NAPOLEON’S SON

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7446, 22 May 1911, Page 6

NAPOLEON’S SON

■ The eon of Napoleon 1., the little Roi de Rome, was born at the Tuilleries on this day just a century ago, says the. London correspondent- of the ”i>aiiy Telegraph" on March 20th. We learn from memoirs of - that period that the , event was hailed with the greatest 'enhusiasin. The citizens shouted with joy: when they heard the report of the nrst gun, and tuey counted eocix breathlessly until tn© twenty-second report resounded, announcing tho :hirth of a boy, and . then arose a tremendous cry.of ‘Vive I’Kmpereur!" Tho stretts were already crowded. Workmen left their tasks, shops were,dosed, and such was the enthusiasm that total strangers shook hands with, and oven embraced, each other. People sang, danced and gave cheer after cheer. And the rejoicing all .over France .was quite as exuberant. The reason for all this excitement was that it was hoped that, now he had a son and heir, Napoleon ■would be content with all the laurels that he had won, and would settle down as a quiet family man. Tho cradle was the gift of the city of Paris, and nothing was omitted that/could confer additional lustre on the auspicious event, old Court archives being ransacked for precedents. Hod Napoleon accepted the omen and been satisfied with his conquests, tho course of history might have run very differently, and quite another 1 fate mlight have been reserved for the child whom he loved so well.