The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-01-09
HEART OF NAPOLEON.
IT WAS SYMPATHETIC AND GUIDED
A POETIC NATURE.

Speaking of Nnpolcon's boyhood, ono
who knows whereof he speaks says
"In his school days the grand homme'
gave many indications Of the worry quail
itios 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 aud constituted himself
their leader teaching them the art of
war i'm mimic battles, constructing forts
and hattloments Of snow in the play
ground in which many fierce engage
mcnt was tonight and won, with snow
balls for cannon balls and ice pellets
for shot It. is recorded that he under
took to reform tho laXity of the college
rules and regulations by addressing a
letter to tho 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 aud Saint Ger
main According TO a recent writer, on
ono occasion he was directing n perform
ance of the tragedy of CTsar's death
when tho wife of the college porter .n.
dcavored to force her way into the as.
sembly on tho strength Of her position,
but Napoleon made short work Of her
"Removo this woman" he cried, who
brings into our midst the license of
the camp" an order instantly oboynd
by his colleagues, much, It may ho sup
posed, to the discontinue of the good
woman.
That Napoleon was at heart great
poet there can be no doubt Mime. Re-
musat relates that lac was Il lover Of
Ossian was fond of the twilight and
melancholy music The murmur Of the
wind cnraptured him. aud he would di
late enthusiastically on the moaning Of
the sea and the wild beauty Of tho
tempest. His powerful Imagination
sought to grasp the unseen. Hn would
sometimes amuse himself, while passing
the evening in Josephne's drawing
room, by telling or listening to ghost
stories while the candles were shaded
and the singers present executed music
of low, sweet, weird description
the accompaniment of stringed instru
ments Doubtless this gift Of subtle
Imagination led Napoleon to suspect
where it was unnecessary and look for
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 "a child one of his uncles
predicted of him that he would govern
the world, because he was an habitual
liar OF M, de Metternioh he once said,
"He approaches to being a statesman. he
lies so wellp'
Napoleon's 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 canva'
To each picture is attached some inter
esting story, During the Italian car"
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
moans of the wounded. Suddenly deg
crept forward from "a dead body over
which he was keeping watch; the poor
animal retreated TO his lifeless master,
and then again, as though reluctant To
abandon his efforts of reviving him
yet desirou of ayenging his death.
Napoleon was deeply touched by the
faithful friendship Of the animal, WI
would not forsake his master like his
human friends. What lesson fol
mani cried Napoleon as he gazed on
the pathetic spectacle So strong wa.
the impression made on his mind by
that midnight episode of the battlefie
that after 25 years he related it 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 mad entered with an armed
band into village and driven Off the
herds Napoleon Immediately command
ed that company Of dromedaries and
horsemen should 60 in pursuit of the
guilty party. One Of the sheiks, sur
prised at the indignation Of the emper-
or, observed that IL would not be wise
for him to embroil himself with the
Arabs, dangerous people, for the SAX
of miserable fellah. "Was he, then,
thy cousin?" queried the sheik. more
than that" cried Napoleon. with ve-
hemencc "all those whom I command
are my childreni'
Again, at the plague of Jaffa, Napo.
leon visited the hospital and endeavored
to console the poor dying soldiers. Gros
has attempted to convey an idea Of this
scene in his great painting Of ''The
Plague of Jaffa' wherein he represents
Napoleon touching the eruption of q
soldier afflicted with the disease, an act
no doubt prompted by his desire to in
spire courage in those not afflicted as
well as to evince his sympathy with
the sufferings of his poor soldiers -Ex-
change.