Mr. Bonaparte of Corsica

thirteen children, of whom the man who subsequently became the Emper

s the first duty of a successful commander; and hence it was that Napoleon, not wishing to rush wholly unprepared into the battle of life, assigned to his brother Joseph the arduous task of first entering into the world to see how the land lay. Joseph having found everything to his satisfaction, Napoleon made his appearance in the little island of Corsica, recently come under French domination the 15th day August, 1769. Had he been born two months earlier, we are told, he would have been an Italian. Had he been born a hundred years later, it is difficult to say what he would have been. As it was, he was born a Frenchman. It is not pleasant to contemplate what the man's future would have been had h

s up and down the spacious nursery in the beautiful home at Ajaccio, holding the infant warrior in his arms, certain premonitions of his son's future career dawned upon the parent. His anguish was voiced in commanding tones; his wails, like his subsequent addresses to his soldiers, were short,

ealthy Children of that age, to possess the whole of the outside world, not to mention the moon and other celestial bodies. Reaching his little hands out in the direction of the Continent, lying not far dista

somewhat the more arduous than it might otherwise have been by the lack of income; but the good woman, who had much of Napoleon's nature in her make-up, was equal to the occasion. She had her sons

e girls be educated; as for me, I can take care of myself. I, who at the age of three hav

then?" his m

rning on his heel and walking out of

nurses, illustrates in an equally vivid manner how, while a mere infant in arms, he had a passion for and a knowledge of military terms. Early one morning the silence was broken by the incipient Empe

art," she said, "it'

poleon. "By the revere

it was a

der brother, became entirely subject to the imperious will of the future Emperor; and when in fancy Napoleon dreamed of those battles to come, Joseph was always summoned to take an active part in the imaginary fight. Now he was the bridge of Lodi, and, lying flat on his back, was forced to permit his bloodthirsty brother to gallop across him, shou

ke kings of them all, if I have to send them over to the United States, where all men

ssert himself as the eldest

oes that mean?" he

m the head of the fam

lank movement, giving Joseph a good sound kick. "How does the head of the fam

st behest. He would have permitted Napoleon to mow him down with grape-shot without com

or not he was in ignorance as to the point under discussion, and could mark him down conscientiously as contumelious only. Hence it was that he stood well in his studies, but was never remarkable for deportment. His favorite plaything, barring his brother Joseph, was a small brass

the Convention against the attacks of the Sectionists, Napoleon was asked the chairman of th

you listen you will hear the report of my cannon. That is all you

e for jokes," sai

to write out a legislative report than it will to clean out the mob. Besides, I want

ras asked him as

you going

the world," cried Na

al elements of a great fighter his schoo

den that he would thrash her as well unless she returned his love, a line of argument which completely won her heart, particularly in view of the fact that he proved his sincerity by fulfilling that p

di mezza

e a Giaco

rally trans

p! His socks do

ove to litt

the authority of the

Man, r

se you, be no

YOUR socks righ

e trifled with. In poetry or a pitched battle he was quite equal t

took he was facile princeps, and in nothing that he said or did is there evidence that he failed to appreciate what lay before him. A visitor to

l holidays when I get to be a man, and at present I can get along without the

ty, which was rendered doubly memorable by Napoleon's humor in discharging fifteen poun

and at eight assumed all the dignity of that age. He announc

; "I shall no longer thrash you in play.

promise, Joseph heartily seconded his younger brother's demand that he s

would not stand in the way of his advancement. Let him go, even though by his depa