The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-26
A Sallow, Silent Lad, Quick of Temper
and Unpopular, He Stunned the
Society of F ellow Cadets and Devoted
All His Time to Work-His Love
Affair With Mile. Colombier

was not destined for the navy. and after
passing second examination he chose
the artillery and soon afterward was
ordered to the famous military academy
at Paris The certificate which he car
rled to Paris from Brlenne was Endorsed
thus: Character masterful, imperious
and headstrong"
During his years at Briennc the for
tunes of his father and mother had
been going from bad to worse, and dis
appointment after disappointment in
money matters resulted in a situation OF
anxiety, knowledge of which was prob
ably communicated to the hard working
lonely little cadet. Perhaps this feeling
Of responsibility. this increasing anxiety
may have had something to do with his
habit Of stunning schoolmates, Of going
alone on long walks. OF devouring book
after book and losing himself in their
pages At any rate. it il surmsed that
when he went to Paris he had more than
a vague idea of so perfecting himself in
military studies that as soon as possible
ne would return to his beloved Corsica
and fight for her freedom. for the free
and other. 1t was only four or Ave
weeks before leaving Brienne that he
wrote to his father for the History Of
Corsica" by Boswell. and other histories
regarding that kingdom" He prom
Used his father to bring the books back
when he returned tn his island home
If II he six years from now
Napoleon completed his fifteenth year
/ in August. lisa and an Dgtnh.r
he started from Brienne for Paris.
knowing little of academic studies. but
well grounded in practical matters such
as history. geography. and especially in
| mathematics. He had no taste for
| philosophical dissertations, but was a
| mass of concentrated mental energy
when it came 10 projecting plans for "A
| fertilization. an assault. retreat
| sieges. evacuation. He read history To
| ascertain what had happened IL this
army or that when at war under GER
! tain conditions: he absorbed biographies
OF commanders To ascertain just how
| they gained their power. their qualities
/ making for success. as we'll as the ele-
ments resulting in failure at this criti-
| cal juncture or that.
| II was sudden leap from the gloomy
! buildings at Brienne, from the rows OF
cell-like sleeping rooms, the simple
| table and frugal life in general To the
military academy at Paris. palace Of
| magnificent proportions and furnish
| ings, which had been built after plans
| Of Gabriel nearly century previous. in
! which to lodge and instruct young
mobiles amid surroundings almost regal
For time the place had been closed
| because Of the eNtravacance Of life
there permitted. but it had been re-
opened. with much of the luxury ban
ished Still It was a startling change to
The lad going there from Brlenne.
Here in Paris sixteen year-old Napo-
leon cherished his scorn for cadets who
worked some Of the time and played
much Of the time. He could not under
stand them. and made little effort to do
so. He had business to perform in the
world. This was his opportunity for
training himself So he would be able TO
handle it, to prepare himself better for
! a great military career than any other
youth would prepare himself And he
grappled with the self-appointcd task
regardless of any other consideration on
earth.
| The scorn he had felt at Brenne for
schoolma;es willing to waste precious
daylight in sports and equally precious
night hours IN unnecessary sleep deep
ened into contempt for the far Weather
| and more aristocratic cadets at Paris.
| And as was tn have been expected the
sallow. silent lad Of quick temper and
incessant industry was far from popu-
lar. He did make one friend. however,
"A young pupil who also served as tutor,
by name Des Mazis. who is described
as being noble by birth as we'll as in
nature.
The old marquis who directed the