The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-11-20
VOLUME ky II o
An Island Prison.

|" In mid-ocean, midway between Africa
and South America, lies ST. Helena.
known in history as the leland Prison:
Here in this lopely spot man, who had
once made all Europe tremble, pined and
fretted away his life. AS you approach
tue Island, It seems to be huge rock ;
a nearer view shows that there are val.
leys and ravines, with here ard there
luxuriant vegetation. Half a century
ago the surface was mostly waste land,
the road poor, the few houses scarcely
habitable. The waves dashed so wildly
against the shore that ships could land
only in ono place. Waves and rocks.
then, were the bolts aud bars which con.
lined this famous prisoner.
You all know Of this great hero, Napo
leon Bonaparte; he who led q large
army through the defiles of the Alps,
while the world was saying that it was
impossible; who fought and conquered
as he marched Eastward over The plains
OF Europe; who forced the terrified Rus.
SLAMS to burn Moscow, and then led back
through the snow his retreating army,
periahing by thousands from cold and
hunger. Aud then came Waterloo, end
his public life was ended. 'At7 =.
| 1t was Oct. Is, 1916, when he frat
caught sight of the Island from the deck
Of the steamer Northumberland.
| What am to do on this little rock at
the end Of the worlds ?" he said.
| At every opening on tie shore cannon
pointed seaward. He soon realized more
than ever that he was in reality o pris,
oner on this leland. A rcumference of
twelve miles was marked OF. Within
this boundary Napoleon took bis exer.i
else. One or moro officers were with him
continually, aud sentinels were stationed
at the limits. No stranger entered with.
out pass. Under ,nch guards he lived
for moro than FIVE years. FNa .'t&,.
1t may seem etrange that he did not
try TO escape; but, as o fact, he thought
very little about the matter. On one
occasion, his attendants planned TO carry
him away in a trunk filled with soiletl
linen; again, he Nas to be disguised as
servant, carrying q dish., It was thought
that he might escape TO America. When
| Napoleon heard Of this, he surprised them
ai! by paying, 81 would rather stay OF,
this bleak rock than be o free but undis.
tingpisbed man ip America" mi 14s5t
| So much for his ambition. He had
! the feeling that France would again be-
come power In Europe and demand his
release; perhaps he imagined that Europe
herself IN time would invite him from his
exile. But when he realized that France
was powerless and that Europe could do
without him he was nearly henrt broken.
| Yet be settled down into sort of con.
tent. He became interested In garden.
Ing; busted himself about shrubbery,
fiowere aud vegetables. He he'd pond
etocked with small fishes, in which be
took great delight. Owing to q mixture
of copperas in cementing the basin, the
water became poisoned and the fishes
died. ut Ia 80 with all love-" said
Napoleon. A strange sentiment from O
man whose life had been spent destroy.
ing the beautiful things of the world
Much OF his time was taken up in
writing passages from his life, which
have since been published. Then he
received his visitors, many Of whom
stopped on their way to The East Indies
10 see this renowned island prisoner. He
w:s very font OF chess and horseback.
riding. It is said that his Handsome
horses came from the Cape of Good
Hope. se l:N& MI, !,
|, lfyou wore to read sene of Napolson's
conversations while a prisoner ats ST..
Helena, you would think him .yery
moral man. A few Of his attendants
were infideis. Trying to convince them
OF their, error, he says. You may talk as
| i3ng na you please, but aho E-ssaa a..'
this7" pointing to the sky.
He fully realizes his lonely position.
Nov that am at St. Helena, now that
| am alone, chained to this rock. who.
fights fox me2 Who thinks of me 2
Where are my friends7"
Yet this san1e man had said. yyhef, In
the height Of his power, "Friehdship is
but name, love o silly .infatuation." "T
love nobody-not even my brother-.-per.
haps my brother Joseph a little, from
In spite of his talks on Christianity,
his whole lifeshows that he had no moral
principle, and that he failed because he
lacked this one essential thing. Enar.
son says that he would steal, slandar,
kill, poison, drown, as he felt It for his
! interest. - 81 s. a. t.; q n "a Z,
For five years aud seven months he
lived here o prisoner. During the last
year or two his health began 20 fail rap.
idly. Still he refused TO take medicina,
| de 5ari that mans dasc .s.e Numbered.
and that physicians were of no use. He
wished to be buried on the banks of the
Seine, in bis beloved France, but this
was not granted until many years after.
| He died May 6, 1921, and was buried in
q quiet valley Of St.; Helena, Near BY
was fotintain from which his servants
had filled silver pitchers for him. IN his
last will he says,i aI die, pferiature!y
aseaeainatsd by the EIgliah asiatocYaoy.h y
-E. w. 5FLAaa. IN Cbngrggq tioaahst. 4;
80 s.