Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-01-27

man character. Alas, 1t was not so! She was
nothing more than q mild, amiable, pretty girl,
utterly incapable of cherishing an idea of mag
nanlmity or of heroism. She was endowed by
nature, only with those qualities which are most
commonplace and earthly, aud was entirely I'M
qualified to act a noble part in the lofty drama
through which she was destined to move.
Napoleon, despairing of offspring from Joseph
inc and consumed with the most intense desire
to have an heir who should inherit his glory and
perpetuate his name, resolves to sever the ties
which bind him to Josephine, the wife of his
youth, and to obtain a more youthful bride from
subserylent monarchies around him. He hoped
thus to secure an heir in whose person should be
all that was glorious in his own achievements,
and all that is illustricus in exalted descent. The
reputation of Josephine, strong as were the po-
litical motives which led to it, is the darkest stain
upon the character of Napoleon. And like all
wrong doing, however seemingly prosperous for
a time, it promoted final disaster and woe. A
plque originating in this marriage, alienated AL
exander of Russia from the French Emperor,
and hence the campaign of Moscow, and the i'm
prisonment of Napoleon upon the rock ofSt. Hell
ena. When the design Of Napoleon was known,
every Court in Europe was emulous of the hon
or of such an alliance. The Bourbons, in their
exile, would gladly furnish a princess Of the blood
royal, as a bride for the mighty conquerer. The
Russian Court p%rofers any Of its high-born maid
ems to the acceptance of the master spirit, at
whose frown all Russia trembles. And the Aus
trian monarchy, the %proudest of all earthly dy-
n%asties, eagerly seeks alliance with the soldier of
fortune, who has twice entered its capitol in tri-
umph, and reposed, with his plebian marshals, in
its palaces. After much deliberation, Napoleon
decided to accept the alliance of Austria. Propo-
sails were made for Maria Louisa, and eagerly
accepted. Maria was then nineteen years of age,
and was most happy to be honored as the bride
Of one who had filled the world with his renown.
Napoleon was f~orty-two. On the 10Th of March,
1910, apparently without emotion, she left the
palaces Of her fathers, surrounded by all the pomp
the Austrian monarchy could confer, to meet her
future husband. AS the long train of carriages
the scene. Maria Antoinette, the last princess
Austria had furnished for the throne of France,
but d few years before, had persisted m~iserabIy
upon the scaffold. The p%opulace were only pre-
vented by the soldiers, from cutting the traces
of the carriages and preventing the departure.
The gorgeous procession proceeded on its way to-
wards the frontiers Of France. Napoleon had
never yet seen the bride who was,coming to meet
him. " She is not beautiful he said, as he gazed
upon her miniature, 6ut she IS a daughtr Of
tc CaSarS pr
When Maria arrived at the Rhine, her Austrian
attendants left her, and she was received by the
French nation, and conducted towards Paris with
the highest accomplishments otimperial splendor.
The bells rang their merriest peals of con-
graduation. The Austrian and the tri-Colored
flag Aoated in friendly embrace from every tower.
Triumphal arches, Illuminated cities, civil and
military professions greeted her progress, while
the horses of her chariot buried their roof in the
beds of roses which were spread oyer her path
France, then in the zenith of its pride and in
toxicated with glory, from the Rhine to the Py-
renccs, resounded with all the expressions and
demonstrations of rejoicing. Napoleon met her
near Compeigne. Springing from his own
carriage, he eagerly leaped into that Of the
Empress, and, entirely regardless of all the
restraints and etiquette of courts, folded her in
his embrace with the most youthful impetuosity.
The Positions were ordered to drive upon a GAL
Top to the place of Compeigne. This unexpected
ardor was not at all unwelCome to Maria, and a few
hours in the society of her imperial husband in
vested her with such queenly ease and a~ffability,
thai she could hardly be recognized by her for
mer attendants. The marriage ceremony was
celebrated with the utmost splendor at st. Cloud,
and never before or since has Paris resounded
with such an uproar of rejoicing, as when Napo-
leon led his youthful bride into those apartments
of the Tuileries, from which Josephine, but three
months before, had been so cruelty elected.
-Four queens held the bridal train of Maria Lou
lisa, aud the ambassadors of all the Courts of Eu-
rope reyolvcd around her as their central lumi-
nary. But who can tell how dismally these rejoi-
cings fell upon the ear of Josephine, as she sat
weeping in her deserted chambers.
In one year from that time, Maria was placed
upon that mysterious couch of suffering from
which no regal wealth or splendor can purchase
exemption.-Her pains were long protracted, and
her anguish dreadful. The attendant physicians,
~ the utmost trepidation, informed Napoleon
chat, the life of the mother or the child must be
sacrificed. "Save the mother" said Napoleon;
but, perceiving that they had lost their presence
of mind, in view of the peril of so illustrious a
patient, he Immediately added, "Do as you would
with the wife of the humblest tradesman in the
Rue St. Denis" The physicians reassured, re-
turned to their duty, and the crisis was passed.
The birth of this child was an event which
had been anticipated by all France, with the most
sincere interest. 1t had been previously announ-
ced that the cannon of the invalids should pro-
claim the advent of the expected heir to the
throne. If the child were a princess, twenty-one
guns were to be fired; if a prince, one hundred.
AT six o'clock in the morning of the Goth of
March, 1910, all Paris was aroused by the deep
booming of those heavy guns, reverberatlng over
the city in annunciation ofthe arrival ofthe well
come stranger. Every window was instantaneous
ly thrown open. Every ear was on the alert.
The slumberers were reused from their pillows,
and silence peryaded all the streets of the busy
metropolis, as the vast throngs stood motlonless
to count the tidings which those explosions were
laundering into their ears. The heart of the
great capital ceased to beat, and IN all her glow
ing veins the current of life stood still. When
the twenty-flrst gun had been fired, the interest
was intense beyond all conception. The gun
ners delayed for a moment the next discharge,
and all Paris stood breathless in suspanse.-The
next moment the guns double loaded, pealed forth
the most welcome announcement, and from the