The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-10-31
An Able
Demonstration
BY F. A. Mitchell

The Emperor Napoleon l. on GER
tain gala day. when the people were
some one of his many vic
tories. his ascension to the throne of
France or some other anniversary with
which he was connected. dressed him
self as an ordinary citizen and went out
into the garden of the Tuileries to
mingle with the throng and hear what
the people were saying about him.
A little boy was shouting "vive Fem
pereur" at the top OF his voice when
Napoleon took him by the arm and said
to him:
In him you have but exchanged king
for an emperor"
For moment the child was stag
gered. then. recovering his equanimity.
said: The king was king OF the no.
bes. Napoleon is emperor of the peo-
pie"
The emperor was put in good hu-
NOR by this speech and. dropping
coin in the boys hnnd. passed on. Aft
er wandering about for awhile he seat
ed himself on one Of the garden bench
es and watched the people so by. some
speaking words Of praise for him, 9th
ers condemning him, while the main
number. glad OF the holiday, were In
tent upon their own enjoyment of 1t.
Presently young lieutenant in the
army sat down beside the emperor.
What fools these people are" said
Napoleon. TO throw OF one yoke and
immediately take on another. This
man Bonaparte has no qualifications
for a ruler. He is not even an able
general
II grant you the latter part of your
charge" replied the lieutenant, but
the first part deny. think see In
the emperor the elements Of COVER
nor. admired him for overthrowing
the directory. Those men We're lot OF
muttonheads'
Napoleon was interested that q sOi.
der should deny that he who had dazr
Fled the world with his brilliant ex.
PLOTS as general was not compe
tent military leader.
My friend" bs said. II am delight
cd to meet one who agrees with me al
to Bonaparte's military talents. or
! rather, the absence Of them. am Gu
rious to know 1t you condemn hin fol
the Same deficiencies that condemn
him for. Tell me-"
"Well.' said the lieutenant, "he VIC
lates every principle of war;"
$50 he does
II was with him In the Italian cam
. paigns and was shocked at what
saw. Instead OF moving his army !
an orderly manner he was In such
: hurry that most of the time 1t wa
strung out like rope, ready to coE,
apart Mt any point
> II noticed that myself"
What. You were there? You are
soldier?'
: II was a soldier. but now / have
. better job. But what other fault nav
: you to find with General Bonaparte!
This: went through tho course q
the military school Mt st. Cyr, and
8 Napoleon is a great general then tnos
9 books should be burned"
v mot sill OF them Books are not II
a tended to make generals. but to br1n
r a soldier up to date in his knowlede
g of what others know or are suppose
to know. The general tops the book
" not the books the general"
r. The lieutenant then began to stat
" principles OF war he had learned
!. the military school. defying Napoieo
to find any fnut with them and SHOW
. ing such apt scholarship and especial
!. admirable demonstrative powers Tn;
Napoleon was astonished. The your
:, man proved to him conelusiveiy I'M
In his campaigns he had time al
again violated principles Of war tn
~ had always existed and would alwa.
exist
~ How. then" asked Napoleon. y
% you account for Bonaparte's success
"A coincidence Of abnormal cone
= tions-condition that would not occ
again in centuries"
Napoleon thought for few minute
and the lieutenant congratulated nj
n self that he had made an impressie
When tho former spoke again he said
lit You have confirmed my opinions
,y this upstrt, and have been mu
Il, pleased with your powers of demonstl
-. ton You have remarkable facu
:. for making things clear to another.
- see you belong to the Ninety-th1
- regiment May | ask your namef'
~ "Suchard Antoine Suchard. at yc
~ service Yours is
ne But Napoleon. who had risen fr'
ak the bench. pretended not to hear a
rs In another moment was lost in
ng crowd.
DIS The next morning Lieutenant
at chard received an envelope from
re minister of war containing an appoi
Ak ment as professor In the milits
he school at st Cyr. He was greatly
ba tonished. but it did not occur to b
oh that the stranger with whom he b
-, talked In the gurden of the Tuiler
had anything to do with the matt
His tastes led him to accept the
kf,