Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-01-16
HEART OF NAPOLEON.
~ WAS SYMPATHETIC AID GUIDED
A POETIC NATURE.

pe Was Kind aud Considerate as He Was
Grave--Iseocnt Testimony For This Side
of the Great Soldiers Character, Which
Has Not AIWsys Been Recognized.
spoakiug of Napoleon's boyhood, one
who knows whereof be speaks says;
"hl his school days the grand homme'
gave many indications Of the very quail
itics which procured for him the splen-
did success which has brought him ev-
erlastiug fame. His love of discipline,
order and power was shown by the
manner in which he controlled lis
vchooimates and constituted himself
their leader, teaching them the art Of
war i'll mimic battles, constructing forts
and blt,lements of snow in the play
ground i'll which many fierce engage
nont was fought and won, with snow
Ids for cannon balls and ice pellets
for shot 1t is recorded that he under
took to reform the laXity of the college
rules aud regulations by addressing
letter to the Junior master, indicating
system that would do away with the
abuses, and that he applied these same
rules afterwGrd TO the schools of Fon-
tainebleau, Saint Cyr and Saint Ger
main" According to recent writer, on
one occasion be 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
semhly 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 a lover of
Ossian, was fond of the twilight and
melancholy music. The mrmur of the
wind enrapturod him, and he would di-
late enthusiastically ON the moaning Of
the sea and the wild beauty of the
tempest. His powerful imagination
sought to grasp the unseen. He would
sometimes anuse himself, while passing
the evening in JoSephines drawing
room, by telling or listening to ghost
stories whilo the candles were shaded
and the singers present executed music
of low, sweet, weird description to
the accompaniment of stringed instru-
ments Doubtless this gift Of a subtle
imagination led Napoleon to suspect
where it was unnecessary and look for
a motive in every action of those around
him. He believed all men liars until he
proved them otherwise He used to re-
late the story with great gusto that
when he was child one of his uncles
predicted of him that he would govern
the world, because he was an habitual
liar. OF M. de Metternich he once said,
"He approaches to being a statesman, he
lies SO wellp'
Napoleon 8 life is an unending source
Of inspiration to the painter. David,
Vernet Scheffer, Steube and host Of
others Of his time have bequeathed to
us some of the great battles and Incl
dents of his career on undying canvas.
To each picture is attached some inter
esting story. During the Italian cam
paign Napoleon was one night survey
ing the battlefield of Bassano; the moon
illumined the sad scene of carnage; no
sound disturbed the deep silence save
the feeble groans Of the dying and the
means of the wounded. Suddenly dog
crept forward from a dead body over
which he was keeping watch; the poor
animal retreated to his lifoless master,
and then again, as though reluctant to
abandon his efforts of reViving him,
yet desirous of avenging his death.
Napoleon was deeply touched by the
faithful friendship Of the animal, who
would not forsake his master like his
human friends. "What a lesson foI
mani" cried Napoleon as he gazed on
the pathetic spectacle. So strong was
the impression made on his mind by
that midnight episode Of the battlefield
that after 20 years he related IL when
banished TO the rock OF st. Helena.
Another instance Of his real tender
ness for the suffering and oppressed was
during his Egyptian campaign. A poor
fellah had been murdered by tribe Of
Arabs who had entered with an armed
band into a village and driven of the
herds, Napoleon Immediately command
I
ed that a company Of dromedaries aud
horsemsn should go In pursuit " the
guilty party. One Of the sheiks, sur
prisad at tho indignation OF the empeF-
or observed that IL would not be wise
for him 10 embr0il himself with the
Arabs, dangerous people, for the sake
OF miserable fellah. WAS lac, then,
Thy oousinT qneTiAd the sheik more
than that" Dried Napoleon, with ye.
hemenoo, 'all those whom ! command
are my ehildrenW
Again, At tho plague u JANA, hspo.
leon visited tho hospital and endeaFoFed
% oonaole the poaT dying soldiers oros
has attempted 20 convey ap idea ~ lhls
scene Ia bis great painting ~ 'Nihe
Plague " jana, wheFelp hs represents
Rap0laon t0uohipg the eruption " .
soldier afflicted with tho disease, an Ael
no doubt prompted ~ hlH aasile 20 ln'
spiTe courage in lhose p0i enllolsa as
well AS 20 eyiAoe hls sympaihy plih
ihe snnerings " biz p9og soldiers Ia