Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-02-16
Abreast
Views, In the Time of Ma.
poleon, Of the Future
of War
By F. A. mitchell

fond of going about lncOgnito among
IL. 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 Rivoli. entered the
garden Of the Tuileries. That was
more than a hundred years ago. The
space between the palace and the
Place de 10 Concorde was not then
the barren looking area it 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 or
ficer sitting on a bench alone. the en-
peror took q seat beside him and be-
gan a conversation with him.
do you think this man Bonaparte,"
asked Napoleon. "is great generair
81 think the Emperor Napoleon to be
the greatest general who ever lived"
was the reply. 49,.
What. Greater than Julius Caesar
81 am not familiar with the CAM
paigns of Caesar"
well. young man. If 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 be arose from his seat and stroll
ed away. Presently seeing an aged
man, the emperor took q sent beside
him with a view to drawing bis 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 himY
HE Is the center Of one Of those
storms that periodically sweep over
large tracts. They grow fercer till
they reach q climax, then instead OF
dying slowly. as they started. end sud-
denly"
Napoleon started. but inwardly; bis
control Of himself. except when he
wished to impress some one with the
awfulness of bis wrath, was perfect.
The speaker did not see how deeply
his companion had been touched BY
his words.
after Napoleon whatT' asked the
emperor.
There should be the republic, but
France Is among q number Of nations
which this Bonaparte is antagonizing.
There is in the Place du Carrousel. In
rear Of the Tuileries, bronze group
of horses drawing chariot. This Ma
poleon took from the Prussians. They
will not rest till they get 1t 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
arrayed every nation in Europe against
him. Even his alliance with Austria
by his marriage with daughter Of the
house of Hapsburg will not keep that
people from turning against him when
the final united effort to kill him
comes"
Napoleon made no reply to this. He
sat with folded arms. his chin buried
In the ruffles Of his shirt front, his
beaver hat drawn down over his eyes.
Presently be 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 At for exertion l simply think"
"Wfl the antagonism excited BY
Bonaparte live beyond the present cen.
tury%
II think 1t will"
"And these people he has conquered
will revenge themselves on FranceT'
"They will. These wars Of Napoleon
will leave France exhausted. The peo-
pie our descendants have to fear are"-
1.-The Russians?"
mo; at least not for many years.
The Russians have a 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
the help Of all the German people"
"Well. suppose some king Of Prussia
unites the Germans and RECEIVERS the
high position that has been taken from
her. What then"
what then? Why. France will new.
er be content till she has got It back
again"
"How will she do thatr
"Now you are getting beyond the
vision of the keenest thinker. OF
what shall happen within another CEN
fury cannot think: can only feel"
The old mans face assumed a
dreamy expression. There was far
away look In his eyes. Napoleon turn
ed and fixed bis own eyes-eyes that
did not dream. but commanded-upon
him. Presently the speaker continues:
with hope OF success, for one rea'
son alone. to say nothing Of others-the
invading force will starve."
''Then," rejoined the old man. bis
eye lighting with prophetic fervor,
perhaps the good God will suggest to
his stupid peoples to establish an In
ternational court"
"Ah. monsieur! But will 1t avail IN
less based on that which upholds all
our courts-f0rceT
Napoleon paused and appeared to be
lost In deep thought When he spoke
again the light Of prophecy shone In
his eyes
you have spoken Of what these two
Americans have done, the one In cleo
tricity, the other in steam. see In
q hundred Years from now armies