The Washington herald., 1914-01-25

November II. I7E LEFT Italy.
M ILAN was Napoleon's first capital.
lv1 his training school in the trade Of
empire. From the fields of his mil
itary victories. where he vanquished
four Austrian generals and five Austrian
armies, winning his way in year twice
across the Alps and from the shores Of
the Mediterranean to the valley of the
Danube, he dashed into Milan between
battles to negotiate treaties and create
states.
Across the square from the famous
cathedral 1 looked on the walls Of the
first royal palace in which he ever slept.
1t is a big. SPRAYING. dreary pile which
cumbers an acre or 50 Of earth and which
in silent gloom stands untenanted now
adays except for a rare visit from the
King of Italy or some member of thsl
reignins family.
when. 1.-THE Path of Napoleon" frstl
led him into Milan In his brsnd-new glory
after the dash across the bridge Of Lodi
in May. 17ss. he strobe into this palace az
the Austrian archduke fed out the back
door. Climbing into the viceregal bed Of
a Hapsburg prince, he who had never
known a roof of his own. must have
proudly contrasted his new lodgings with
his se-a-month den at Mile Bou's. in
Valence, only four years before.
The people, however, did not think this
abiding place Of the viscond, the Storzas
and the Spanish and Austrian viceroys,
this home of despotism for 800 years, was
a suitable dwelling for their republican
liperator, the young scourge of tyrants.
His Milan Palace.
When he came again a patriotic aristo-
crat invited him to accept his house and
he went to live In the Serbelloni palace
on the Corso venezia, a few squares be-
hind the cathedral. 1t is far more besuti-
full than the royal palace and probably
the most beautiful of all the palaces of
Milan. The passerby on the street car
may see only its severe exterior, with the
marble tablet commemorating Napoleon's
tenancy. and might not suspect its inner
beauties, its great columns and noble
courtyard. its royal halls adorned by
Titan, velasquez Salvador. Rosa, and
other master brushes.
There in the Serbelloni Josephine was
installed by Napoleon when she came
on from Paris and it was their hon.
eymoon nest. There they served their
apprenticeship in the art of reigning,
requiring neither a royal palace nor a
royal crown for their rehearsal.
Napoleon, indeed, hardly needed to
study the part. Nature seems to have
poverty Of his youth there was some
thing imperial in his bearing and tenn
per, something that marked him apart
and held him aloof from his fellows. The
world only called him queer then, but
the instant he gained power it acclaimed |
him great. |
His First Ceart.
The transition came in a day. Veteran |
generals Of the Army OF Italy were trans |
formed at once from his critics into his |
courtiers and he had no more than sat
down here in Milan than q court spon- |
taneously formed around him.
While the populace stood by the hour
on the Corso venezia waiting to catch
a glimpse Of him as he entered or left
the palace, his officers and the members
of the Milanese aristocracy sat in the
grand drawing-rcom with their eyes on
the big folding doors. watching for them
to swing wide and for him to appear
before him. The moment they saw
him every one of them. men and women |
alike, French Republicans equally with
Italian aristocrats. sprang to their feet
and bowed in silent homage beneath the
easle-like glance Of his deep-set gray
eyes.
As yet his eyes were almost the only |
feature that men remarked in the per-
sonal presence of this little. long-haired, |
pinched face. general in chief. His lean.
frail. giriisiI figure might have been that
OF a poet starving for a publisher Hisl
STOPPING. almost round shoulders and
Next straightforward Saddles