Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1880 — Liberties With an Emperor. [ARTICLE]

Liberties With an Emperor.

Though great men have often enjoyed frolics with children, it is, nevertheless, hard to imagine the Earl of Chatham at full length on the floor, plnymg marbles with his boy, and complaining that the boy had cheated him. And it is equally hard to think of Lord Macaulay, just before one of his eloquent speeches in Parliament, racing like mad up and down the staircase of his sister’s house, with a troop of wild nephews and nieces in hot chase. But it is harder than all to think of Napoleon, who had no great love of children, captivated by a liitle English girl, and indulging in madcap frolics. When he was banished to St. Helena, the house designed for him was not in readiness, and he took quarters with an English family at the “Briars.” 1 A little daughter of the family, named Elizabeth, had no fear of the great Emperor, and they had famous romps together. One of Napoleon’s attendants was horrified, one day, at finding the Emperor on his knees, m a comer, whither Elizabeth had driven him, having first snatched his sword, and flourishing it vigorously, with threats of killing him. She compelled him to fall on his knees and beg for mercy, and the attendant surprised him in this attitude. ‘ ‘There is a time for work aud a time for play,” but it's mighty unevenly divided among soma people.