Western courier. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-06-22
"Why SO, if you please, Monsieur Ra-

guldeau!
"Why? because it is better to remain +,
widow, than to marry General withou
anything but his Eane. Your Bouaparte
will never be a Dumowriez, a Pichegru
viii he never be equal 10 any of the
great Generals Of our Republic? do moi
think so; besides, you know that a bear.
cr of arms is nothing now; and would
prefer, OF all the military grades. place
as contractor in one of our armies"
:'Evcry one 10 his taste, Monsieur" re
piled Josephine, little drly, wounded,
without doubt, at the irrevercnce with
which the Notary had spoken of a man
whom she loved; "Every one to his own
taste, you know, that in marriages, an af-
fair of gold"
"And you, Madame interrupted the
obstinate Raguidcau, "you know it is an
affair Of the heart and inclination; that is
what you wish to say it not so? Well !!
you arc wrong; the gold epauIetts of a
General are very dazzling, you know
well; proceed not to prepare an inevita-
bic repentance, in espousing repeat, u
man without fortune; man who has on
!y his cap and sword to depend upon"
While hearing this conversation, Ma
poleon, who probably feared a little for
his marriage projects, from the results of
the counsel of Raguideau, boiled on his
chair with impatience and anger; his sud-
den movements during this. converse, his
veXation, showed his discomfort; and
twenty times he was on the point Of open
ing entirely the door of the room, and
telling the notary to occupy himself with
his contracts Of sale and his invento-
ries, instead of intermedding with the
affairs ofothers, at the moment especially
when the words cap and sword struck up
on his ear he rose up brisKly, his eyes
sparkling, and he made one step towards
.he door. Happily the fear Of covering
himself with ridicuIe, retained him, and he
proceeded to ,eseat hir:self, little
ashamed at his needless movement.
A few minutes after. Josephine, with
an unpleasant air, left the cabinet of the
Notary, who accompanied her as far as
the door of the Office, and Bonaparte, in
taking the arm of his future wife. to re.
conduct her home, made 10 the man of
busines, without saying word. a salute
most cool and disdainful.
During the passage home, Josephine
observing that Napoleon was mofe aS-
stracted than usual. pressed his arm stlE
more tendeily than she ordinarily did
however, he kept with her the mos, pre-
found silence of that which he had just
heard; aud as far as to he day of coro-
nation, neither Raguidsau nor Madame
Bonaparte had the least suspicion that
their conversation had for an invisible au-
dior lha; same person OF which it was the
object.
Several years elapsed the campaigns
of Italy, the victories of Egypt, advanced
The Htie Grnerai. Then came the 18Th
Brumaire: Nov. 10, 1790,) sill Napo"
leon, little satisfied with tbeConsulale for
life, wished the Empire and France,
consulted, responded by near four mil
ion written adhesions, that they gave the
hereditary empire to its First Consul it |
was then obliged to Crown Napoleon. ard
the Pope cane 10 Paris for the csfsmeRy
Of cor onation.
The day of this solemni'y, at the mos
ment when he had set out for the Arch
bi,ho, rie, Napoleon appeared TO collect,
for the FIRST time. the Notary Raguideau.
On the leaving Of his small apartments.
he walked quite joyous in the hall of his |
throne, when suddenly he arrested him-
self, and made sisU 10 one of his Cham.
b, rians: II wish brought here the No
tary Ragn;deau." said he to him, and the
CHAMBERLAIN proceeded to execute ii me.
dately the order of the Emperor.
When made known that Napolenre-
quesed to see him. Roeuideau was sur>
prised and los. in thousand corjectures
of the true motive Of this sudden coHvoca
ton. When he arrived at the Tuillcrie>,
and when he had passed through some Of
the halls, all resplendent with gliding. and
full Of marshals, of ministers, ard OF grea,
officers Of the Empire, they introduced
him into the hall u hes Napoleon awaited
him, in conversation with josephine.
Al! it is you, Rasnideau,' said Ma
poleon. Immediately, half smiling 81
aln very glad TO see you" Aud w,htut
further preamble. he added: You're"
collect he day whom 1 accompanied TO
your house, in 1896. think, Mrdame de
Beauh rnos, ,o>day Em2' ess Of France;"
a d he Lad an en,phasis Oh the VOID E.,n
press You recollect the praise that you