The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-26

the mainland, It's rugged, nardy,
self-reliant mountaincers had strug-
gled for generations to achieve freedom
and to maintain II. Defeated again and
again, their national heroes sprang into
being. determined to throw OF political
control by foreign government
whether it were that of Genoa, France
or other. They would stand firmly on
their own feet, unafrad. independent
and fight out their destiny along their
own lines.
This extraordinary spirit of indepen-
dence showed in Napoleon Bona parte
from earliest years. The fourth Of a
family OF thirteen children, he was born
on August Is. 1863 according to a paper
still in existence which he wrote with
his own hand. Elsewhere he has said:
IT was born while my country was
dying. Thirty thousand French, vomited
on our shores drowning the throne Of
liberty in waves of blood-such was the
horrd sight which first met my view
The cries of the dying. the groans Of
the oppressed. tears OF despair, sur
rounded my cradle at my birth"
That Is what he said at the age of 90
to Pascal Paoli, the greatest of Corsican
liberators. and of course the words were
spoken while Bonaparte himself was
still an ardent Corscan In feeling and
In hope And when on his deathbed
Napoleon spoke of his childhood, espe-
cially to his physician.
Nothing awed me-" he said. 81 feared
no one. struck one. scratched an
other, ! was terror to everybody. 1t
was my brother Joseph with whom
had most to do he was beaten, bitten,
scolded and put the blame on him
almost before he knew what he was
about. was telling tales about him
almost before he could collect his wits.
had to be quick; my mamma Letizia
would have restrained my warlike
temper; she would not have put up with
my defiant petulance. Her tenderness
was severe, melting out punishment and
reward with equal justice: merit and
demerit, she took both into account"
At this time. in his last days. he told
his doctor that like everything else In
Corsica. his education was "pitiful." If
this was true In Corsica 1t was not true
as soon as he commenced his education
in France, for soon after he arrived at
Autun at the age Of about Q years his
teacher described the child as having
brought with him a sober thoughtful
character" He cared little for the COM
panlonship of schoo.mates, preferring
lonely walks to such games as were
permitted.
Even there he was described as IAN
untamed faun." with sallow complexion,
stiff hair, slight figure, eyes lacking lus-
tire and of 80 weak a personality that
he was deemed sullen. But sparkle
so sudden and brilliant as To be almost
startling came into his eyes when his
teacher explained some task to be done
II the explanation We're repeated the
little boy instantly became aggressive
He did not want repetltons; one ex-
PLANTATION was enough.
At the first of the year 1879 his real
schooling commenced at Brienre, where
he was surrounded by young mobiles who
did not accept him as their equal. They
tainted him about his little island home,
and he would respond, with cold sever
ity.
II hope one day to be in position to
give Corsica her liberty" whereat the
other cadets would laugh and jeer. but
without effect.
Military academies OF to-day, with
cadets much older housed amid modern
luxury, are far different from the sur
roundings in which the little Bonapar'e
found himself at Brienne. He lived
there In a gloomy, massive building
erected about a century earlier, having
q tiny cel-likc sleeping room six feet
square, furnished only with folding
bed, a basin and a pitcher. This cell
was one of two long rows, numbering
40. which opened upon a corridor and
at night the lads were locked in. other
rooms were provided for bathing and
dressing, and still larger ones for school
work.
The cadets ate in commons, where
four meals were served. For breakfast
and lunch they were given little fruit
together with bread and water dinner
consisted of soup, with the soup meat
included. and one vegetable or other
side dish, followed by a simple dessert
a Joint Of meat, and either salad or
a dessert, constituted supper, Plain
clothing. together with brilliant uni
form, was provided and the studies pre-
scribed were mathematics, the French
language and literature, English. Ger
man. drawing, dancing, fencing, vocal
and instrumental music and geography
Here at Brlenne the child Bonapart,
exhibited II continuing distaste fol
sports, games, pastimcs, even for The
society OF his fellow cadets. They ex'
asperated him; he had no patience with
them, and sometimes fought one or an
other in frenzy of rage impossible t.
control O:lcc. in answer to n taunt re
uardino hc social station nf his onCps