Portage Sentinel

Anecdote of Napoleon.

An entertaining book is Lord Holland's reminiscences, lately published in London. It abounds in anecdotes of Bonaparte not before printed.

We give one of the most characteristic.

On his first nomination to the army of Italy the Directory is said to have been unable or unwilling to supply him with the money necessary for the journey of himself and his aides-de-camp to the spot, and their suitable appearance at the headquarters of a considerable force. In this emergency, after collecting all that his resources, the contributions of his friends, and his credit could muster, he is reported to have applied to Junot, a young officer whom he knew to be in the habit of frequenting the gaming tables, and confiding to him all the money he had been able to raise, in itself no great sum; to have directed him either to lose the whole or increase it a considerable amount before the morning, as on his success that night depended the possibility of his taking the command of the army and appointing Junot his aide-de-camp. Junot, after succeeding beyond his expectations in winning to an amount in his judgment equal to the exigencies of his employer, hastened to inform General Bonaparte, but he was not satisfied, and resolving to try his fortune to the utmost, bade his friend return, risk all that he had gained, and not quit the table until he had lost the last penny or doubled the sum he had brought back to him. In this also, after some fluctuation, the chances favored him, and Napoleon set out to his headquarters furnished with sufficient to take upon him the command with no little personal splendor and eclat.