The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-27
~APOLEON son.

The Last Days OF this Boy Who Was Born
King of Rome.
A few words will sum up the last days
of him who had been 'the little King
He became a colonel in the Austrian ser.
vice. and sought by reckless daring tt
prove false the slurs of :hose wnc
thought him effeminate. He hunted
rode, studied, eXercised-dtd Whatever he
could 20 show himself btave aud hardy.
Brave and am bilious he was, but he had
not the bodily constitution to bear the
strain of the task be set him self. AT last
his health failed, and he was comDelled
to give up all active pursuits; and soon he
learned that he had not long to live. He
bore his last illness with the utmost for
titude, aud seemed anxious only the
nc one should see him overcome by sui
ferIng.
He died on the 22d of July, 1882.
tie had lived just twenty-Jne years. He
had won no battles and had caused the
death OF no soldier: he had won no great
glory aud had lone nc great wrong.
Without repiuing he had accepted as in
evitable his helpless and hopeless captiv-
ity-a captivity ne could not even resent,
for his jailer was his dearly loved grand
father.
What be could accomplish he did we'll.
He had many excaileut taleuts. He knew
~ a fh& ~ 0dSCS D0u Il VCl 1880
aptitude for science. As might be ex-
pected, his memory for history was ex-
ceptional, for history told him Of The
military lifo for which he longed coutin-
ually, believing no happiness equal to
that of the successful soldier.
Though never muscular, he was ath-
lstlc and skilled in sports-above all, In
horsemanship. 1t is limited That he WAS
not always truthful; but his strange situ-
alton would necessarily have caused him
to be accused of this fault. We must re-
member that he could hardly express his
opinions freely without risk OF giving Of
fence in some quarter.
stupid!y asked whether he had any mes
sages for friends in Parish What c. uld
he reply to SO tactiess a question:
"Parisi" he repeated, 81 know no n
there. My only acquaintance IN the city
is the column in the Place Vendome."
And next morning the traveller re-
ceived from the duke a Ii tie note con-
tanning only these words:-"Wnen you
see the column, apray give it my re-
CARDS"
He gave little evidence OF an ambition
to urge his claims to the French throne.
"The son of Napoleon should be too great
to become a mere tool" are his own
70 assert his claim, he said he did not
wish ITO be in advance, but in reserve.
That is to say, to come to the
rescue by recalling former glortss.
He was as Shrewd as he was sem
sible. Once Msrmont quoted a
saying OF Napoleon's about 'trusting Sc
crets TO few. and only to those who must
be used" The young Napoleon added
that it was well sometimes TO iptrust Sc
creJs to those VINO have guessed theml'-
a clever comment for a boy of nineteen.
Imbert de Saint-Atnand, from who's re-
cent studies of the Empire many of these
facts are taken, says: His yumptuous
cradle he had given to the Imperial Treas
ury Of Vienna. which is near the Church
OF the C~apuchins, where he was to be
buried. My cradle and my grave will be
near each other,' he said: my birth and
my death-that is my whole story.'H He
composed for his tomb this epita ph:-
Here lies the son of the Great Napoleon.
He was born King of Rome.
He died an Austrian Colonel.
1t Is only sixty years ago that his short
life came to au end. AS be himself
summed it up. 1t began with grandeur
aud ended in petty us~elessness. But
Marmont says he had the gift of winning
the aft ection of those who were brought
into contact with him, and that his ap-
pearance gu horseback upou parade made
his soldiers forget their rigid discipline.
aud burst into wild cheering us the mar
tial young officer 9alloped along the line.
surely there was nobility of character in
the boy who thus hravelv made the best
of his sorry lOt-St Nicholas