The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1846-12-09
boast, indeed, "of the superior Liberties al-
lowed !, 10 You, when they lock you up thus in
TIE EMPRESS OF FRANCE.
by J. n. PERKINS.

tiWir shadnWs upon the strange fortunes oi
Napoleon, aud give TO every thing about
him the tin9e Of rnmuncc, the story of his
irsl.wilc will seem To the student rather II
table than fact; he will look upon her as
VIC look hpnn Mary Of Scotland, but viii,
Il deeper interest; for she, far more truly
than her lord, was from first to lust, .lk.
child ef destiny
ipld, while yet unmarried, that she
w0niii be wife, II widow, aud then Queen
of Fra"cc, the entire fullilmcnt Of The first
part OF The prnphcry gave her courage to
believe IN the last part also when under
the sentence 0f death. When her bed was
taken lr"m under her because she Was to
'llc the next morning, she told her weeping
friends that il was not sn, that she would
sit upon The throne, OH the ruins Of lIich
R"bcsp;errc stood triumphant: and when
asked in mnckcry u rhonsc her maids uf
h"hor sincr she was TO be Qurcn, she did
cho"se them, aud they were her maids Of
.h"n"r when half Of Europe looked uIun
her. On that night which was to have
hcen her last upon earth Enbcspicrre fell.
Had he fallen II Few days earlier her hus-
baud would have lived; nn.l had lie fell one
day later, Josephine herself would have
been nm"nS the ten thousand victims,
whose name we have never heard. But he
fell '''a: nj gh,, and her destiny was accom-.
plshci.
She mnrr:cd Napoleon. He was ap-
pointed to the army Of Italy; step by step
,Hry rose, ill At last the crown rested ON
her head; the second part of tho prophecy
was proved true; and she began TO look
forward To that loss Of pnwcr and rank
which had also been lnrei"ltl, and which
was I" close the strange drama "f her life
And he that had welded The child Of drs,i-
ny grew every day more strong ard grasp
ing. In vain did JnscpIur a;lcmr, to rule
his aInhtioi; and chaslcn lis arms; lie was
an emperor; he wished tn found AZ, empire;
aud b! sl"w degrees hr made himself fami-
liar with the though Of putting her away.
When the campaign ni 1900 was at an
end. hardened aud narrowed. The General
came back t" his wife; his former kindness
was gone; his layfulncss was checked; he
consulted her but seldom; seldom stole upon
her private hours with that familiar love
that had made her heart leap. She saw
her h"nr draw nigh.
II Was on the evening Of the 2Olh Of No
rcIhbrr, The court was ut Paris in honor OF
the King OF SaXnny. Josephine sal at the
window I"okn. down Tie river, and mu.
sing on the dark fate bcfu,c her. " hen she
heard Nap"Ir"n's step at the door She
sprans |" open il. Using tue exclamation
mon ami! he embraced her 81 afi'cctionatc-
~ that Tor an instant all fears and woes
seemed vain. She led him tn chair, pac { Il
herself al his fee, and looking up into his
lace smiling thrnugh her tears.
You are unhappy Joscplinc,' said The
Emperor.
Not with yon, sire
Bah! said he quickly, 'why call me sire?
these shows OF state steal all true lows
from me.
Then why seek .hc,n?' answered Jusc-
phinc.
The Emperor made M reply.
on are now The first oi men, she CON
''nn'd. why not quit war, lurn ambition
o"t oi your councils. bend your thou. hts
on The good of France; and live at home
among those that love uu,'
'J"scphlnc.' said he, turning his heat!
from her, 1t is not ii is France thai de-
nands it,
Are You sure of that my lort,!" said his
wife, have yon pr"bcd your heart to the
boti"m! Is ii ROT ambition which pr. mp,s
you To seek reasons fur rcpu.lialing me, for
think MOI, Nap"lc"n, Imisun,ers,nnt YOU;
are yon sure il is the love Of France!
Every word that she spoke touched him
to the quick, and arising hastily, he replied.
Madam, have my reasons, and now good
evening.
Sire. sire said she, taking hold Of his
arm we mus, not part III anger, submit
rhcei fully. II is not my nature To oppose
you: will. love yuu TOO deeply. Nn,
shall cease To love ynn, Napoleon, be-
ca,s" am 10 leave your throne and youl
s'd" lt still you &" on victorious, slal!
rejoice with you. II reverse comes, will
lay down my life to comfort you. will
pray for y,u morning aud night. in the
hope that sometimes you will think Of me-
Hardened as he was, Napoleon had loved
his wife dearly ard long; and her submission
to his stern resolve, her calm but mournlu
dignity; her mistaken love moved even
him, and for II moment his affcclionatc
struggle with ambition. lie turned to en-.
brace her again. Bat in that moment her
face and lo:m lnd changed. Her eyes lii
like that of insanity, and her whole person
seemed inspired. He fc,t insrlr in the
presence of n superior being. She led lin
/" the window and threw il OPEN 4
thick mist hung over The Seine, anI
over the garden of the palace, all aroun
there was silence, among the stars shining