Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-11-22
HEART OF NAPOLEON.
1T WAS SYMPATHETIC AND GUIDED
A POETIC NATURE.

He Was Kind and Considerate rs He Was
Drave-Recent Testimony For This Side
Of the Great Soldiers Character, which
Has Not Always Been Recognized.
Speaking of Napoleon's boyhood, one
who knows whereof he speaks says:
"In his school days the grand homme'
gave many indications Of the very quail
ities which procured for him the splen-
did success which has brought him ev-
erlasting fame His love of discipline,
order and power was shown by the
manner in which he controlled his
schoolmates and constituted himself
their leader, teaching them the art of
war in mimic battles. constructing forts
and battlements of snow in the play
ground in which many q fierce engage
ment was fought and won, with snow
balls for cannon balls and ice pellets
for shot. 1t is recorded that he under
took to reform the laxity Of the college
rules and regulations by addressing a
letter to the junior master, indicating a
system that would do away with the
abuses, and that he applied these same
rules afterward to the schools Of Fon-
tainebleau, Saint Cyr and Saint Ger
main." According to recent writer, on
one occasion he was directing perform
ance of the tragedy of Caesars death
when the wife of the college porter en-
deavored to force her way into the as
sembly on the strength of her position,
but Napoleon made short work Of her.
"Remove this woman" he cried, "who
brings into our midst the license Of
the camp" an order instantly obeyed
by his colleagues, much, it may be sup
posed, to the discontinue of the good
woman.
That Napoleon was at heart great
poet there can be no doubt. Nine. Re
musat relates that he was lover o.
Ossian, was fond of the twilight an(
melancholy music. The murmur of thu
wind enraptured him. and he would di
late enthusiastically on the moaning o
the sea and the wild beauty Of tn
tempest. His powerful imagination
sought to grasp the unseen. He woult
sometimes amuse himself, while passing
the evening in Josephine's drawing
room, by telling or listening to ghos
stories while the candles were shades
and the singers present executed musi
of a low, sweet, weird description t
the accompaniment of stringed instru
ments. Doubtless this gift Of subtl
imagination led Napoleon to suspec
where it was unnecessary and look fo
: motive in every action of those aroun
him. He believed all men liars until b
proved them otherwise. He used to re
late the story with great gusto tina
when he was child one of his uncle
predicted of him that he would COVER
the world, because he was an habitus
liar. Of M. de Metternich he once sait
"He approaches to being statesman, b
lies so well''
Napoleon's life is an unending sours
of inspiration to the painter. Davit
Vernet, Scheffer, Steube and host I
others of his time have bequeathed
us some of the great battles and inc
dents of his career on undying canva
To each picture is attached some inte
l esting story. During the Italian car
paign Napoleon was one night surve
ing the battlefield Of Bassano; the mot
. illumined the sad scene of carnage; !
sound disturbed the deep silence sa
8 the feeble groans Of the dying and Il
o means of the wounded. Suddenly d.
/ crept forward from dead body ov
which he was keeping watch; the po
animal retreated to his lifeless maste
and then again, as though reluctant
n abandon his efforts of reviving hil
/, yet desirous of avenging his death.
d Napoleon was deeply touched by t
l. faithful friendship of the animal, W
l. would not forsake his master like
j. human friends. ''What lesson
y manp' cried Napoleon as he gazed
y the pathetic spectacle. So strong W
~ the impression made on his mind
that midnight episode of the battlefit
l. that after 25 years he related it wh
hanished to the rock of ST. Helena