Democratic banner. (Bowling Green, Pike County, Mo.) 1845-1852, 1851-01-06

the scaaold, the block, or the guillotine,
with more awe than did the assembled lords
and ladies in this gorgeous ssaloon rcon,em-
plated these instruments Of more dread
ful execution. "a. s.L sfaa ! e.
At length the mournful silence was inter-
fupted by the opening Of . side door, and
the entrance of Josepiins. The pafor Of
death was upon her brov, and the subpis-
sion Of despair nerved her. into fampers-
ry calmness. She was leaning uron tile
arm of Hortepss, who not posse ssing sl,s
fortitude Of her mother, wss sntifsiY ngs-
BILE to control her feelings, but immsdiste-
ly upon entering the rsom, burst into tears,
and continued sobbiDg most convulsively.
The whole assembly rose upon the entrance
Of Josephine all were moved to tears
With that grace which ever distinguished
her movements, she advanced silently to q
seat provided for her. Sitting down, and
leaning her fOrbsad upon her hand, she list.
ened to the reading of the act Of sepsra.
ticn. Nothing disturbed the silence Of the
scene but the sobbings Of Hortenss. blend
ed with the mournful tones Of the readers
voice. Eugene, in the meantime, had taken
a position by his mothers side. Silent tears
were trickling down the cheeks Of the EN-
peror. .....r
As soon as the reading of the act Of sep
sration was finished, Josephine for mo-
ment pressed her handkerchief TO her
weeping eyes, and then rising, in clear apd
musical but tremulous tones. pronounced
the oath of acceptance. She then sat
down, took the pen and affixed her sigma
ture 10 the deed which sundered the dear
est hopes and the fondest ties which hu.
man hearts can feel. Poor Eugene could
endure this language 10 longer. His brain
reeled, his heart ceased to beat, and he
fell lifeless upon the foor. Josephine and
Hortense retired with the attendants, who
bore out the iassnsible form of the sffec-
iionate sob and brother. 1t was fitting
termination of this mournful but sublime
tragedy. -..... .
But the anguish Of the, day was not yet
over. Josephine, half delirious with grief,
had another scene still more painful to pass
through, in taking final sdisu of him who
had been her husband. Josephine remain
ed in her chamber, in heart-rending. speech
less grief, until the hour in which Napoleon
usually retired for the night. The Empe-
ror, restless and wretchsd, had Just placed
himself in the bed from which he had eject
ed his most faithful and devoted wife, and
the sttendent was on the point of leaving
the room, when the private door Of his
apartment was slowly opened, and Joseph
ins trenbliugly entered. Her eyes were
swollen with grief her hair dishsvsled, and
she appeared in all the dishsbille Of unut-
terable anguish. She tottered into the
middle of the room, and approached the
bed-thsu, irresolu,ely stopping. she burst
into a food of tears. A feeling of delica-
cy seemed for q moment to have arrested
her steps-a consciousness that now she
had no right to enter the chamber Of Napo-
leon-but in another moment, all the peni
mp love of her heart burst forth, and, for
getting everything, she threw herself upon
the bed, elasPing her arms around Napole.
on's neck, and exclaiming, "My husband
my husband!" sobbed as though her heart
was breaking.
The imperial spilit Of Napoleon was for
q moment entirely vsnquishsd, and he also
wept almost convulsively. He assured jos
sephine of bis love, of ardent undying love
IL every way he tried to soothe and comfort
her, and for sometime they remained lock-
ed in each others embrace. The attend
ant was dismissed, and for an hour they
continued in this last private interview
Josephine, then in the experiences Of an an
guish which few hearts have eysr known,
parted forever from the husband whom she
had so long, so fondly, and SO faithfully loved
The beautiful palace Of Malmaison, which
Napoleon had embellished with every pos
sibie attraction, and where the Emperor
and Empress had passed many Of their hap
piest hours, was assigned to Josephine fol
her future residence. Napoleon also set
tied upon her jointure Of about six hun.
drsd thousand dollars year. She ives still
to retain the title aud rank o: Empress
Queen.
The ensuing day, at eleven o'clock, all
the household of the Tnilleriss were assem-
bled upon the grand staircase and in the
vestibule, to witness the departure OF theiI
beloved mistress from scenes where she had
SO long been the brightest ornament. Jo-
sephine descended, ysiled from head to foot.
Her emo,ions were too deem for utterance,