St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-01-25
St. Helena.
THE ISLAND ON WHICH NAPOLEON PASSED
HIS LAST DAYS.

HIS LAST DAYS.
Every spot in St. Helena is hallowed by
the memory of Napoleon. Up to quite re-
Gently there were living few old islanders
who, remember the lively excitement that
was created on the island when British
vessel came into the harbor, and it was an
nouaced to the astonished population that
a man -of-war was on the WY with Ma
poleon on board as prisoner. The iDhab
itarts had heard of Leipsig and Elba, but
so slow was news in those days that the
return from Eba, the Hundred days, the
hurried preparations for war, the rush to
arms all over Europe, the campaign of
Waterloo, and the second abdication to
them were unknown. But they all
understood that thencsforth their island
was to be famous, one of the noted places
of the earth, place to which pilgrimages
would be made, whose memory would
live in story and song as that Of the most
extraordinary man the world ever pro-
duced.
The memorials of Napoleon are number
less. Here are the Briars, the first home
of Napoleon on the island, where he re-
sided until the house prepared fog him by
the British government was completed.
The island is full of stories Ga hia captiv-
ity. How he played with the children
1And ran away from the angry cow; how hB
tried to brighten one OF his childish friends
by brushing up his hair and giving W Cos
in their French exercises, correcting their
idioms and spelling; how he would sing
or attempt to 90 so, with his peculiar voice;
how he was fond of displaying his horse
manship on the lawn; how, with maps
and red and black pins, he fought his bat
ties over again; how he helped rig out R
negro slave as a ghost to brighten the fam
lily; how he explored every nook and COZ
ner in the island and asked questions
about verything, you will 4sa: in the
histories.
Longwood, the Emperor's permanent
home on the island, is in the same condi-
ton as when he left it, though now it is q
museum of Napoleonic relics. Nero Ae
endured living death for over five years.
Longwood is situated ON the largest of the
plains of St. Helena, in singularl' IoE-
bidding paEt of dt singul@rly desol&te is
land. 1t is said that the mighty heart of
the Emperor sank within him When, from
the deck Of the Gnan- of war, Aa contam-
plotted the island that Lad been selected
by the British government for his p9'lson,
and even more cLeerless than the EiG@
OF the harbos is the prospect 4fo1R the
windows of &ongsE God. Rot f&F lEwag is
a little rocky valley where the great sol
diet sometimes walked. l& contains tnr5B
conical mountain known &s Lot &ld his
Daughters. Fairy land is lh5 nams c. The
Hlen, and o. more than one occasion Iua-
away slaves 8nd criminals hBes found
temporary sgfeEy in the iGlmosg irpccess8,
Die clefts OF these column lihB mount9ins.
At the foot of one Of these 4apolgon oftea
took his stand and watched the SEA, pef-
haps looking for the deliverance that never
came. During the first two years of his
captivity he confidently expeSted to be by
some means released, anticipating that
European complications might necessitaTs
his recall, but with failing health came
thu conviction that he was not destined to
leave the rock alive. Five years and a
half after his arrival on the island he died
in little dark room, very meanly fur
pished, and his body was borne to the
grave prepared not fsr away. Here he
was buried. 1t was his desire that his re-
mains should rest in France, and if the
English government forbade, in Corsica;
but many years passed before the English
government would allow thu transfer of
his body to EQrope. At last, in 1910, the
French government made a demand for
the body of the Emperor. the government
of England yielded, French squadron
was sent, and, with all the honors that
were paid to the living man, the dead con-
oueror left his island and came back to the
people who still worshipped his memory.
-GEGbe Democrat.