The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-01-17
NAPOLEON AT eRlENNE.
He Had Great Difnculty In Learning -
gg5 Speak French.

He Had Great Dimculty In Learning -
Speak French.
On New Years day, 1879, the Boz
napartes arrived at Autun. For three
slonths the young Napoleon was train
"a in the use of French. Prodigy as he
was, the difficulties of that elegant and
polished tongue were scarcely reached.
L was with a most imperfect knowl-
edge Of their language and sadly de-
feotive pronunciation that he made his
appearance among his future school
rates at Brienne. There were $50 Of
:hem, although the arrangement and
theory Of the institution had ocetem-
plated only 100, of whom half were T..
b commissioners. The instructors were
Ninim priests, and the life was as Sc
we're as it could be made with such .
clientage under half educated and in
experienced monks In spite Of all ef-
forts to the contrary, however, the place
I had an air Of elegance. There was a ces-
tain schoolboy display proportimate to
the pocket money Of the young mobiles
and . very keen discrimination among
themselves as to rank, social quality
and relative Importance Those familiar
with the ruthlessness Of boys in their
treatment Of one another can easily con-.
ceive what was the reception of the
newcomer, whose mobility was unknown
and unreoognized in France, and whose
means were of the scantiest.
n It appears that the journey from Cor
dos through Florence and Marseilles
had already wrought q marvellous change
In the boy. Napoleon g teacher at AutuD
described his pupil as having brought
with him . sober, thoughtful character.
He played with no one and took hi.
walks alone. But he was apt and vain
cf his aptitude In three months he
learned the rudiments of French. to use
common phrases with some huency, and
{ b write easy exercises.
The boys Of Autun, says Able Chardon,
On ono occasion brought the sweeping
charge Of cowardice against all inhabit-
ants Of Corsica in order to exasperate
him. eff they had been but four to
one. = was the calm, phlegmatic answer
OF the lO-year-old boy, they would
never have taken Corsica, but when they
were 10 to - ''But you had q fine
general Paoli," interrupted the mar
ratoF. Eyes, sire,'' was the reply, ut
tered with an air Of discomfort and in
the very embodiment Of ambition. ri
would much like to emulate him. Tho
description Of the untamed faun as
he then appeared is not f1attering-hfs
complexion sallow, his hair stiff, his
figure slight, his expression lusterless,
his manner insignificant. Moreover, he
spoke broken French with an italian ac-
cent.
During his son s preparatory studies at
Autun the father had been busy at Yer
sailles with further 'ssupplications, .
among them one for q supplement- from
the royal purse to his scany pay Is dele
sgate, the other for the speedy settlement
a his now notorious claim. The former
8of the two was granted not merely to
II de Bonaparte, but to his two col.
leagues, in view Of the ''exoellent be-
havioe' otherwise subseryienoy -of
ths Corsican delegation at Versailles.
when IN addition the certificate Of Ma
poleon's appointment finally arrived,
ard the father set ont to place his son
with : proper outfit in his now school,
Shs had no difficulty in securing suf-
6cient money to meet his immediate
and pressing necessities, but more was
NOS forthcoming. Professor Sloane's
Life Of Napoleon in Century.
\ - 4 & I. = q