The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-12-04
Abreast
Views, In the Time Of Ma
poleon, Of the Future
of War
By F. A. mitchell

the people he governed and getting
from them their views concerning him.
self and his acts. One day. dressed
in ordinary civilian costume. he left
the palace by side door and. walking
along the Rue de Riv0li, entered the
garden Of the Tuileries. That was
more than hundred years ago. The
space between the palace and the
Place de la Concorde was not then
the barren looking area 1t Is now, but
a veritable garden filed with flowers.
Napoleon had but recently humbled
Prussia. and the French people were
celebrating the anniversary Of one of
his victories. Seeing young army Of
ficer sitting on a bench alone. the en-
peror took a seat beside him and be-
gan a conversation with him.
do you think this man Bonaparte.'
asked Napoleon, sis a great general?
II think the Emperor Napoleon to be
the greatest general who ever lived
was the reply.
"What! Greater than julius CaesarT
II am not familiar with the cam
paigns Of Caesar"
"Well. young man. IL you were you
would know that Napoleon is but an
imitation of the great Roman"
THAT may be: but. If it is. Napoleon
is the only imitation We have had In
eighteen centuries"
This pleased the emperor very much.
He inquired the regiment to which the
young man belonged and his name.
Then he arose from his seat and stroll
ed away. Presently seeing ap aged
man, the emperor took seat beside
him with a view to drawing his views
Of experience as he had drawn those
of youth.
"Our people," said Napoleon. "seem
to be going mad over this COrsican.
monsieur. What do you think Of himT'
HE Is the center Of one OF those
storms that periodically sweep over
large tracts. They grow fercer till
they reach climax. then Instead OF
dying slowly. as they started. end sud
denly"
Napoleon started. but inwardly; his
control of himself. except when he
wished to impress some one with the
awfulness Of his wrath. was perfect
The speaker did not see how deeply
his companion had been touched by
his words.
after Napoleon what?' asked the
emperor.
There should be the republic, but
France Is among number of nations
which this Bonaparte is antagonizing.
There is in the~Place du Carrousel, in
rear of the Tuiieres. bronze group
of horses drawing a chariot. This Ma
poleOn took from the Prussians. They
will not rest till they get it back. Be-
sides, they will make our children or
grandchildren pay pretty price for
its loan to France"
"Why do you think that?" asked the
emperor.
'Bonaparte will not stop till he has
every nation in Europe against
him. Even his alliance with Austria
by his marriage with daughter of the
hOuoC VI IIdpoDulS VIII uOt hetD tuul
people from turning against him when
the final united effort to kill him
Napoleon made no reply to this He
sat with folded arms. his chin buried
In the rufiies of his shirt front, his
beaver hat drawn down over his eyes.
Presently he Strengthened up and
asked
What has been your occupation.
your sphere in life. monsieur
II have been everything-notary jour-
nalist. historian. Now that my body is
not fit for exertion simply think"
"Will the antagonism excited by
Bonaparte live beyond the present CEN
tury!"
II think it wiIl."
And these people he has conquered
will revenge themselves on France?"
"They will. These wars of Napoleon
will leave France exhausted. The peo-
pie our descendants have to fear are
The Russans?''
mo; at least not for many years.
The Russians have Il large territory
and enough to do to take care of their
OWN internal affairs
1.-THE Prussians?"
mot the Prussians alone. But some
future Prussian king will realize that
If he can unite the German people he
may hurl them against our descendants
and crush them. Prussia will never be
content till she has recovered all the
prestige that has been wrested from
her by Bonaparte. | question if she
will be strong enough for that without
he help of all the German people,"
well, suppose some king of Prussia
1nites the Germans and RECEIVERS the
high position that has been taken from
her What them"
What then? Why. France will new
,r be content till she has got it back |
again"
How will she do thatY
Now you are getting beyond the
rision of the keenest thinker. OF |
what shall happen within another cen
ury cannot think: can only feel"
The old mans face assumed |
lreamy expression. There was far
way look in his eyes. Napoleon turn
a and fixed his own eyes-eyes that |
lid not dream. but commanded-upon
lin. Presently the speaker continued: |