Mohave County miner., 1890-10-25
PERSONAL HABITS OF NApoLeoa.
The Latest Anecdotes sf ths Great Em-
perof snd Famous General

Napoleon. we are told. was drased
every morning by the valet In attend
ance. He did not don single gar
ment himself; eventually. however. he
was induced to shave himself. II hap
pened in this wise. In 1903 the head
valet. Hambard. pleaded iil-health as
an excuse for not accompanying his
master to Boulognc. Who Is 10 shave
mePn asked Napoleon. for Hambard
had regularly discharged this duty.
Hambard suggested Constant, who.
foreseeing this emergency, had been
diligently taking lessons on humber
chins and had acquired proficiency.
He had No easy task, for Napoleon.
while undergoing the operation, would
talk. read the newspapers, and iidget In
bis chair. sometimes sitting as stiff as a
statue and declining 10 bend bis head
m inch. Great care was necessary 10
avoid cutting his face.
Another peeuliarity was that be in.
sisted on one side being lathered and
shaved before the other was touched.
When Constant got free enough with
him 10 venture on the step. he urged
on Napoleon the desirability OF his
learning 10 shave. as he himself might
be III or absent and Napoleon would
not like TO be operated on by .
stranger. Napoleon ~as with some
difficulty. induced TO t.y the expert.
ment, but Of course, be experimental
only on himself. aud did moi. therefore.
acquire professional proficiency. Very
clumsy at first, be gradually became
tolerably expert On one point. how.
ever, he was obstinate--he persisted in
moving the razor downward instead OF
upward. and occasional cuts were the
consequences.
While not lifting a tinger to dress
himself, Napoleon dispensed with as
sistance in undressing; but he fung his
garments all over the room--his watch
sometimes missing the table or bed at
which 1t WAS aimed and falling broken
on the floor. As to dress he despised
dandies, never wore rings. aud abomi-
mated scents. except eau de cologne,
with which he was often rubbed. and
which was bis specific for bruises.
When coat-tails became shorter be
stuck to the old fashion until Constant
got the tailor TO shorten them by i'm.
perceptiole gradatiOns. he disliked
tightly fitting clothes. found new hat
uncomfortable, though lined with silk
and wadding. and stuck 10 an old one
as long as possible. He put on every
morning clean white waistcoat, with
knee-breeches TO match - be never
wore trousers; bat as be habitualIy
wiped his pen on his breeches after
three or four washings they were dons
with.
Constant denies, however, the com.
mon story Of bis keeping snuff loose in
his wais!coat pocket he always used
a snutf-box. and. though be frequently
took pinch. he simply held il 10 bis
nose and then dropped all or nearly al
on the floor. His snuff injured the
carpet, not his waistcoat. Smoking he
never tried bur once. An Oriental
Ambassador had presented him with .
chibouk. 1t was iilled aud lit for him
but he merely opened and shut his lipf
instead Of drawing. When at last be
was induced 10 draw the smoke went
down his throat and came out at his
nose. He felt queer for an hour. de-
claimed against the habit as fit only for
lazy people. and never touched q pips
again.