Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-10-10
NAPOLEON In EXILE.

Napoleon's life at st. Helena was 80
guarded from the knowledge of the island
ers, and even of the officers of the gar
rison, that on the arrival of newspapers
from England, the first question asked
was, ".What news Of B0naparte 2" The
great prisoner was known simply as Gen
eral B%onaparte," and by no other title. A
code of signals was written out in a small
book, by which Sir Hudson Lowe, his
jailer, was kept informed of every move-
ment of his imperial prisoner. When he
took his daily ride within the prescribed
boundary, the men, working the wooden
telegraphs on the hills, sent such messages
as these: ..... .... '....-
General Bonaparte has left Long
wood" General Bonaparte has passed
the guards" General Bonaparte is
at Hatt's Gate" General Bonaparte is
missing" ,
The last message was telegraphed be-
cause the general had turned, in the course
of his ride, an angle of a hill, and was
hidden for q few minutes from the observ-
er. .-.. .,.. r,,
An English ensign, now General Ward,
was stimulated by curiosity to see the ex-
lie, to such a degree that one night he
risked his commission for the chance of a
glimpse at the mysterious captive, through
the LOngWOOQ . T.
Every night, at sunset, a Gordon of SEN
tries was drawn around the LOngWOod
grounds. The yenturesome ensign crept,
under cover of trees, between two senti-
nels, up to a lighted window of the house.
The curtains were not drawn, but the
blind was lowered. Fortunately for the
youth, two or three inches of space re-
manned open between the blind and the
WindoW-frame. ...,,. IL 49,.
The ensign knelt and saw some one
walking up and down the lighted apart
ment. He could see of the exile only o
pair of thin shoes with diamond buckles,
two we'll bound legs encased in silk stock
ings, and the edge of a coat lined with
white silk. On a sofa, SO placed as to
afford the ''peeping Tom" a full view of
its occupant, was Madame Bertrand, with
her boy leaning on her knee.
The Emperor was speaking slowly and
distinctly, and some one was writing at his
dictation. The curious ensign returned to
the guard-house we'll repaid, as he thought,
for his risk, for he had heard Napoleon
BOnaparte speak.
The last occasion on which Napoleon wal
out-of-doors, the ensign spied him through
a military telescope. 1t was a bright
morning, and the sergeant of the guard at
Udlc Sdlu W lllc cuSlSu OCuCl-
al Bonaparte is in the garden, sir" The
ensign seized a ~spy-glass, threw open the
guard-room window, and surveyed Ma
poleon as he stood talking to General
Bertrand.
/. Something on the ground attracted his
notice, and he stopped to examine it.
Suddenly the music of the band of the
regiment was heard, and he moved away
to catch a glimpse of an inspection.
The severe restrictions were maintained
as precautionary measures. Napoleon had
once before escaped from an island, and
the British Government did not wish Eu-
rope to be again disturbed by the sudden
appearance of the Emperor on the CONT
nent.
Napoleon's remains now rest in Paris,
under the gilded dome of the I%nvalides.
| While the mausoleum was being prepared
for the Emperor's ashes, a party was walk
ing one morning through the work-rooms,
inspecting the sculpture intended to adorn
the vault.
One of the party was the brilliant Count
D'Orsay, and another was the director OF
the work, who struck the granite block,
which was to encase the remains, with a
hammer, to exhibit it's solidity. A spark
followed the blow. ..
"See," said the Count, France may yet
light a torch at the tomb of her Emperor!'
The remark was prophetic. Frances
cry, "On to the Rhine!" which heralded
the war with Germany, was inspired by
Napoleon's idea that the Rhine is the
natural boundary of France.