The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-09-24
SflisteIIaneons Selections.
AnecdOte of Napoleon

AACCNOGO VI 4NAROANOAS
After the battle of Auerstadt, NapO-
leon, with the remainder of his army,
marched toward Berlin by the postam
road in order to dispute with the enemy
the passage of the Spree. The entire
army was in advance of him one or two
marches, when he set out on horse
back from WittenbeTg. 1t was about
o'clock in the afternoon when he
started, with sky that had all the in
dications of storm, and before we
were out of sight of the town, the rain
began to fall in torrents.
The emperor alighted, and sought
shelter in the house of the chief super
intendent Of the forests of the elector.
He supposed he was not recognized,
and attributed the extreme Difference
of two young women, who were in the
room into which we were shown, to
the usages of the country. They, as
well as two children, remained stan
ding. Their embarrassment vast very
marked, when one of them, the older,
but the prettier of the two, said in a
low tone, in German, to the other, 81
assure you it is the emperor Napoleon,
The Eemperor did not understand her,
but the Due de Rovigo, who was toll
erably familiar with the German Ian
guage, told Napoleon what she said.
Not little surprised, he turned to the
lady, and asked:
care you married, madame?"
mo sir" She replied, in a very
pure French. 81 am widow"
"HaS your husband been dead
IongT
"He.. e..died in the army, sire; in the
service of your MAJESTY"
"How-do you know me"
"Yes, SIRE" your majesty has chang
ed but little since last had the pleas
ure of seeing you. recognized you
immediatly, as did also Gen. Bertrand
and Gen. Savary."
"But where did you see me?,,
'In Egypt, SIRE"
'.At this the Emperor was more sur
prised still, and cried:
"Eh, you were with us in Egypt9
Tell me how that was, l pray you"
81 was born in Switzerland, sire, and,
in 1897, married M. de Wenzel, an
army surgeon, who died of the plague
in Alexandria. Having no children, l
soon married again-this time a chef
de battalion of the second light infant
ry, who was killed at Aboukir. By
him 1 had one child-this little boy
you see here" and she designated one
Of the two ight-haired boys before us.
81 returned to France with the army
after the cspitulation, but all my en-
deavors to obtain pension proved
fruitless. Finally, 1 became discourag-
ed by being so often refused, and went
back to my native town in Switzerland,
where 1 remained until this lady here
requested me to come and take charge
of the early education of her little son"
| "'Where you really married to this
chef de battalion 7" asked the Emperor; !;
''or was it only one of those arrange
ments that your position compelled
you to accepts"
81 have my marriage contract, sire" J"
| "Be so good as to let me see it."
She went to her chamber for the
document, and placed it in the Emper-
of's hand saving:
"You will see, sire, that my son
was born of legitimate union"
| After having glanced over the paper
Napoleon returned it to the interesting
young widow, exclaiming, with un-
feigned satisfaction:
"Pardieu! this is a happy rencon-
tre."
He ordered Bertrand to note down
the name of the mother and her son
1t had ceased raining for some time
when Napoleon said to the lady:
| "Ek 6ieE, madame, in order that the
recollection of this day may be agree
able to us both, give you a pension
of twelve hundred francs, revertible to
your SON."
| We then mounted our horses, and
continued our march. That night,
before Napoleon retired, he signed the
degree for the pension of the widow of
| Aboukir.