Greenfield Evening Republican, Greenfield, Hancock County, 22 March 1895 — Page 4

The Young- Soldier Ambitious to Shine as an Author.

WRITES A HISTORY CF CORSICA.

Seeks a I'liblinlior In Vain Kovisits His Natiro L:i::el•— os ntic Treatment of His Kin.sfi iiv—At This IVrioil Displays Willfulness and (iliioin.

[Copyright, l.bO.j, by Jehn C!:ir!: llielpalli.J

V. FLASHES

OI:SCUI

TY.

Tho insurrection in Lyons quelled itself before* tho arrival of Lieutenant Bonaparte's contingent. Tho municipality proved itself sufficiently strong to put down tho insurgents without the assistance of the military arm. Fighting tboro was none. Napoleon's company, arriving in due time, was stationed in tho city for a month. It was a small beginning of war for him who was destined, with less than a decade, to lead a victorious army over the Alps into Italy.

The disturbance at Lyons put a date to Bonaparte's career at Valence. He bad remained in that place from the fall of 1785 to August of 1787. This period of. twenty-three months, though obscure in its manifestations, was one of tho mcsi important in his life. It was the transition iremi j'outh to early manhood. At this stage in tho lives of men, tho siiind passes rapidly from ono condition to another. Particularly is this true if ftudy have been the mood and genius the attribute of tho person concerned.

Tha ambition of the young officer now shot, out in several directions. Deeply impressed with the fame and power of tho great authors whoso writings just then were setting the world aflame, he, too, woi ld bo an author! Such was the ijuaiity of this singular personage that, ha never distrusted himself in anything.Tj''into Before the evd of his eighteenth year lie conceived himself able and qualified to •\vr" :i a hi'-tory! Corsica should bo his tb»'xue. Re would write the annals of his native I:.::d in so philosophical a munuer as to place him alongside of tho Abbe Rnynal! llo we!it so far as to ad-die:-c. a letter to that august personage, lei Sing him that In1 himse lf, though aj yomls, was already a writer. Ho begged tl':'3 historian to excuse his audacity, Eo flattered him by saying that indulgfc'uce, extended to a neophyte, was a

NA'.'OLKON liV AI'DOIN.

?7ir? mark of genius! He enclosed to tho Abbe tho first two chapters of his alk'gxd "History of Corsica," the caeogTHVihy only being surpassed by the heresy tho rhetoric and thomassago of grammar! «,

Wo half suspect that the bottom motivo of this business was not tho hope ':eiv a historian, but rather the dis-til:-"}'ion of having correspondence with a great man. However this may be, tho Abbe indulged Napoleon, wrote to him, advi.-ed him to study urther, and then to rewrite his work. Not only did tho historical ambition have the Lieutenant, bun the romantic also. Ho took soinowinii to novels, and for tho first time ialimg in love, determined to write a novel. At tho bouse of Madame du Co-If.r-iiier, be made tho acquaintance of 3KT beautiful daughter, and fell in love with her—after the manner of all young lieutenants. The flame of this passion presently went out. but traces of it are seen in his correspondence until what tune—ceasing to love Madamoisolle Colombier— ho turned pessimist, denounced love as a mockery, and in particular tho drawback to human ambition

Jn tho midst of the fitful gleams* of this trratio lifo may be seen burning the coals of that furnace-heat which the years have not yet extinguished. The student Bonaparte became a pale, living reality, lie supplied himself with the works of tho leading authors of tho age, and devoured them with tliei rapacity of ono starving. Ho made! himself familiar with tho writings of Voltaire and Neckeer. The one ho follenveel through the mazes of tho new French learning, and tlw other through the intricacies of practical finance. For months together, in ins lodgings and about the barracks, ho snight bo soon, with book in hand, muttering as he read, penciling tho margins, approving and condemning tho doctrine, according to his judgment or whim. There never was a time in his life when Site swept within his grasp a greater amount of intellectual products than during tho after part e)f 3 7S0 and the first half of tho following year.

Coincident with tho date of tho Lyons episode, came a military order sending the Kegiment La Fe ro from Valence tc Denai, in French Flanders, three hundred ami ninety miles distant. HereNapdleon found himsolf exposed to northern blasts and unfamiliar hardships. In JbSfe correspondence he complains bitterJy'of his situation. Ho get a ferver of Jkctb mind and body, and tho effects of lasted for several years. His unhapfrf&eKtt bccamo extreme, and be sought ©very means in his power to escape fTffm the situation. Ho would get away or Jull himself! Nor were very powerful reasons wanting why ho should go elsewlmre. •^The Bonaparte family in Corsica had fj$J9en by this time into desperate straits had undertaken to build up a

wine-trade with Italy, but had failed— as ho did with most things else. Lucien, a student atBrienne, was doing his best to get a transfer to Aix, where he might substitute a priestly for a military education. Madame do Bonaparte, now thirty seven years of age, was hoping against hope that the government would pay her the petty stipend duo for tho care of her mulberry orchards, but no payment was made.

There came want into tho household. Lieutenant IJonnnarto, making the condition of his family a plausible excuse, sought, and in February of 17SR, obtained, leave of absence to visit Corsica. •.•Thither lie wont, in poor health and general morbidity of mind. By this time his arbitrary character had begun to show itseif in full force. Once at home, ho played the de pot. Ho hectored all his kinsfolk, with the exception of tho mother, and she could hardly withstand his impetuosity, willfulness and gloom.

Homo again after an absence of nearly nine years, the young officer busied himself more with things great than things little. Ho was more concerned with tho political condition of tho world than with the daily needs of his mother's house. Ho dwelt more on the state of Corsica than on the emptiness of Madame Bonaparto's cuisine—more on the woes of Ajaccio than on those of his brothers' and sisters' stomachs. He conceived himself to be the patriot par excelleneo of his age, and spent moro time in delivering socialistic monologues than in contriving the means to rescue tho family from impending ruin.

It was at this juncture that Kapoleon began to concern himself especially about tho institutions and history of England. Along with his Neekcr ho studied Smith's "Wealth of Nations,"

th Tho ho int for its

I vo

Bonaparte's leave of absence—so eagerly sought—soon became as intolerable to him as to tho rest. His paper gavo him privilege to be away from his cornmanel for six months but before the end of tho fourth month—inventing casuistical reasons—ho impatiently left Corsica to rejoin his company. During his stay in tho island, ho had accomplished something—something that would have been much in any other. Ho had induced the French intenelant to mjrec to allow his mother's claim. Ho had pushed feirwarel tho inert Joseph to try tho law as a profession, and had seen him installed at Bastia. IIo had urged upon his gouty uncle tho necessity of patrieitism! Ho hael drawn up and submitted a system of coast defenses feu* the principal ports of the islanel. Ho had prepareel a scheme for tho civation of a insular army. Ho had stueliod and written incessantly at a furious speed, completing his Oriental novel an el his "History of Corsica. Tho latter was east in tho epistolary form, and was dedicated to Monseigncnr Marbcuf, now promoteel to the see) of Hens.

Meanwhile tho llegimenfcLa Fen*o had been crderod from Bouai, to Auxonnc,. in Cute d'Or, ISO miles from Paris. Thither Napoleon repaired, to rejoin his command, in the* last wee'k eif May, -S. Ho took with him tho manuscript of bis, "Ilistejry of Corsica," seeking a pnb-s lishel*, but finding none1, eithe-r at Y.ilenco or Lyons or Auxonno er Paris eer anywhere else in tins mundane sphere foreveT.

It wouhl bo impossible to define tho. mi ntal e-ondition erf Napoleem at this stages of his eh veleipme.ut. Politically—• for timugh a solelie-r he wa.s always a peilitician he wi- halting botwe'on two forces. The one tendency drew him powerfully to wares the local independence: eif his native: island. This involved hatred of the) conepa'st anel annexation of Corsica to France. It also involves! hatreel eif France itself of tho French race anel of the French monarchy in particular. But tho other te-ndency drew Francoward with equal stress. It was from tho powe rful fact of Franco that all be'iie'fits had thus far flowed to the family of Bemaparte. By France he hael himself been educated. Besides, Corsica, even as an independent state, was a limited field of action. France is great. Franco offers world-wide distinction. Our commissi em as Lieutenant of artillery is a French commission, and our very sworel is a French blade.

But our "History of Corsica" is a patriotic and insurrectionary document. It is inconsistent with our allegiance, and hurtful to what Franco may promise hereafter. Therefore wo werold better shufllo, anel rewrito our book. Wo will put it into tho mouth of a Corsiean patriot of the old Genoese faetiem, to which tho family of our mother Ramolino emco belonged. In its present form wo make a copy of it, and send it to tho great Paoliin London but ho returns it to us, putting us off with tho counsel that wo aro as yet immature, "too young for writing history," anel adding words to the effect that our book is not sufficiently original. In truth, our mind is a vortex, a maolstrom of conflicting tides. Hero at Auxonno, during our stay of eightoen months, wo will sit down again, insatiable, in solitary gloom, and devour the. greatest things thought and written ty men whom we shall oue day surpass and eclipse 1

rears aire—

from the press, -not indeed for I HAT V.TIS in it", but

ibr.h

i.ii.i gve-a'Jy and he undertook to do fie-uon tho features of ihat era in a novel euiitied the *'Count of Essex." The ho flew back to his "History of Corsiea," revised tiie parts which ho had sent to the Abbe liavnal, and j::-"ss on with the rest. Alongside of Voltaire, he would setup a rival production oi: his eiv n, e*aile-el the) "Masked! Prophet''—a marvelous and impossible inveaition out of Persia! Literature was thus mixed with affairs fiction flourished at the ager meals which Madame Bonaparte was able to set for hen* family and anathemas of Joseph's unprofitable wine-shop were illuminated with paragraphs about tho glories of rebellion.

•i

JOHN CLARK RIDPATH.

Rubinstein had, it seems, written two volumes of memoirs, but ho destroyed them a few days before his death.

THE AFTERNOON TEA.

AN EASY WAY TO REPAY SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS.

Junius Henri Browne Discusses ft Pojmlsir STorm of Entertainment For I'crsor.s of Itloelernte 3*»eaiis—Ilclween Luncheon and

Dinner—A Simple and Easy Duty. I

Special (.'orrespoiukinci!.

NEW YOI:K, March IS. —It is 12 to 15 years since afternoon tens bccamo a form nf social entertainment in this cejuntry, in tho larger citie-s (-specially. They were at first enllcd kettledrums or drums, after tho rather informal functions given by tho British army olbee-rs in Indi in which I tea was, as usual with the Britons, tho principal and most eagerly sought refreshment. What would become of.the British empire anel constitution without tea? They woro in tho beginning a new fael and fash- |i ion, but they wero soon found to be so -i convenient, so accommodating, so much more economical than evening parties of any kind, that they havo become permancnt and universal. They havo succeeded

anel almost replaced tho old evening receptions of the earlier time. Not, For the Very Kich.

Afternoon teas have never, it is fair to infer, been wholly enjoyed by socicty— that is, by those representing tho great body of guests. Nor have the*y who play the part e£ hostess been really attached to 'r

them, except for reasons purely practical. I, I These reasons have grown in the last two years from tho general dullness of busincss and the eliminution of incomes. Con- I I scquently afternoon teas have inCrcascel and fastened themselves more firmly than

ever em the: community. It seems doubtful now if their hold will be released in this generation by persons of moderato

nu-ans particularly. If net delightful, they are comparatively frugal, anel frugality must always be like-d in seeret by a great many persons who pretend to bo far better off than they are) for tho sake of making seiniu figure in sejciety. Any ono alilieteel with social ambitiem who has not ample means is apt to bo tempted to appear otherwise, since society and poverty are as inceunpatihlc as reason anel superstition. Society in any strict sense means linani'iai profusion, if not prodigality, so that afternoon teas, which arc very selelom

profuse anel very seldom assumo to he, are necessarily a kind of social pinchbeck, The uneloul)te el rich de not affect them, because! they have ne) neeel to, and because they usually desiro to bo ostentatious, at least te furnish substantial ovidcnco of their riches.

Why Men Like Them.

Aftcrneiem teas have never materially altered since their introduction he:ro. They generally last now, as the-.y did at first,

most of them, in truth—resolutely stay away, rielie-.uling and abusing it roundly. They e-all it "water gruel reception," "Sunday schoeil party,' "old ladies' festival." "Puritanic jeillity," ''skimmilk function," "Quaker feast," ''anxious meeting," with other revilemcnts. Neverthcless semio me'ii ge), the)u«h they are ever in a conspicuous minority, anel there aro those, caneleir compels mo to say, who pretenel to iil.e it,. The-y may like: it, too, espe'cially they who elistinguish tiiemselves by their absence. Men frequently eulogize t.hiiifzs they take no part in, as confirmed bachelors exjire'ss enthusiasm about marriage, v.'ho woulel not take: a wife feir a kingeiom. What, is iiebnirahle! in the ahstraet is often oelieius in the concrete.

Society With One Sex.

As has l.e'en .saiel in another article the bull of men do not like seioieay, positively dislike it. i.eeieed, t!:ough tlmy share in it bee-auso tin'ic feminine, kinelree.1 persutido .-•them to. And ilien they recognize tho im-

'jmipriety jf weime-n gtsingout alone. Ibit iwomen elo n,t ne-e-el any escort to a ten, "'which generally oce'.urs eiuring ihiylight, anel tiieir nat ural jiriiiectors elo not se em ••-impolite) or unuailant. in not accompanyiiier tliem. Many a husband anel a father, I horeforo,. praisey teas without stint thinks them beneficial, interesting, ele'light.ful heipes that in time: tlie:y will sujie'i'seelo every either form e:f s-.ejcial entertainment, etc., for no either reason than that ho ke'ups clear eif the'm. Who has not lie-arel men say the'y v/ouiel bere'joiceel if seiciety might I bo carricel on by one sex alone?

Tho wish is natural, but tho thing is impeissible. Afte-rnoein teas, howeve'r, upproaeh more nearly to tho wish's realization than any other kind of social convo-. cation has yet done. Not a few v/eimer: are) haunted by a dread that tho sleiw hut stemdy increase of masculine absenteeism may wr ck teas utterly. But so long as there is a sprinkling of men this sort of function wiil bo saved. They aro constantly besought to go, anel some of them yield anel may continue to yielel indefinitely. They may be llattered by solicitation and by the fact that their paucity is sure to make them welcome. A man could scarcely be: so,elisagre)cablo, I imagine, as tei bo uninvitable to a tea.

If men generally did not abominate society in all its variations, they could hardly condemn teas, so milel, so diluted aro these. A tea appears to bo innocent and empty enough. Tho men come in light trousers, Prince Albert coats, in street costume merely the womon in walking gowns anel bonnets, only tho hostess deeming it, without fitness or consistency, indispensable) to bo tricked out as for a ball. Whether this is designed as a raimental sarcasm or as an intimation that sho could, if sho wished to, afford something better, moro elaborate, than a tea nobody can toll. It may bo intended as a hint that she alone enjoys the affair, and that sho must therefore elrcss up, or down, toiler enjoyment. Her feminine guests certainly look very poor, 6ombor, forlorn in their plain garb compared with her sumptuous exterior. Or it may so advertise tho circumstance that sho is the hostess, and that everyboely must pay obeisance to her, first and last.

Tho duties to bo discharged at a tea aro very slight and need occupy very little time. All one needs to do is to groet tho hostess and her husband, if ho bo alivo or present, walk through the drawing room, bowing to such acquaintances or frionda as ono may find, decline refreshments if offered, take leave of tho hostoss and depart. Most guests do moro than this, to bo sure, but more is nob, on joined. They

IS:

from 4 to 7 o'clock, anel tho hour is nameel on the carel e)f invitation. Tho tea, being held between lunche:on and dinne'r, bar no need, offers ne) pretext for anything moro than very simple refreshments, such as tea, coffee or chocolate, lemonade, cake, ices and tho like. Even the-.se, when take:n however lightly, often blunt tho appetito I for dinner and semietimes, if more than tasted, spoil it entirely. Men who se store by anel take pleasure in that meal commonly shun tho refreshment table altogether and are annoyed by impeirtunitics of the hostess er her assistants to violate the rule. They even make the liability to do so a serious objection to attending a tea under any circumstances. Many men—

stand around, prattle, gossip, exchange insincere, meaningless compliments, drink a cup of tea, nibble a biscuit, perhaps swallenv an ice anel then hetake themselves to dinner. Few remain beyond an hour at furthest most of them not beyond half an hour some but 10 or 15 minute's. At a largo tea they omo and ge continually. It is remarkable how many may bo inviteel withont suffocation. The rooms aro packed at intervals, but they aro speedily relieved tho pressure is never long. A tea is given so that social ohliga-t-ions may he elise-hargeel at small cost,. An ordinary house will ncceimmodatc several hundreds in thive hours whem the-y could nob pot into an evening reception simultaneously. This is ono of its greatest advantages and its chief excuse for being. Nobody need bo excessivoly bored at a tea, and tho reason men elete\st it is that it claims to represent society, commonly odious to tho cex. .Tt xius IIKXHI Br.owM-

IT COMES HIGH.

But Young George Yaiiderbilt Will Have the Kiin'st Estate In Aiin-rioa. [Spe-r ial Correspondence^.

Asmcvii.i.r:, N. C., March 18.—George Vande'rhilt is years old, unmarrieel anel will soon be tho eiwne-r of tho finest e-stato in the wor'el. lb: is very epiiet in his tastes, pre:fe:rrins his hooks and pictures to tho pleasures of seiciety. It is for this rea-

J-Afi j, yf. 1 XA' 'Hi*i&«

IIo has acquired the title to 100,000 acres of land (abeiut 100 square miles) anel arounel Asheiviile. It is saiel ho may drivo 537 mile's in a straight lino from Ins chateau and still bo em his own possessions. Already 70 nnh-sof macadam mads havo been built, which aro line'd with brilliant hue el, barely rropievil plants and myriad colem-el rhoelcde'nelreins. These roads lead down to tho valley or up hill after hill to tho heaven aspiring peak of the famous Mount Pisgah, or perhaps they wind towarel that blue, hazy curtain which on ne'arer inspection proves to bo tho i-hnoky range', er elso wenel tlicir way toward tho grandeur of the Black liiiiuiitains.

Tho chateau when finished will testify to the magnificent work of man, as tho scencry does to tho wondrous work of nature. Tho hemso stanels on an csplanado of 700 by o0 feet. This was made by cutting down the summit eif a hill anel filling in the depression^. A perfect level is the result. Thei architecture Is pure Italian. It is built jf Maryland limestone and is four stories high.

Let the imagination run riot, and even them one can havo but a faint conception of tho magnitude! of this sumptuous hemic. As a starting peiint, recolhvet a troop of cavalry might walk though the h)ggias anel a regiment march eleiwn tho stairways. The! banquet hall and receptiem roenn is as largo as any eirelinary church, anel a e'lly house might lie) e-omlbrtably ense'one'eel in tho library. Tho magnilie'e-nt carvings ahout the) principal entrances are in the hands of Karl iiitte'r. Oneejf the guareliaiia e)f the portals is a heroic .statue of Jeanne d'Arc. Ikyoml tho driveway is a terraoe'd stairway in imitation of the) famous l'orto Aggatie). Peis.-ibly these two fiu*t.s show tho historic eclecticism of the owner. On tho right is the tennis grounel, with its quaint teahouse and stone fountain ahout 2,U00 years old, Immght from the vicinity of the Nile, fciiiil farther is tho conservatory, the emly spot that invites critie'.ism. it being very small anel unprete'iitieius. )n tho left of the) chateau aro situates! thei sta.liles, carriage lmuses anel elog kenne'ls. A branch eif tho Sout.he'rn railreiael runs from Ibltmore tei tho back of tiie lmuse, thus enabling a private car to run elircctly to tho door of tho mansion. Besides tho railroad ono finds a stemo quarry, wiie'ro all the stone used l'eir walls, roaels, foundations, etc., has been procure'd alsei a dairy of 250 cows and a brick kiln.

Freim the private nurseries over 1,000,000 plants and ornamental trees havo been transplanted into tho grounds. In another year a game preserve anel hundreds of deer will bo an acquisition to tho parks. About that timo 20 cottages, costing $-0,000 each, will havo been erected. These houses will bo rented to tiie personal 'friends of Mr. Vanderbilt. A $100,000 church is already in an advanced stato eif erection, and last, but not least of his many posscssiems, is tho ceuintry storo at Biltmoro owncel by this millionaire.

Mr. Vanelerbilr, hael no troublo in securing tho property lie! wished, with ono exception. Charles Cejllins, a thrifty negro, owns a plot of sovon acres right in the middle of tho rich man's domains. Collins has scornfully rofuscel $7,f00 anel will continue to bo Mr. Vanderbilt's nearest neighbor until ho gets his own price, saiel to bo $12,000. No ono isallowoel on tho grounds without a special permit, and all cameras are confiscated and not retumeel until tho visitor leaves tho gates.

An impartial observer cannot but commend tho young millionaire, who is improving a vast territory, giving employment to thousands of men, seemingly investing his money wisely and building tho most magnificent estate In tho weirld.

MAUDE JAMES CHILTON.

A Girl Barn Ilurner.

The polico at Terre Haute, Ind., arretted a girl 13 yoars old for burning barns. Sho was taken from tho Orphans' homo six years ago by Mrs. Morgan, a widow living in tho country. A year ago her barn was burned. The other day a new one was destroyed by firo and within threo hours tho farm rosidenco was threo times sot on fire. The girl denied her guilt, but after tho police brought her to the city sho confessed. Sho said her schoolmates had told her 6he was badly treated, u,-

41 E. Main St.

sltfwie)

J2Z

TIIK VKMANSION.

ion he will live1 in tho solitude) eif majestic mountains instead of tho atme splu're eif clubs and theaters.

For tiie last three years the youngest son eif William II. Vamlorbilt has given hi attention and money to tho erc.e:t:em eif his new home at Asheville. lie comes hero every few months and remains a few weeks at the "lied Farm House'," his temporary resielene\). It will presbably be seven years before his homo anel grounds aro completed, in spite of the fact that (i()i workmen aro employee! elaily upon tho work. Mr. Vande-rhilt will probably eat his Christmas dinner in Ib'.JG in his palace, for it is nothing else.

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