The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-12-20
NAPOLEON an BRIENNE.
From Century.

From Century.
On New Years day, 1879, the Boune
parties arrived at Autun. For three
months the young Napoleon was
trained in the use of French. Prodigy
as he was, the difficulties of that ele-
giant and polished tongue were scarce
lv reached; it was with most lmper-
feet knowledge of their language, and
sadly defective pronunciation, that
he made his appearance among his
| future schoolmates at Brienne. There
were one hundred and fifty of them,
although the arrangement and theory
of the institution had contemplated
only one hundred and twenty,
of whom half were to be foun-
| dationers. The instructors were
Minim priests. and the life was as
severe as it could be made with such
clientage, under half educated and in
experienced monks. In spite of all
efforts to the contrary, however. the
place had an air of elegance; there was
a certain school-boy display proper
tionate to the probationary of the
young mobiles. and a very keen dis
elimination among themselves as to
rank, social quality, and relative i'm
portance. Those familiar with the
/ ruthlessness of boys in their treatment
of one another can easily conceive
what was the reception of the new
conner, whose nobility was unknown
and unrecognized in France, and whose
means were of the scantiest.
1t appears that the journey from Cor
sica through Florence and Marseilles
had already wrought marvellous
change in the boy. Napoleon's teach
er at Autun described his pupil as hav-
ing brought with him sober, thought
full character. He played with no one,
and took his walks alone. But he was
apt, and vain of his aptitude. In three
months The learned the rudiments Of
French, to use common phrases with
some fluency, and to write easy exer-
cises. The boys of Autun, says the same
Able Chardon, on one occasion brought
the sweeping charge of cowardice
against all inhabitants of Cor
sica, IN order TO exasperate him
IF they had been but four to one,
was the calm, phlegmatic an
swer of the tep-year-old boy, "they
would never have taken Corsica, but
when they were ten to one. :"
but you had fine general-Paoli,"
interrupted the narrator. Yes, sire,
was the reply, uttered with an air of
discomfort, and in the very embodi-
ment of ambition: II would much like
to emulate him" The description of
the unframed faun as he then appeared
is not fiattering-his complexion sal
low, his hair stiff, his figure slight, his
expression lusterless, his manner in
significant Moreover, he spoke broken
French with an Italian accent.
During his sons preparatory studies
at Autun the father had been busy at
, Versailles with further ''supplica-
tions:" among them one for a
supplement from the royal purse
to his scanty pay as delegate,
the other for the speedy settlement OF
his now notorious claim. The former
, of the two was granted not merely to
VI. de Bounaparte, but to his two col
leagues. in view of the excellent be
havior" - otherwise subserviercy- OF
the Corsican delegation At Versailles
When, in addition, the certificate Of
Napoleon's appointment finally arrived
} and the father set out to place his son
with proper outfit, in his new school
: he had no difficulty in securing suf
fcient money To meet his immediate
and pressing necessities, but more wa'
not forthcoming.