The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-03-03

form another? The world will condemn,
whispers an inward voice. Then will not
tell the world, thinks Maria. And she re-
turns the pressure Of Neipperg's hand. Ma
ria wants counsel in affairs Of state. Neip-
perg 10 at hand to give direction to her wa
verng purpose, and the cabinet council is
prolonged late into the hours of the night.
She wishes to stroll along the banks of the
romantic stream, or ascend the mountain.
The accommodating Count lends her his
hand, and supports her by his encircling arm.
Maria loves not solitude, and would avoid
meditation. She would walk in the garden,
but desires friend, on whose arm she can
lean, and who win begnie her thoughts.
Neipperg is on the alert. They saunler
lovingly amongthe shrubbery which fringes
the serpenine walks, and recline, till the
stars gem the sky, in bowers fragrant with
the perfume of every odorilerous plant.
oh! if one could only forget. Maria could
forget. Maria was an Epicurean. The
pleasure loving philosophy is very comfort
able 10 those who have no souls. The
daughter Of the Caesars had no soul. Sur
rendering herself 10 all the seduCtons OF
momentary enjoyment, her slumbering spir-
it was undisturbed either by anguish or re-
morse. And yet the hiring agony of some
minds is far preferable to the dread rep0se oil
others.
True, Neipperg was stiff, formal Hun
garian soldier. The automaton manners OF
the camp had left their coarse impress upon
him. One eye had been torn out by bull
let, and black patch covered the deformi.
ty. He was twenty years older than Maria
and had no attractions Of body or Of mind IA
win generous woman's love. The nexi.
BILE heart of Maria, however, gladly sough,
solace FORTS voluntary widowhood with this
unallnring courtier. Floating upon the eur.
rent of self-indulgence, she endeavored with
tinbrels and dances to beguile life Of it.
cares. Reveling in scenes OF feStiviy and
luxuriating upon velvet sofas, she Rugged
her comforts, and needed not the storms
which howled around the eternal crags Of
her husbands prison. Consigning Napo.
leon to the grave of oblivion, and forgetting
that she had ever been a wife, mother and
an Empress, she yielded herself to the Sc.
auctions Of each passing hour. And We,
who, that has an emotion Of honorable feel.
ing, would not infinitely prefer TO have beer
Napoleon, listening to the dirge of careerine
storm and dashing wave upon the sea- en-.
grdled, mist-enveloped rock, rather than &c
have been Maria in her dacal palace, on the
sunny plains ofItaly, breathing the fragran
of violets, and lulled to slumber by the sof
music Of the Lutte. Maria! though thou
vert cradled in the palaces Of the Caesars, j,
was indeed an ignoble spirit which chose thy
frame rs its tabernacle.
Yet, after all, it must be confessed that the
soulless and the heartless glide comfortable
through such world as this. If they know
nothing Of the deeper excitements and no.
bier emotions of our nature, they are also
saved from that intensity of suffering which
at times, will wiring almost the life-bloot
from the sensitive heart. The terrific storm
of temptation never "wreckS their sky
The anguish of conscious frailty or wrong
doing never lacerates their hearts. Like
the stalled OK they ruminate in sunshine an,
storm, and die in peace.
A secret marriage, il is commonly report
ed, was soon consummated between Mari;
and Count Neipperg, which was publicly
recognized soon afterthe death Of Napoleon
Three children have been the issue Of ,hi.
union. The eldest, daughter, is marie,
to an Italian Count, Grand Chamberlain o
Parma. A son, the Count de Mont Nuevo
is an officer in the Austrian army. A sec
ond daughter died in infancy. Ten year
ago Count Neipperg died, and Maria wa
again left widow.
When, some four years ago, the remain
Of Napoleon were brought from St. Helena
TO repose upon the banks of the Seine, tn
eyes of the civilized world were directed 4
the sublime spectacle. The French natiol
arose. as one man, to do homage to the dus
Of their mighty Emperor. The gray-he ade,
survivors ofthe Old Guard, who had prove,
iai,hfulto Napoleon through allh reverses
came lettering to meet their beloved chief
tain, now returning triumphant, though il
death. The king, the royal family, the no
bility, the people in city and in country al
came--a mournin: nation---to honor tn
memory of Napoleon. A scene of surpass
| ing moral sublimity, earth has seldom il ev
er witnessed. As in solemn pomp the re
mains of the Emperor were conveyed thro
the streets of the capital where he had so Of
ten moved The most powerful Of monarchs
all the sons and daughters Of France bowe
their heads in sorrow, as children weopin
over fathers sepulture.
Maria, in her ducal palace, was at so shoi
a distance from France that she could al
most hear the mutlled drums, the toll:n
bells. the booming of the cannon, and III
solemn requiems by which the ashes Of he
husband we're so mournfully welcomed I
the land over which he had so gloriousl
rricned. Under the majestic dome of III
nrGlideS, which his own energy had reared
the body of Napoleon now SAUNDERS await
ing the resurrection.
But the widow Of Napoleon could take n
part in these impressive scenes. Maria di,
crcetly decided to remain at home. An
when nation wept at the burial Of her in
perial husband, she sat listless in her pulac,
with unmoistened eye and unmoved heart
Had Josephine been then living, ever
eye would have turned to her. She woul
have beenthe prominent mourner; and sol
rowing France would have bowed bcfor
her in venera,ion. One can almost see III
faithful spirit of Josephine rise from tn
grave TO welcome her returning husban,
and to invite him TO slumbcr in death by hi
side.
A few years ago the young King of ROM
r who had received from the Austrian Cou
the title Of the Duke of Reichstadt, died
the age Of eighteen. He had been reared
Vienna, forgotten by his mother, and carr
fully guarded against all knowledge Of Il
heroic character and achievements of h
imperial father. As the name Of Bonapar
was still word of terror to the thrones