The Yellowstone journal., 1894-12-20
NAPOLEON AT eRisNNE.
be Had Great Difficulty In Learning Z.
Speak French.

On New Years day, 1879, the Bo-
months the young Napoleon was train
ed in tho use Of French Prodigy a. he
was, the difficulties of that elegant and
polished tongue were scarcely reached.
II was with a most imperfect knowl-
edge of their LANGUAGE and a sadly de-
fective pronunciation that he made his
appearance among his future school
mates at BrienIe. There were 100 OF
them, although the arrangement and
theory Of the institution had contem-
plated only 100, of whom half were 10
be- foundationers The instructors were
Minim priests. and the life was as ST.
we're as il could be made with such a
clientage under half educated and in
experienced monks. In spite of all ef.
forts TO the contrary, however, the place
had an air of elegance. There was a Ger.
tain schoolboy display proportionate to
the pocket money of the young nobles
and very keen discrimination among
themselves as 10 rank, social quality
and relative importance Those familiar
with the ruthlessness of boys in theii
treatment of one another can easily con-
ceive what was the reception of the
newcomer, whose nobility was unknown
and unrecognized IN France, and Whose
means We're Of the scantiest
IL appears that the journey from Cor
'sica through Florence and Marseilles
had already wrought a marvellous change
in the boy. Napoleon teacher at Autun
described his pupil as having brought
with him sober, thoughtful character.
He played with no one and took his
walks alone But he was apt and vain
of his aptitude. In three months he
learned the rudiments of French. to use
common phrases with some fiuency, and
to write easy exercises.
The boys of Autun, says Able Chardon,
on one occasion brought the sweeping
charge of cowardice against all inhabit-
ants of Corsica in order to exasperate
him. If they had been but four 10
one, " was the calm, phlegmatic answer
Of the lO-yeaT-old boy, ''they would
never have taken Corsica, but when they
were 10 to - Bot you had fine
general-Paoli, interrupted the mar
rator. "Yes, sire. " was the reply, ut
tered with an air of discomfort and il
the very embodiment of ambition. Il
would much / Ike to emulate him" The
description ot the untamad faun as
he then app area IL non fiattering-his
CON p.ez.0H saIlow, MS hair stiff, his
Lsua sl..,bl i.a expression lusterless.
ii.s 80 i.4- = =. ,T..Gcant. Moreover, he
l.D' 20 b.. ~ f lch with an Italian ac-
c.rt
B;iiE- IL ~ : 1Teparatory studies at
Autun the father had been busy at Yer
sailles with further 'supplications,
among chem one for supplement from
the royal purse to his scanty pay as dele
gate, the other for the speedy settlement
Of his now notorious claim. The former
of the two was granted not merely to
n de Bonaparte, but to his two col
leagues, in view Of the excellent be-
havior"-otherwise subserviency - OF
tho Corsican delegation at Versailles
When in addition the certificate of Nj
poleon's appointment finally arrived,
and the father set out to place his son
with proper ontfis in his new schoo,,
he had no diifjcrity in securing suf- |
ficient money to meet his Immediate
and pressing tCCess. j: but moro YVES
not foTiLc ii,,".--. = ssor Sloane's
Life of NAPOLEON III Century.