Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-04
NAPOLEON'S SCHOOL DAYS.
They Were Full Of Bitterness and Marked
by Ouarrcis

| Professor w. NJ. Sloane's new Life OK
Napoleon" which begins in the NoVen-
Der number OF tho Century, deyo'es more
! attention than any previous memoir
| to the youth OF Napoleon. or MS scnooi-
days. Professor Sloane writes:
II was an old charge that tho sons OK
poor gentlemen destined to be artliiery
officers were bred like princes. Brienne,
with nine other similar academies. had
been but recently founded as protest
against the luxury which had relgned IN
tho military schools AT Paris ana LIZ
Fleche Both the latter wero closed ior Il
| time because they could not Do r.
! formed; that at Paris was afterward re-
opened as n finishing school. various
religious orders were put in charge OF inc
new colleges, and instructed 10 secure
simplicity Of life and manners. me i9T-
nation OF character. and other deslrabIe
benefits. each one In its own way IN the
school or schools intrust-f TO IT, The re-
suit so far had been failure; there were
simply not ten first-rate instructors 10 De
found in France for the new positions IN
each branch; the instruction was. there
fore much impaired and with II de-
clned the right standards OF behavior
while the Cd notions OF hollow courtll.
ness and conventional manner fiourlshed
as never before. Money and polished
manncrs therefore, were the things most
needed 10 secure kind treatment for an
entering boy. These were exactly what
the young foundatiOn-scholar from Cor
sica had not. The ignorant and unwor!dly
Mnim fathers could neither fOresee nor.
Fl they had foreseen. alleviate the uniseres
incident 10 his arrival under such con-
ditions.
WITHOUT COMPANIONSH1P
At Autun Napoleon had at least en-.
toyed the sym7athetic society of hts mild
and Unconditional brother, whose easy
going nature would smooth many a rough
place. lie was now entirely without com
partnership. resentIng from the outset both
the ill-natured attacks and the playful
personal illusions through which boys So
often begin. and with time knit ever more
firmly their ineyplcable friendships. To
the taunts about Corsica, which began
Immediately, L. answered eoldly. II hope
one day 10 be In a position to give Corsica
her liberty" Entering on another occa-
sion a room I'm which. unknown 10 him
there hung a portrait OF the hated Choi-
seul, he started back as he caught sight
of II, and burst into bitter revlrgs. For
this he was compelled to undergo chas-
tiscmfnt. Erienne was nursery for the
Qualities first developed at Autun. Dark.
solitary. and untamei, the new scholar
assumed the indifference Of wounded van
ity. despisei all rastirnes, and found de-
light either In books. or In scornfui ex-
ASPIRATION OF his comrades when COM
PEELED to associate with them. There
We're ouarrels and bitter fights, In which
the I3hnlGelltr mana was AGAINST every
other. Sometimes IN n kind Of frenzy, no
inflicted serious wounds on his fellow
students. At length even the teachers
Knocked him and deprived him OF his po-
sitlon as captain in tho school battalion.
GILMAN REACHED.
Tho climax OF the miserable business
was reached when TO a taunt that his
ancestry was nothing. his father n
wrctched tpstfn r." Napoleon replied ~
challenging his tormentor to fight duel.
For this offence he was put In coniine-
ment. while the instigstor went unpun'sh-
ed 1t was by the Intervention of Mar
heuf who Gang In person. that his young
friend was at length r0leas Bruised
and wounded I'm spirit. the boy would
gladly have shaken the dust OF Brlenne
from his feet, but necessity forbade.
Either from the talk Napoleon had with
his protector. or through dramatic but
unatthcnticated letter. purporting to have
been written by him 20 his friends In
Corsica, and still In existence, Ma rbeut
bitterness was tho inequality between the
pocket allowances Of the young French
nobl,s and that OF the young Corsicar.
The kindly General displayed the gene
rosry Of family friend and gladly In
creased his gratulty, administering at tho
same time a smart rebuke to the boy for
his readiness 10 take offence. He likewis,
introduced his young charge to Nine. de
Hrienne whose mansion was near by.
mother 10 the lonely child; his vacations
and holidays were passed with her; he,
tenderness softencd the rude nature. the
more 50 as sho kneW the value OF tips
- "A scncolboy, snf sdmini.teT ed them
literally AM 1utlciOuSiy.