The daily critic., 1890-10-09


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Napoleon, we are told. was dressed
every morning by the valet in attend
ance. lie did not don a single garment
himself Eventually, however, he was
induced to shave himself. It happened
IN this wise In 1903 the head valet
Hambard, pleaded i'll health as an ex-
cuse for not accompanying his master to
Boulogne. Who Is to shave me2'
asked Napoleon, for Hambard had
regularly discharged this duty.
Hambard suggested Constant. who,
foreseeing this emergency, had been
diligently taking lessons on humber
cbins, and had acquired proficiency.
He had no easy task, for Napoleon,
While undergoing the operation, would
talk, read the newspapers and fiiget 10
his chair, sometimes sitting as stiff as a
statue and declining TO bend his head an
inch. Great care was necessary to avoid
cutting his face. Another peculiaritv
was that he insisted on one side being
lathered and shaved before the other
was touched. When Constant got free
enough with him to venture on the step
he urged on Napoleon the desirability Of
his learning to shave, as he himself
might be III OF absent, and Napoleon
would not like to be operated on by
stranger
Napoleon was, with some difficulty,
| Induced to trv the experiment, but, of
/ course. he experimental only on him
self and did not, therefore, acquire
| professional proficiency. Very clumsy
| at first, he gradually became tolerably
expert. On one point, however, he was
| obstinate-he persisted in moving the
razor downward instead of upward, and
occasional cuts we're the consequence.
While not lifting finger 10 dress him
self, Napoleon dispensed with assist
ance In undressing. but he flung his
garments all over the room-his watch
sometimes missing the table or bed at
which It was aimed and falling broken
on the floor.
AS to dress, says Temple Bar, he de-
1 spised dandies, never wore rings, aud
/ abominatcd scents, except eau de
| cologne, with which he was often
| rubbed, and which was his specific for
| bruises. When coattails become shorter
/ he stuck TO the old fashion until Con-
stant got the tailor to shorten them by
| imperceptible gradations. He disliked
tightly. fitting clothes, found new hat
| mfortablG--though lined with silk
and wadding-and stuck TO an old one
/ as long as possible. He put on every
| morning a clean white waistcoat, with
| knee. bTCcches to match-he never
wore trousers-but as he habitually
wiped his pen on his breeches, after
three or four washings they were done
| with.
Constant denies, however, the com
mon story Of his keeping snuiT loose In
/ his walstcoat pockets he always used a
snuff box, and though he frequently
took a pinch, he simply held Il to his
nose, and dropped all or nearly all on
the floor. His snuff injured the carpet,
not his waistCoat Smoking he never
| tried but once. An Oriental Embassa
dor had presented him with a chibouk
II was filled and lit for him, but he
merely opened and shut his lips instead
| Of drawing When at last he was IN
duCCd TO draw. the smoke went down
his throat and came out az his nose. He
| felt queer for an hour, declaimed
against the habit as fit only for lazy
| people and never touched a pipe again.
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Prince Bismarck, says the PdR MdH
| Gdzttte, lately received at Kissingen a
deputation from Heilbronn, on which
occasion be stated that for many years
he had not felt so well as at present.
Little by little he had been able to ac-
custom himself TO HIS present quiet and
easy manner Of life. At first, he said,
II had seemed strange on awakening In
the morning TO find nothing TO do other
than 10 wind up his watch. The Prince
also added that he did not care what
the newspapers wrote about him. Their
accusations were but dust which he
could brush of He only valued the
judgment which history would pro
nounce upon him. Il have only one
more ambition, said Prince Bismarck,
Il should Ike a good epitaph "
Taking Bismarck s remark.
"I have only one ambition left; / sho uld
like TO have a good epitaph,"
as a text the London PdH MaH Gazette
has invited suggestions from its readers
for the best epitaph on the great German
statesman. The following are the best
Of those submitted to the Gazette:
Build me no bronze or marble; will none.
OF iron and blood We builded-I and
My Kalser-rhis strong people. Thou art
gone;
follow now
A man Of blood and iron, Of the blood
OF true, steel-stauneh, Teutouic brother
hood,
Bismarck Titanic was the mark he made)
Lies here, whose pow'T DER kings aud
kingdoms swayed.
Here rests all that is left Of Titan.
Not many Of his measure could this world
have borne.
/ saW three wars; three nations 1 allied;
Three titles used IN turn three Emperors
tried
Press, people, Emperor once worshiped
me,
When / was Emperor people, press-an
three.
! rose: / feli: the third link Of that chain
Better not add until / rise again.
Now here / lie, my shame and glory DER
some say lied a. least three times before
Europe and Kings we're my chess board
and men;
Nov Death has called "check, p and / can't
move again,
An Iron Bar, rusied By Time aud Tears.
Here lies the man who made an Europe
quake
Whose word could Empires fashion or uu-
make.
Two Emperors brook'd a third thrga on
bis sway
One King not even Bismarck might galnsay.
A journalist is a man Who has failed iu