The daily crescent., 1851-11-11
TIL. Death of Josephine.


Darkness and clouds surrounded the pathway Of
Napoleon. In VAIN he struggled to retrieve his
fortune. The last engagement at Leipsic decided
Elba.
Napoleon was an exile, but in his retirement he
did not forget the only being he ever really loved
ms Josephine. He Immediately addressed a letter
10 her, breathing the same spirit towards her that
he had always manifested, rather coneratu atulatine
himself that his head and spirit were free from the
enormous weight OF care, and intimaing that here
attr his pen should be substitute for the sword
The world,' said he " has as yet, only seen
me in profile. l shall now show mysef in full,
How many things have to disclose how many
are the men upen whom false estimate has been
placed | have heaped benefits upon millions of
wreLches What have they done in the end for
ME They have all betrayed me-yes, all. ex.
rept from this number the good Eugene and your.
self Alden! my dear Josephine. Be resigned as
am, and never forget him who never forgot and
never VIII forset you. Farewell Josephine.
NAPOLEON"
Upon reading these tidings so terrible, Josephine
was overwhelmed with grief and Immediately an.
swered his letter, breathing the same spirit of de-
Votioh 10 MIN, who "as once her husband, that had
always characterized her noble heart and entreat.
ing MN but to say the word, and she would hy 10
MN. The remaining circumstances connected
with her illness and death, we give in the language
of Mr.. Abbott
few days after this letter was written the
Emperor Alexander, with number of iilustrious
guests, oined with Josephine, at Malmason. In
the evening twilight the party went ont upon the
beautiful lawn in front of the house for recreation
Josephine, whose health had become exceedingly
precarous through care and SORROW, heing regard.
iess OF herself IN devotion TO her friends, took
violent cold. The next day she was worse. With.
out any very definite form of disease, she. day
alter day. grew more faint and feeble, until il was
evident that her final change was near at hand
Eugene and Horteuse, her most affectioDate chill.
uren, We're with her by day and by night. They
communicates 10 her the judgment of her physi-
clans that death was near. She heard the tidnps
with perfect composure, and called for clergyman
to administer to her the last rites Of religion
Just after this soemnity, the Emperor Alexander
entered the room. Eugene and Hortense, bathed
IN tears were kneeling at their mothers side.
Josephine beckoned to the Emperor 10 approach
her, and said to him and her children, al have
always desired the happiness of France. did all
IN my power to contribute to it and can say with
truth, to all of you now present, at nv last mo.
ments, that the first wife of Napoleon never caused
tear TO flow"
She called for the portrait of the Emperor; she
gazed upon it long and tenderly; and them fer.
'eh'iy pressing IT IN her casped hands to her bo.
som, family artculated the following prayer:
GOD watch over Napoleon while he re.
mains in the desert of this world. Alas though
he has Committed great faults hath he not expiated
them by great sufferings! Just God, thou hast
looked into his heart, and hast seen by how ardent
a desire Tor uselu and durable improvements he
was animated. Deign to approve my last petition
And may this image of my husband bear me wit.
ness that my latest wish and my latest PRAYER were
tor him and my chIldren.'
1t was on the 26th of May, 1914; a TRANQUIL,
summers day, was fading away into a cloudiess.
serene and beautiful evening The rays of the
setting sun, struggling through the foliage of the
open window, shene cheerfully upon the bed where
the Empress was dying. The vesper songs of the
o'rds which filled the groves of Malmaison 1oaed
sweey upon the ear, and the gentle spirit of Jose.
phlne, lnled to repose by the sweet anthems sank
INTO Its last Sleep Gazing upon the portrait of the
Emparor, she exclaimed, "L'Isle d'Eba-Napo-
leon ~ and died.
Alexander, as he gazed upon her lifeless re.
mains, burst into tears, and uttered the following
affecting yet just tribute of respect to her memo.
ry; " She is no more that woman whom France
named the beneficial, that angel of goodness is no
more Those who have known Josephine can
never forget her. She dies regretted by her off.
spring, her friends and her contemporaries.
For four days her body remained shrouded in
state Tor Its burial. During this time more than
twenty thousand Of the people Of France visited
her beloved remains. On the I'd of June, at mid.
day, the funeral procession moved from Malma.
son to Ruel, where the body was deposited in
tomb oil the village church. The funeral services
were conducted with the greatest maapifcence az
the sovereigns of the allied armies united with the
French in doing honor to her memory. When all
had left the church but Eugene and Horteuse.
they knelt beside their mothers grave and for a
long time mingled their prayers and their tears,
A beautiful monument Of white marble, represent |
ing the Empress kneeling in her coronation robe,
is erected over her burial place. with this simple
but affecting inscription:
EUGENE AND HoRTRNsE,
IOSrnrrtHrr,