North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-05-19


young Napoleon, l will leave, with other
reflections, to the reader. Two brackets
for wax tapers hung below each little
mirror. The ceiling was ribbed. 1t had
been newly plastered, with some little
effort at frescoe. The mothers portrait
very finely executed, hung over her dress.
ing table. 1t presents her as splendid
woman. The cabinets were inlaid with
every colored marble, and very antique
some rare objects sent by Napoleon from
Egypt were seen. But the chief attraction
was the bed on which Napoleon was born!
1t was wooden, rickotty affair; near by
it, was tie sedan chair Of the Madame.
1t is we'll known well; will put it
politely-in French, that-Madame Letie.
ia surprise a regiise par les douleurs dt
renfantement le Is Aout, 1869, tut roppor-
tee son domicile! In this very sedan the
mother of the great Emperor was borne
from the church, and on this very couch,
the "little corporal first drew his breath.
From this bed to St. Helena; from the
capital to the Tarpeian Rock! Fill up the
gap-Arcoli, Austerlitz, Waterloo Here,
in this house, he passed his time, playing
at soldiers with his fellows, and mourning
because he had no moustache-till, at the
age Of fifteen, he entered the Military
School ut Brienne. He returned home
for vacations, and mixing his young am
bitions with the daily round of boyhood
pleasures and walks, he, at the same time,
imbibed from the peculiar characteristics
of the Cersicana their feuds and feelings,
which his grand, gloomy, and marvellous
,after-life illustrated. Just above US
where | write-we are pointed out grot-
to, made by boulders, and surrounded
with foliage and musical with birds, as the
favorite study spot of the young Napoleon.
The spot commands perfect view Of the
bay and the snow clad mountains around.
From it can be seen on a fine day the
island of Sardinia. Gardens of oranges,
from which we are permitted to pluck, at
pleasure, cover the slopes near by. Hedges
of cactus-catcus piled on cactus-the
famous macchie, so sweetly scented; the
arbutus, the myrtle, the olive, and every
Kind Of color of tree and flower, here
grow in the air of winter. 1t was within
tho o;rolo oc e,oh ;na,aroo, oc ,au .l,v
land and water, that young Napoleon
formed his plans Of life. How many OF
them failed, or how many of them were
realized, we can only guess. One thing
remains to be said that in the hurly-
burly Of his active career he never forgot
Corsica. He Away intended to do more
for her than he did. His last thoughts
were about his native isles
GOOD RoADs-FEw CARRIAGES.
The Central Park Commissioners, with
all their police, taste, vigilance, ard skill,
have not made any better roads for eques,
trians or carriages than we fonnd in the
very midst of mountains here, four or five
thousand feet above t.e sea. This is owiug
mostly to good engineering. It is due
somewhat to chcapncss of labor and prox-
unity Of good stone for macadamizing.
The water is drained skillfyliy and runs
harm essly from or undsr the road. Yet
with all this expense and care, compara'
lively few, as yet, use these roads. On a
ride of four days We met not one carriage
The diligence goes donkeys and womer
-(excuse me for the connection )-bearine
burdens, and the famous tough, Corsicar
pony-these are to he met with; but it i,
such rarity to meet carriage that wher
we pass through the mountain towns al
the population turn out to see
This may account for the trouble WI
had in obtaining conveyance. At th'
capital of Corsica, Ajaccio, but one man
Jean, had carriages, and he had but few
These were already let. We found wha
is called 6reck at Rivics's. 1t is eros
between small uncovered omnibus and
jaunting car. We paid for it twenty franc
day, and had to "eat the driver" Whel
I proposed, in a horrible way, manger
cocher, that humble person standing nea
I-Csggini, by name-was not merely pale
he was paralysed! lie thought it was a,
American custom to consume drivers. II
give drink-pour 6oire-is common ant
rather expensive custom all through
Fraace but we had improved on it. d.
not complain, however, of our vehicle, an
l found Caggini very brisk and sc.7i Tic
''coNsERvATIvs" SHEEP & vAsRy Mt GOATS
We started on the rise from Ajaccio. A
we gained the heights we perceived a goo
deal of cultivation. Besides the shee
there were patches of green (aax) an
vineyards in plenty along the terrace'
mountain sides. The sheep are nearly al
black one white for twenty black. Th
white are small, and have wool on them
the black sort Of hair-much used her
and elsewhere for mattresses. Their hal
is long and nearly straight. might ca
them little conservative" The noun
tans and valleys were dotted with them a
thickly as Carlyle's pages with capital lei
ters. A shepherd, here and there, was o
the watch, with his dog. Occasionally
would hurl stone at the flock to adyis
them that they were under supervision
Goats were nearly as common as sheep
but they looked and acted more like VI
grants. Indeed, the goats have much to ar
swer for in Corsica. They have spoiled th
land. They live around among the MAJ
chic or brushWoOd. and are yoracious {