The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-11-07
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Napoleon In His Youth.

Was the great Napoleon ever boy?
So little is known of his boyhood, and
so much is known Of his military
genius, which had began to show ITSELF
before he had entered his teens, that
it is a wonder that some fabulous story
Of his birth has not been invented;
such a story for instance, as that told
by the old Greeks concerning the god
dess of Minerva, the patron of heroism
among men. That story tells how the
mighty Jupiter, feeling terrible pain
in his head, begged Vulcan TO split
his head open with an ak. When
Vulcan did SO Minerva sprang from
Jupiter's head with a loud war shout
and clad in full armor. In these days
we think of Minerva as the goddess of
wisdom and Of industry, and yet she
was terrific fighter, and took part in
the war counsels of the gods, where
she was always opposed to Mars, the
god of wars, who made war regardless
Of wisdom or necessity. While no
such story Of wonderful birth has been
told concerning Napoleon, there is an
approach to it in the several narrations
given Of that event. One statement
made is that he was born upon a car
net representing some Of the heroes OF
ancient times; and another makes his
birthplace couch that was covered
with tapestry showing SC los from
Homer immortal poem, "The Iiad."
This poet describes some of the mighty
deeds Of Achilles, famous hero Of
antiquity, whose history will be found
very interesting by the boys who are
not already familiar withit Whether
Napoleon was born with such surround
ings or not is of as little Importance
as the question whether George Wash
ingtop cut his fathers tree with his
little hatchet. Yet, if the story be
true, it is certainly curious that any
thing SO prophetic Of his future career
should have taken place.
But what of Napoleon's boyhood?
What pity it is that There were no
such newspapers as at present hum
dred years ago, for just one hundred
years ago, in December, 1884, Napo-
leon, a young man of twenty-five years,
had reached the high rank Of general
of a brigade. In the little Corsican,
seaport Of Ajaccio there were living
many who knew of his birth and child
hood, many who had been familiar
with his habits and Informed az to his
doings. What gathering Of fact and
anecdote the bright and active report
ers would nave made in Ajaccio if the
great home newspapers had existed
then! And what feast would have
been set before our. readers. They
would know all about that visit. the
boy Napoleon made to certain fig
orchard where he was caug ght by the
proprietor, and would have been pun
ished for his thievishness if his earn
est pleas for pardon had not turned
the heart of his captor. 1t had been
said that Napoleon was not particu-
larly honest, and this incident has
been told in proof Of the statement.
There are lots Of boys, however honest
in general, who think it no sin to get
fruit when the owner is not in sight
and there is no dog around. Perhaps
Napoleon was that kind Of boy. Ii
would he interesting to- know all about
that.
And then it would be satisfactory
to know how it was that in Ajaccio,
and at the military school in .Brienne
and in other places he was SO apt to
be poked fun at. 1t is easy to under
stand. why boy who was careless and
slouchy about his dress should be-
ridiculeL for paying particular atten";
ition to one Of the pretty girls OF the
place, and the rhyme they flung al
him explains the matter sufficiently
"Nap, with stockings dangling at his heels.
To Glacominetta's love appeals"
But he was ridiculed everywhere
during his youth, and even when he
had finished his studies and put on
the uniform Of q sub-lieutenant OF
artillery two little girls, whose home
he visited, laughed in his face and
called him "2uss in Boots because
his boots were 80 largethat his slender
legs were almost hidden. Some Of his
biographers tell US that he was high
spirited and quarrelsome, and he iB
said to- have frequently thrashed his
elder brother, Joseph. Now, if he
did.quarrel with other boys, and came
to blows with them, the fact does not
appear strange when We remember that
he was quite poor, very proud, and
that probably his poverty was what
gave the other boys opportunity to
ridicule him. As to his thrashing his
brother Joseph, the matter seems to
be explained by what was said by his
uncle, Lucien .Bonaparte, archdeacon
of Aja6cio, when the dying priest had
summoned his nephew to his bedside
to receive his blessing: "You, Joseph,
are the eldest" said the uncle. "but
Napoleon is the head of the family
take care to remember my words
Some historians think that it was be-
cause of his uncle's words that Ma
poleon was accustomed to quarrel with
Joseph, but it would require a knowl-
edge of Joseph's character to be able.
to determine the matter. Fortunately
for Napoleon reputation as a brother,
he was kind and thoughtful for the
younger members Of his family, and
even Joseph experienced his brotherly
consideration, for when the elder
brother decided against entering the
priesthood, of which he was intended,
and desired to prepare himself for
military life, it was through Napoleon,
then lad of thirteen years and q
student in the Royal Military school
at Brienne, that Joseph was unable to
enter the same institution. Toward
his younger brother, Lucien, he show:
ed even self-denial, for he resigned
his scholarship at Brienne in order
that Lucien might hold one.
One Of the strange things in Napo-
Icons childhood, in view Of the hard
ships ard privation to which he SUBJ
jected himself as a student and as
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