The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-10-13


fancy said, "my mother is a widow,
and 1 have to work to take care of
her, and so 1 couldn't go to school
like those other boys" The gentle
man asked him to write a line, and
gave him some figures to add, which
he did fairly well. Then he said, II
guess will try you, come along Mon
day morning." 1t is almost needless
to add that the boy who did not for
sake his mother in her need, came to
be an indispensable part of the busi-
ness house.
Opportunities are still open for
young men and women to win posi-
tions of distinction for themselves,
but their own efforts will be requir-
ed. The slow mounting of the lad
der, round by round the keeping of
their own shoulder to the wheel, and
profitable uses be made of the hours of
business. The education that en-
dt1res is that which &c sous at because
it is needed to advance chosen occu-
patton.
BONAPARTE's HOME TO BE A MONASTERY.
Bonaparte Park, one of the histori-
cal places of New Jersey, situated
near Bordentown, and for many years
the home of the exiled King of Spain
and Sicily, Joseph Bonaparte, is to
become Catholic monastery.
Articles of incorporation were is
sued recently in Trenton, giving legal
existence to new corporation, under
control of the Lazarus Fathers, who
are the moral missionaries of the
Roman Catholic Church. The park
is to become the central and execu-
tive organization of the Order of the
St. Vincent de Paul Society, whose
headquarters are now in German
town, Pa. 1t is to become the ac-
cepted retreat of all the devout monks
of that order and the novitiate is to
get his training in abstinence and en-
durance.
For the past six years the Lazarus
Partners have owned Bonaparte Park,
which comprises 200 acres and sever
al large mansions. They acquired
this valuable property for the nominal
expenditure of $3o,o 900. 1t cost King
Joseph $3.50, 900. 1t has for FIVE years
been summer retreat of the Lazurus
Fathers, and where Prince Charles
and Princess Zenaide sang honeymoon
songs the devout fathers have chant
ed their TIE Deum as the sun slipped
behind the Pennsylvania hills.
Since the days when the oldest
brother of Napoleon the Great set up
palace on the banks of the Della
ware river, in 1877, and maintained
royal establishment with all its
glamour, the plantation has had more
than its share of hard luck. The
shadows of royal sorrow fell from
every tree and all who touched the
great estate seemed to seek quick re-
lease from the bargain
The story of how Joseph Bonaparte
efter Iie hrntlyer's defeat Mt Waterloo
came to America as the pompous
Monsieur Bouchard and was discov-
cred by an old retainer on Broadway
as "his majesty" has become a mat
ter of common history. 1t was the
shrewdness of Napoleon that led him
to select site between New York
and Philadelphia, convenient to the
ships that came from France with all
the news and also where escape would
be easy should there be any attempt
at kidnapping.
While Joseph Bonaparte owned
numerous properties, his Jersey home
was the center of all operations, be-
cause he was given legal existence,
without citizenship, by the New Jer
sey Legislature, and as a result he
fingered long in the State, and held
on to the property long after he was
given limited restoration in his ma
tive country.
King Joseph became very much
Jerseyman. He kept open house for
all the prominent men of the State.
He had formula for exquisite punch
that was very much sought after by
his friends. He enjoyed weekly
game with Commodore Stewart, bet
ter known as "Old Ironsides," who
was his near neighbor, and he showed
his democratic spirit by having regu-
larly Fourth of July fete with sa-
lutes and general reception for all his
Jersey neighbors. He tried his best
to be happy, but sickness, which came
to every branch of his family, lack of
funds, and two or three fires caused
him much grief and annoyance.
His estate was sold for trifing
sum to Philadelphia merchant who
derived so little pleasure from it that
he allowed it to go to decay. Later
the Grand Army of New Jersey Sc
cured an option on it for the purpose
of holding there permanent State
encampment, but there were a num-
Der of accidents at the first encamp-
ment, which caused them to seek re-
lease from their contract.
1t was kept in the real estate mar
ket for some years, until the Lazarus
Fathers purchased it.
With the exception of the old
mansion, the other buildings are in
need of considerable repair. The
expenditure of few thousand dol
lars will make them available for