The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-03-17
% y f'i .'. tiiftif wa f.f ~.
FOR BOYS TO REMEMBER.

When you read the life of Napoleon,
boys, and grow enthusiastic over his
Gonderul heroism and military genius,
and wish in your very hearts that you
might have been with the conqueror as
he scaled the Alps and besieged great
cities. and overcame every obstacle in
his way, did you ever query what it was
that gave him su h wonderful control
over his soldiers, so that the would dare
any hing for their leader? Did you
suppose that he was, admired by them
as sort of god, and, living in an at
mosphere far above the French soldiery,
ru' ed them as Jupiter did the world in
ancient times, hurting his thunder bolts
among them, if they dared disobey his
command? Did youthink that because
for years he was acknowledged the
greatest man in Europe. if not in the
world. that he controlled men and ma
tons through fear? ... 49,,
If you did, you are greatly mistaken.
Napoleon was Napoleon when but a
boy. He had when very young the
stuff in him that makes men, makes
heroes, and the discipline and hard
work to which he sub 'ected himself
when boy was one of the greatest
reasons of his later SUI cess, for it
helped him to enter into sympathy with
his soldiers, and so control them. He
was General who said Come, fol-
low me-" instead of: 5" Go, and I'll
follow" to those under his command.
want 10 relate to you an incident in
his history which occurred when he was
but fifteen years of age, and was a
prophecy of future greatness. He was
sent at that time to m litary school at
Paris, which was lukuriously furnished
for the children of the aristocracy. 1t
had been founded for them, and as they
had been accustomed to every indulg-
ence at their homes, here they were to
be as care ully looked after. A writer
tells us that each of the three hundred
young men asse bled in this school had
a servant to groom his horse, to brush
his boots, and to perform all other nec-
essary mental services. The cadet re-
posed on a luxurious bed, and was fed
with sumptuous viands. There were
few lads OF fifteen who would not have
been delighted with the dignity, the
ease. the independence of that style of
living. Napoleon howe err, Immediate
ly saw that this was by no means the
trimming requisite to prepare officers for
the tolls and hardships of war. Although
so young. he addressed an energetic
memorial to the Governor, urg NO the
Punishment OF this eflem macy and vo-
righteousness from the military school.
be argued that the students should
learn to groom their own horses, to
clean their own armor, and to per orm
all those services, and to in re them
selves to those prvation' which would
prepare them for the exposure and tolls
of actual service" The historian adds
that no incident in the childhood or in
the life of Napoleon shows more deci-
sively than this his energetic, self
reliant, commanding character. The
wisdom, the bravery and the foresight
which usually come with mature years,
were exh bited here. .s.4..
And the military school which many
years after Ma oleon established at
FontainebIeau, and VIII CHI obtained oh
world wide celebrity, was founded upon
the model of this youthful memorial.
There is no doubt that one distinguish
ing cause of the e traordinary popuari-
ty which Napoleon forwards sec red
was to be found in the fact that through
life he cal ed up' n no one to encounter
perils or endure hardships which he was
not perfectly ready himself to encounter
or to endure. "altl e.. -'iua F'
1t would be we'll if our boys would re.
member this incident in the lie of one
who is doubtless a hero to them, and,
although t ey may not aspire to tecome
Napoleons, and we should hope would
not be success 'ul if they did,. under
stand that to acquire any commanding
| position in fe, to be successful in any
department of work in the world great
industries, the heroic an military spirit
| of Napoleon is necessary You must
have high aspirations, real 60 rage, 8
| determi2at on to understand practically
even the mental departments OF work,
and willingness to labor energet cally
yourselves, If you ever expect to get to
ward the top OF the ladder, and contro
( other men and achieve success in life.
You will find it true that nearly. if MOI
all, our great merchants began their ca
| reer working hard for small wa res, bu