Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-19

A pinch of snuff was not the sole kind
of pinch in which Napoleon INDUCED.
He was addicted to playiully pinch
ing peoples ears, not merely the
lobe, as commonly stated, but the
whole ear, and sometimes both ears at once.
The better the humor he was in the harder
the grip. He also administered friendly
slaps on the cheek, hard enough sometimes to
cause the effect of blush. As to deuonstra-
tions of anger, Constant never but once saw
him strike. An undergroom had put on the
wrong saddle. and Napoleon had no sooner
mounted than the horse reared and threw
him: The head groom coming up at the
moment the Emperor gave him lash in
the face with his whip. but presently being
told that the poor man deeply felt the
humiliation he sent for and soothed
him, presenting him a few days
afterward with 5000 francs. He was not
graceful equestrian, and every horse he rode
had to undergo a special training, that 1t
might not resent 1ashes on the head or ears,
fdgeting in the saddle, or being pulled up
sharp while at tull gallop. He once at
tempted driving, but had a mischance like
Cromwell's in Hyde Park. Putting the
coachman behind as footman, he took the
reins of his carriage, drawn by four horses
which had just been presented to him by
Antwerp. Josephine and his fellow-consul,
Cambaceres, were in the carriage. The
horses became ungovernable, and on reach
ing the park gates of St. Cloud, the carriage
was dashed against the post. Josephine
and Cambaceres escaped with slight bruises,
but Napoleon was thrown on his face and
tainted, though he recovered consciousness
when picked up. In the evening Che had
simply been rubbed with eau de Cologne)
he laughed at the mishap, and especially at
Cambaceres' fright, but he acknowledged
confdent1ally that he had never thought
himself so near death. He ended by saying
or is this an bellishment?-'Rende un-
to Caesar (this was the coachman's name) the
things which are Casar's-let him keep his
whip, and let everybody stick to his trade. "
Latterly he had always Arabian horses, and
it is pleasant to hear that his favorite Sty-
rie, after the Marengo campaign, passed the
rest of his life in ease and luxury. He did
not care for the chase, but hunted just
enough TO keep up royal traditions. Con-
slant denies that he was ever wounded by
wild boar, as asserted in the Memorial de
st. Helene. He did not shoulder his gun
we'll, and nevere fred without blackening
his arm, to which eau de Cologne had to be
applied.
NAPOLEON NOT DUDE.
Constants account of Napoleon as an
equestrian and of his negligence as to dress,
is corroborated by William Brisbane, Of
South Carolina, passages of whose diary ap-
peared in Scribner's Magazine, May, 1900.
Brisbane says:
As soon as he (Napoleon) descended into the
courtyard he mounted handsome white sreed,
and Immediately set of full gallop, inspecting
every corps passing through the lines and re-
ceivng petitions, a number of which were pre-
tad hv ha soldiars a q a h0ld rider
but not very good, and certainly an ungrace-
full one From his bad horsemanship 1by i'm
properly checking) he brought himself and
horse to the ground. He then dIsmOuDted
while the mud was washed off the poor animal,
but he disdained changing his own dress. and
appeared at the levee after the parade In his
muddy uniform, where the Diplomatic Corps
and a number of sprucely-attired strangers had
the honor of being thus received by him.
Napoleon was no epicure. He usually
drank nothing but diluted Chambertin, and
was no judge of wine. He liked plain
or roast chicken, mutton
chops, grilled neck of mutton, haricot beans
Or lentils. His table manners were not
very refined. He would use his finger in
lieu of tork or spoon, and would dip his
bread in the sauce, the dish being then passed
round to guests who had to dispense with
The bread had to be par
ticularly good. He ate fast, quitting the
table in IL minutes, and leaving Josephine
and the company to take their time. When
he dined alone he commonly took only eight
or ten minutes. Indigestion was the natural
of this speed, and he had some
times to stretch himself at full length on the
carpet till the pain abated. He detested
physlc, and professed to disbelieve in it,
subject of playful discussion with his doc
tors. Constant never knew him obliged to
keep his bed whole day. He was very
sensitive to cold, and had fires and warm
beds nearly all the year.
HE DETEsTED NOVELS.
He liked the play and the opera, Cor
nellie being his favorite dramatst. He
read new book, but if he dis
liked author or matter would fling the vol
ume into the fire. To speak too we'll of
foreign nation involved this penalty, and
de Stael's "Allemagne" committed to
the flames. II he found his Wallets reading
novels in the ante-room while waiting for
his going to bed, he would burn the books
telling them they should read something
better. A valet once tried to snatch vol
ume from the fire, hut the Emperor stopped
him, saying: 'tLet the rubbish burn, it is
all it deserves"
When important news arrived in the
middle of the night Napoleon, on being
walked up, had all his wits about him, and,
after transacting the business, would fall
asleep again, but he had some restless nights
in his Russian campaign. Constant protests
that he was very considerate to his servants,
and tells an anecdote in proof of It, He
himself one night, waiting for his masters
return, fell asleep in the Empercr's chair,
with his elbows on the table. Napoleon,
anti ,41 Il
Berthier. The latter was for rousing
Constant. "Let the poor fellow Sleep"
said the Emperor, 'he has been kept up 1
don't know how many nights" There be-
ing no other chair, Napoleon sat down on
the edge of the bed and conversed with
Berthier. After time, wanting to refer to
1 map on which Constants elbow was rest
ing, he gently drew it away, but this awoke
he valet, who began apologizing, but the
Emperor, smiling, said: Monsieur Con-
slant, am sorry to have disturbed you,
pray excuse me"
A GIFT FORGOTTEN.
How was it that Constant did not accom-
,any so kind master to Elba? He was
planned for 1t, but his version is this. He
lad agreed to 60, and Napoleon gave him
loo, 900 francs, bidding Eim bury the
money in his small farm near Fontaine-
,leau, that it might serve for his family. A
ew days afterward General Bertrand
old him the Emperor had found his ac-
counts 100000 francs short. Constant
explained what had passed, but Bertrand |
anne back with message that the Emperor
lad no recollection of giving him present.
Constant thereupon went and dug up the |
money, finding it after some difficulty and |
n terror lest it should have been stolen. |
Bertrand took the money, but Constant was
% chagrined at the Emperor having allowed |