The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-26
TALE OF Love AND GRIEF
RECALLED BY A SET OF CARVED
CHESSMEN, ONCE THE GREAT
NAPOLEON'S
OWNED LATER BY A WOMAN
1t Is Now in the Keeping of
Well known Pioneer
Citizen of HamiI-
ton, o.

lOHs w
The discovery of a set of eXquisitely
Oarved ivory chessmen that once belonged
TO Napoleon l., but now in the possession
OF Mi. G''iaume Remblier, of this city,
writes the Hamilton, O., correspondent OF
the Cincinnati Enquirer, recalls a some
what traglcal love affair in which the
great emperor figured prominently. and
which is but vaguely touched upon in
history.
In the palmy days of the empire was
founded by Napoleon at St Germain,
near Paris and carried on under his pro-
lection, a school where high-bred daugh-
ters of iiiustrious families were trained
under a competent teacher in court ways
and manners that they might be prepared
wheh chosen to become ladies-in- waiting
TO a queen. Napoleon often visited this
school to give words Of encouragement
and praise to its directress, Nine Cam
pan.
1t was during one of these visits that he
met the young and lovely daughter of a
French nObleman, Mile Eleonore de Lap
laine, and the dauntless hero of 100 bat
ties went down in unconditional surren-
DER at the unspoken dictate of girl of
eighteen.
BY virtue of his authority the emperor
demanded that the girl be sent to him
at the Tuielleries. This request Nine.
Campan refused to comply with, unless
the consent of the parents was first OBJ
tanned. The subject was therefore broach-
ed to The girls father and mother, but
they bittapl,y nd phc
consent to a sacrifice so Infamous. Gen.
Murat a brave officer in the French
army, had married Napoleons favorite
sister, Caroline, and was afterwards ele-
waited to many positions of honor by his
titled and powerful brother-in-law.
THE INEVITABLE END.
Murat was. in 1906, created Duke #
Bery; he resided in Paris spending much
OF his time a court there, where also was
placed the lovely Mile. de Laplaine with
when the emperor became more and
more infatuated. Nothing 5I. tragedy
could follow in the wake of a love so
III placed, and one day it began to be
whispered about that all was not well
with the emperor's beautiful sweetheart.
10 avoid scandal she was welded to a
hlGh officer il the army, who soon after
his marriage lost his life in battle
When son was born to Eleonore it is
said the emperor openly rejoiced; that
he himself named the boy Leon, giving
MN IN token of especial favor the last
two sylables of his own name Every
mark Of affection was bestowed upon the
hitle Leon in the first years of his life
out all too soon misfortune overshad-
owed him. From the time of Napoleon's
second marriage Leon was neglected. and
al Ter the emperor's downfall was utterly
nv fgs fa,,
Il manhood he engaged in one business
enterprise after another, but failed m
all Even his relations with his mother
became somewhat strained, and after her
second marriage to Count LuXbourg ne
saw her but seldom.
DIED ALMOST IN WANT.
Leon, at the age of fifty-one, after an
unfortunate and disappointing life. died
III 1881, almost in want, at Pontoise a
snail village near Paris. He is said to
nave borne a most remarkable resem-
bance to his father
For many years the Countess LuXbourg
had her winter residence at Mannheim
tBaden), Germany. Within 4 stones
throw Of her, on the same street lived her
mother, Nine. Charlotte Eleonore de La
PLANE. and her only sisteh, Zulma. with
whom, however, she was no longer on
friendly terms, as they never forgave her
IL.
TO the little colony of French patrio+s
in Mannheim who, for political reasons
found it convenient at that time to reside
on German soil, there came in lS43 fresh
from college course in Paris. n voung
man of the name of Guillaume Rembliar
TO take up MS residence with his father
by whom he was introduced To Mime
de Laplaine and also to the countess Lux
bourg, and a warm friendship was begun
that was destined to continue through
many years. Madame de Lap.ain,.
was an enthusiastic chess player and very
fond of the game. Young Mr. Remblier,
who fell into the way of spending most
Of his evenings under her hospitable roof.
soon proved himself a worthy foeman.
and the chessmen that furnished them
such absorbin@ amusement, night after
night, were of delicate ivory, finely
carved.
PRESENTED FIRST To MURAF.
When Napoleon returned victorious
from his Egyptian campaign he presented
10 his efficient general and esteemed
brother-in-law, Murat subsequently king
of Naples set of chess men carved by
his especial order, from purest ivory, by
the best skilled hands in Italy. Prince
AIurat later presented them to Count
Leon as a memento of his illustrious
father, Leon in turn giving them to his
grandmother, Nine. de Laplaine, with
whose family Mr.. Remblier continued to
be on terms Of warmest friendship for
many Years. Nine. de Laplaine lived to
the green old age" of eighty-siX, and at
her death, in 1880, the ivory chess men
were given by her request to the young
man who had become as near and dear
10 her as though he were her own son.
When Mr.. Remblier came to this coun-
try. some twenty-five years ago, the
chess game was brought with. him as
treasured possession and keepsake. The
first few years Of his residence in
America were passed in the city of New
York, where he was engaged in the ship
ping and commission business. Not End-
Ing such occupation congenial he drift
ed West, and for sixteen years has been
a resident of Hamilton, o., and the able
editor Of a German newspaper
FRENCH AND EGYPTIAN FIGURES.
The famous set Of chess men consists
OF French and Egyptian figures. the king
ana queen Of the whites representing Ma.
polcon and Josephine. the eight grcna-
dicrs that stand for the pawns and the
complementary pieces all are of clear
cream-cOiored ivory most eXduisitely and
delicately carved, while the same number
OF Egyptian figures were once stained
green by some chemical that time has
faded to 4 pale burnt-umber shading TO
mellow tints of moss brown
The carving IS marvellous, every detail
being perfect, the fringe on the grena-
,liers' epaulets and the folds of the
Egyptian head dresses alike standing out
IN as clear relief as though the figures
were three feet instead OF three inches in
height while the busts of Napoleon and
Josephine arc striking in their resenl-
blance 10 the many portraits cNtant OF
those celebrities.
parotlfar el..o 10