Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-09-04
PERSONAL HABITS OF NAPOLEON.
The Latest Anecdotes of the Great En-
peror and Famous General.

Napoleon, we are told, was dressed
every morning by the valet in attend
ance. He did not don II single gar
ment himself; eventually, however, h,
was induced to shave himself 1t hap,
pened in this wise: In 1903 the head
valet, Hambard, pleaded ill-heath as
an excuse for not accompanying his
master to Boulognc. Who is to shave
meP' asked Napoleon, for Hambard
had regularly discharged this duty.
Hambard suggested Constant, who.
foreseeing this emergency, had beer
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
his chair, sometimes sitting as stiff as .
statue and declining to bend his head
an inch. Great care was necessary to
avoid cutting his face.
Another popularity was that he in.
sisted 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 ill or absent, and Napoleon would
not like to be operated on by q
stranger. Napoleon was with some
difficulty, induced to try the expert.
ment, but, of course, he experimental
only on himself, and did not, therefore,
acquire professional proficiency. Very
clumsy at first, he gradually became
tolerably expert. On one point, how.
ever, he was obstiuate-he persisted in
moving the razor downward instead of
upward, and occasional cuts were the
consequence.
While not lifting finger to dress
himself, Napoleon dispensed with as
sistance 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 he deSpised
andes, never wore rings, aud abomi-
mated scents, except eau de cologne,
with which he was often rubbed, and
which was his specific for bruises.
When coat-tails became shorter he
stuck to the old fashion until Constant
got the tailor to shorten them by inn
perceptible grada,ions. He dsliked
lightly fitting clothes found a new hat
uncomfortable, though lined with silk
and waddiug, aud suck to an old one
as long as possible He put on every
morning clean white waistcoat with
knee-breeches to match - he never
wore trousers; but as he habitually
wiped his pen on his breaches after
three or four washings they were done
with.
Constant denies, however the COM
mon story of his keeping SNUFF loose in
his waistcoat pocket, He always used
a snutl-boN and, though he frequently
took a pinch, he simply held it to bis
nose and then dropped all or nearly all
on the floor. His snuff injured the
carpet, not his waistcoat. Smoking he
never tried but once. An Oriental
Ambassador had presented him ~ith a
chibouk. 1t was filled ana lit for him,
but he merely opened and shut his lips
Instead of drawing. When at last he
was induced to draw the smoke vent
down his throat and came out st his
nose. He felt queer for an hour. de-
claimed against the habit as lii only for
lazy people. aud never touched pipe
again.