The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-07-17
THE LATE PRINCE IMPERIAL,


The Prince was slender and had
mild pleasing eountenance; his ears wer,
rather too large, and on this account tho
Parisians (for whom nothing is sacred
and who always find nickname fol
everybody, called '.Prince Orchard.
His christening by Cardinal Patrizi, Al
representing Pope Plus ~, was COR
geous court display. The Empress
showed herself real mother to the boy
often spending her entire days and night,
beside his cradle, in spite OF court Ell
| quette and the Emperor's circumstances
/ She had her reward in The bouDdless
| affectation that the child learned to fee
| for her-a love which has known no
| diminution.
| His father, though he loved the boy
very dearly, rarely pettcd him save in
public. One day The boy, then perhaps
) years old, was crying with the tooth.
ache. The Emperor scolded him, saying
that the future emperor Of France should
be above all such weaknessess. ''But it
| hurts me awfally papa, replied the boy.
mo matter" sternly reioined the hero
OF Sedan; ''stop up your ears with your
fingers, and you viii not feel the pain. .
The boy glanced at him in nmazement,
but followed his fathers advice, and ten
Minutes later announced that the pain
was over.
Mild and amiable as he was he occa-
sionally yielded to temper when his play
mates, the sons of. DR.. Conneau and
Generals FIeury and Espinasse, were
not ready to obey his whins. 81 am a
Napoleon" ho said one day to Espinasse,
who had refused to race with him; "woe
to him that will not obey" His father
overheard him, and the boy was con-
demned to bread and water twenty four
hours. The young prince, when Il little
boy, could not be induced to mount a
pony until he had been threatened with
the seVerest punishments, SO much did
he fear tumble. Aftorward he became
fine horseman. His favorite pastime
was to listen TO The music that the band
OF the Imperial Guard played daily III
the court OF the Tuileries. He. took
such strong liking for the cornet play
er Of tho band, Dufour, that he would
not consent to the latter's retiring with
the others. Often when all the others
had gone the colossal N. Dufour was
seen either standing before the diminu-
tive prince to play the cornet, or carrying
him around in his arms for hours and
hours in succession. One day the En-
press was talking with some of her ladies
of honor about a certain marriage which
get married. said the boy; 81 will mar
~ II. Dufour." Young Lonis was fire.
quontIy requested by Lis tutor, General
Froissard, to be prudent; ga prince" he
was told, should never commit himself
one way or the ether" A short time
after he had been reminded of this duty
the son of General Floury asked him
whether nc was hungry. Il would not
like to express any opinion on the sub
iect," young Louis grayely replied.
As he grew older he manifested I'M
common talent and strong taste for
books, as well for military drill. His
favorite study was history, in which he
became proficient rather through his
own exerticns than those of General
Froissard. He had a wonderful memory
for dates and names, and at the age OF
ten he could tell the exact day on which
any important battle had taken place,
and the names Of tho generals engaged
in it. One day, at the Paris exhibition
of 1867, the Emperor and family hap
pened to pass through the outside gal
lery Of the Prussian department, where
the immense Krupp gun was exhibited.
It weighed 5000 tons, and was mounted
on massive gun carriage about eighteen
feet hei9h The Emperor was obliged
to pass under it, and cast stealthy
glance at the monster without raising his
head. The Prince Imperial, with boy
like insistance, sought to attract his
fathers attention to the gun by pulling
the skirt OF his frock coat. The Empe-
ror gave him jerk, and the party moved
along. But the boy was not satisfied,
and in n subducd tone, almost tinidly,
asked, "Why have you not a bigger
one, papa ?" 81 do not want war, child, .
the emperor replied aloud. Applause
greeted his words, but perhaps those of
the boy were worthier of consideration.