Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-10-17

He was more princely, in fact, than
the real thing, for those who come 70 it
by divine right are apt to be narrow,
naughty and weaZen souled as well
as weazen bodied. The whilOm hostler
of Bastide looked every inch king
and acted up to his appearance.
1t reads well in print for a writer to
say that his hero struck terror to the
foe" II seems that Murat struck death
and all that TO the poor fellows on the
other side, but he also struck them
with admiration, so prinCely was his
bearing. If they must be thrashed, it
was a compensation to have 1t done by
a foeman of knightly blade. As pris-
oners and under truce the Cossacks
would rave over Murats noble looks
and splendid horsemanship. He was
sensation to them, a sort of superhu-
man creature. In battle he would Sc
lect the finest of them for antagonists
and if possible take them prisoners,
then shower them with valuable pres
ents. On one campaign he exhausted
his own purse and the wealth Of his
friends, even parting with his watch
and borrowing others from comrades
to give mementOs of the occasion to
the wild horSemen he had yanquished
with the sword and with princely kind
illness.
The time was ripe for Murat as
well as for a Napoleon In the days fol
lowing the revolution. The levellng up
process was a failure on the whole. But
10 nf % r1p
of selfish princes who were all for self
or for fellows to the manner born. A
cry went up from the downtrodden
masses for a division Of the good
things "wrung from the hard hands Of
peasants" for the enjoyment Of the few
having inherited privileges. Murat had
sprung from the soil, but with the an
cient ideas Of chivalry. He was fond Of
display of all kinds and made his vani-
~ a virtue. When he got his first sword
by valOr in battle, he engraved upon 1t
the motto, Honor and the Ladies'" In
a practical age he would be set down
as dreamer and poser. But he acted
out his dreams. He was what he posed
for, man of lion heart who fought for
prizes TO give away.
Murat's father was q lowly innkeep-
er. The boy was given college educa-
tion and destined for the priesthood.
He ran away and had numerous adven-
lures, serving in the army Of the king
and against the king. When stranded,
he returned as a prodigal son, and the
father, instead of killing the fatted
I'm m oil nj
for the nobility who patronized his
humble courts. 1t wasn't difficult for
clever young fellow to outstrip the kind
Of noble masters he had. They hus-
banded their inheritances, for they
knew that once los+ they hadn't the
stuff In them to recover, to create, to
win, new glories and fortunes. A pret-
ty cheap lot Of nobles-nobles In name
and in divine right only-were pushed
from their stools by the dashing, dar-
ing spirits who rallied around the Cor
sican king smasher
II was an act of romantic devotion
which won for Murat a crown and the
lady of his choice. He stood by Napo-
leon in the coup d'etat which changed
arch. For that Bonaparte gave him
kingship Of the two Sicilies and the
hand of his sister Caroline. Every inch
a king, he was also man to charm the
eyes Of woman. He loved Caroline TO
the hour Of his death-loved and cher
ished her long after he had ceased to
believe in the imperial destiny Of her
brother.
But it was not for his services as a
courtier that Napoleon took Murat to
his bosom. He had fought beside him
IN Italy and in Egypt under the shad-
ow Of the pyramids Napoleon gave
marshaPs batons TO men who had worn
knapsacks. and he was not one TO hand
over a throne and one Of the rosebuds
Of bis family to a mere sChemer at
court, a creature of transient useful
ness. Murat talked back" to the en-
peror. He told him to his face not to
fight at Smolensk and to keep away
from Moscow. A tongue so bold would
not have been brooked in a person less
than his right arm" in battle.
An iron heart and an iron will do not
necessarily go with battle courage.
Murat was man Of sentiment and
emotion. So was Napoleon if one can
believe some Of his biographers. One
day Murat felt that Napoleon did not
appreciate him and made up his mind
TO die. Sending his staff and guards
away, he rode straight upon a Russian
battery which was firing steadily into
the French lines. Finally turning his
eyes around. he found that General
Belliard of his staff had remained by
MS side. How is this" said Murat
Have | not directed you all to retire."
But, sir" protested Belliard every
nan Is master of his own life. As my
Eaneral is determined to dispose or Mo
own | must be allowed to fall with
him" Murat's temper was disarmed
1y this appeal of devotion, and he turn
I'd back out Of danger.
In stature Murat was tall and stately,
With the tread of q monarch. With a
ace OF the soft oriental type, he never
.heless had an eagle eye. He always
hose the flercest charger for his horse
md rode so well as to attract admira-
ION on ali SlUes. Ills CUSlulut " dc tfSl
gorgeous and everything about him
most imposing Made Of the richest
material, his uniform glttered with
Eold and was set off in red or purple. 4
diamond studded sword hung at his
hde, suspended from a golden girdle.
the field Murat wore a Chapeau
nagnifcently decorated with white
llume Of ostrich feathers and another
f heron wing. His hair was jet black
md worn very long. In cold weather
durat covered his gorgeous trappings
gith an equally gorgeous green velvet
,eliSsc set off with rich sablcs Mount
q upon horse whose CaparisOn was
lodeled after the Turks. Murat would
ave been 4 freak in the camps Of the
epublican armies had it not been for
is noble bearing and his valor. The
an was majesty itself, and the splen-