The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-02-02
NAPOLEON'S ATTEMPT TO COM
NIT SUICIDE.

once early in his career, and again In 1879
! On the first occasion, his life was saved by
| Demesis, former comrade in an artillery
regiment. Napoleon was then in Paris
depressed and suffering from illness. His
mother having fed Corsica was at Marseil-
les, without subsistence, and had written
to him for aid.-Napoleon had nothing but
an assienat of an hundred sous. Relating
the adventure to Montholon, Napoleon
says:
In state of detection went out. as if
urged to suicide by an animal instinct,
and walked along the quays, feeling my
weakness, but unable to conquer it. In
few more moments | should have thrown
myself into the water, when I ran against
an individual dressed like a simple me-
chanic, and who recognized me, threw him.
self on my neck, and cried, is 1t you Ma
poleon! What joy lis to see you again
1t was Demesis, former comrade OF mlne'
in the artillery regiment. He had emlgra-
ted and returned to France in disguise to
see his aged mother. He was about to CO.
when stopping, he said-"N hat is the
matter! You do not listen to me. You
do not seem glad to see me. What mis-
fortune threatens! You look to me like
madman about to kill himself.
The direct appeal awoke Napoleon's
feelings and he told him everything. Is
, hat all! said be, opening his coarse waist
coat, and detaching a belt, he added, here
are thirty thousand francs, in gold; take
these and save your mother. l cannot
said Napoleon, to this day explain to my
self my motives for SO doing, but | seized
the gold, as if by convulsive movement
3 and ran like a mailman to send it to my
d mother 1t was not till it was out of my
G hands that thought of what | had DONE L
hastened back to the spot where | had lett
Demcsis, but he was no 'enger there. For
several days I went out ia the morning re-
turned not until the evening, searched
every place where hoped to find him.
The end of the romance is as eccentric
q as the beginning. For fifteen years Napo-
! leon saw NO more of his creditor. At the
end of that time he discovered him and
: asked why he had not applied to the en-
r. peror! The answer was that he had no
necessity of the money, but was afraid OF
being compelled to quit his retirement
: where he lived happily practicing horticul-
6 ture.
= Napoleon now paid his debt, as may be
presumed munifcently; made him accept
=, three hundred thousand francs reim-
y bnrsement from the Emperor for the thirty
thousand francs lent to the subaltern Of
>, artillery: and besides made him director
general of the gardens of the crown, with
salary of thirty thousand francs. He alse
gave a government place to his brother
. In April 1915, when Napoleon was a
the head of his army, preparing to attach
- the allies, his Marshals demanded an in
terview with him. They were opposed t.
his plan of operations and looked upon al
ATTEMPT to reenter Paris as hopeless
They proposed that he should abdicate IL
favor of his son. This also the adric
of the Emperor Alexander. Napoleon
did as was proposed. but Marmont and hi
army had surrendered on that day. Afte
this the allies rejected all negotiation In
PROPOSITIONS and offers of Napoleon to hi
atficers and men were unheeded by them
: and he at length signed an equivocal abdi
cation for himself and family. This led
the second attempt on his own life.
He thus narrates it:
From the time Of the retreat from Russit
49, said he, I constantly carried around m
neck in little silken bag portion Of
poisonous powder, which Ivan had prepare
bv nv orders, when was in fear of hein
''n !, carried off by the Cossacks. My life 4
longer belonged to my country; the even
" of few days had again rendered me ma
I'd ter of it. Why should 1 endure SO mue
suffering and who knows that may
place the crown npon the heao oI MY sun
per France was saved.
ow hesitated no longer, but leaping fro
T. nv bed mixed the poison in a little wat
and drank it with a sort of happiness.
10 Rut time had taken away its strengt
oon fearful pains drew forth some groans fro
me: they were heard, and medical ass
low tance arrived. 1t was not Heavens W
~, that | should die so soon. ST. Helena W
my destiny
ood FRExCu BROAD RoAD.-We learn tn
re- Cooke CO., Tenn, has voted against su
5 in scribing $50 900 to thestock of the Railro
the between this place art. Morristown. N
and withstanding this discouraging fact t
see Directors have had a meeting and resolv
to 90 on and locate the Road from Pa
10Th Rock to this place and place it UNI
o. contract. 1t being their firm belief ii
- :. the necessary $4,000 will eventually
III 1t subscribed by individuals. The deterlniI
way ton and energy which now character
the the action of the Board is praisewort
heir After so many discouragements, 1t show
tier or;r;t and will which cannot be conque
we thus to persevere. With continuance
onr- ike energy we may yet see the day, at
,r,, rrreat distance, when the products of
Valley of French Broad and swanna'
.tion will Law side bv side with those of the G.
nara - tba Nanse and the Roanoke on