The sacrifice which he so
promptly consented to make, was no, demand
ed Of him. A son was given into his arms
and at that moment of satisfied ambition, the
voice of the father spoke still more fnrcijly
within his heart than that Of the sovereign, for
il is said he was seen 10 shed tears Of joy over
the helpless babe which lay within his arms
The king of Rome was born on the morning
of March 80, 1911. lie was SO feeble a, the
time of his birth, that it was deemed advisable
that he should receive the rite OF baptism with
out delay. On the evening of that day was he
therefore borne to the chapel of the Tuileres,
whittier he was accompanied by his father and
the whole imperial family. Upon a white vel
vet carpet, embroidered with golden bees, stood
granite pedestal, sustaining richly chased
vase Of silver gilt. This was destined to be
the baptismal font. The emperor placed him
self at his prize dieu, which stood beneath da-
is in the center Of the chapel. When he APP
preached the font 10 present his son to be bap-
tised, there was a moment of deep silence
The conqueror seemed 10 be subdned into the
father. Who can guess what deep emotions,
what shadowy anticiPaiions, filled the heart of
Napoleon the Great at that solemn moment
All within the chapel was perfectly still, while
ihs EXPLANATIONS of the multitude without, be-
spoke the tumut of popular joy at the birth Of
an heir to the throne. A moment i, was of
vivid contrast, and so living in It's historic i'm
portance, that its memory is as fresh as ever
among men, while the actors in that scene are
one and all passed away from the busy stage OF
this worlds drama
Their parts enacted, and the curtain fallen
On his return 10 his own apartments, Napo-
Icons counlenance beamed with pleasure, and
he was heard to hum some lavorie operate
humor although the falsi,y of his musical
tones made these performances by no means a
greeable TO the hearer. On meeting some ot
his couriers, he said to them payfully We'll
gentlemen, we have, think, got fire, hand
some boy. He made us wait a little, 10 be
sure; but there he is at last -
1t was many months later when The royal in
FAINT was presented with great ceremony at the
church Of Notre Dame, and received the name,
of Napoleon Francis-Ch arles-Joseph. Thes,
were the names Of his god,h,hers. They ma,
still be found in his baptismal register, an,
found also engraved upon the tomb which close,
above his uncrowned head at The early age 0
twenty one years.
Napoleon idolized his son. His mode o
playing with him was occasionally rather TO,
rough for so young child and then, il The
infant shed tears, his father would say TO him
What, sire you are crying o fe, fe A
king should never cry The little fellow wa.
usually brought 10 see his father at breakfast
time and then the emperor would dip his fin
ger into glass of clarel, and make him suck
1t, or occasionally he would dip his finger int,
some sauce, and pu, it on his sons cheeks OF
on the Zip of his little nose This delighted
the child greatly; and unce he marked his de.
sire very emphalically that The same should be
done to "Maman Qiou," as he called his GOV.
erness Madame de MuntesQuieu.
The emperor had shown his usual discern.
menl in the selection of this lady as his son
gonpernanie. Noble by nature as BY birth, she
united lirmness Of principle and dignity of man
ners, with all the gentle tenderness of loving
woman's heart. Her management or her mn
pill was admirable. lie was good tempered an1
aiectionaie, hat often alsu wilml and passion.
ale. One day when he had given way to a vio
len, TT of passion, Madame de Moniesauieu or
dered all the window shutters in his apartment
to be closed. Il was noon, aud the child wa
a''onished ar the sudden and unexpected dark
ness lie asked the governess what was hi
reason of IT, s. In order that no one shoul,
lear yoi cry, sire. Frenchmen never woult
have you Tor heik king if they knew that 70,
were naughty"
" But they could not hear me, could thew y