Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-08-20
Josephine after her Divorce,

/ Josephine after her Divorce.
The next morning at eleven, the divorced
empress was to leave the Palace of the Tue-
ries, TO retprn to it no more. From the highest
to the lowest member eff the household, all as
sembled to witness the departure of her, who,
in the fine language of one OF their number,
carried with her into exile, the hearts of all who
had access to her presence. Leaning on the
arm Of one of her ladies', and so deeply veiled
that her countenance could not be seen. she
descended the stairway in silence too profound
to last; for she had not taken but a few steps
before there was an involuntary simultaneous
burst of grief. But she spoke rot. The only
response she made to this touching language of
grief from those who loved her, was the shud-
der OF the last pang she was ever TO feel in the
imperial halls where she had embeIlished the
empire of Napoleon. She sank fanting into a
close carriage and the cIatter of the feet of six
horses echoed coldly through the courtyard
as they bore away from that ancient palace, the
farest, the brightest, aud the best woman that
had ever sat upon the throne of France.
Several months Josephine had now passed
in solitude and grief. Whatever Napoleon
could do to mitigate the harshness OF this se-
we're stroke lad been done. A pension of six
hundred thousand dollars year was settled on
her, for life, and promptly paid till Napoeon's
| fall. Thd magnificent villa of Malmaisun, with
/ all its treasures of art and beauty, with the an
cient palace of Navaree, were presented to her
and her title of Empress was confirmed She
received frequent visits trom-"almost of hom-
age"-from the members of the imperial court,
/ for it was universally understood that Napole-
on desired every token of respect should be
shown to his former wife, Her villa presen.
ted more animated and brilliant spectacle than
even while Napoleon was lis master. 1t was
( freqenteG by the most llustrious statesmen,
! scholars, artists and men Of the Empire. She
+ was universally respected, admired and below
ed, and her fall from the throne seemed to clothe
her with new spendor
She still cherished her affection for Napoleon
and lost no opportunity of demonstrating her
respect for him. The apartment he had occu-
pied remained exactly as he had left it; and
she would not sutf.r even a chair to be moved
and, indeed, very rarely permitted any one to
enter, keeping the key herself and dusting the
articles with her own hands. On the table was
a volume of history with the page doubled
down where he had finished reading beside
! it lay pen with ink dried on the point, aud a
map of the world, on which he was accustom-
ed to point out his pans to those in his conf
dence, and which still showed on its surfac e
many marks Of his impatience. BY the wall
stood Napoleon's camp>bed, without curtains,
and above continued to hang such Of his arms
as he had placed there. On different pieces of
furniture were flung various portions of appar-
rel, Just as he had used them last for among
MS o'ner extraordinary ways lie had practlce,
on reuf'ns TO resi- OF H'ng'ng ra'her 'han taxing
OH HIS c'o'nes' casting uo"h coat here' vest
'hete' usutHy PHch'hS us wa'ch INTO the bed,
ana MS nat ana SHOES INTO Inc !arthest corner
ol 'ile apartment
"JoSePhine own pea chamber TO which she
removed aiter thc aiFofce, was extremely SIM
P'c' u''Peu o"y WIN "HtG mus III, It's Sole or
''o'"c"t oGlh9 the goiu toi'et service already
'L'eH''ol'c", ana ""Gh VIII" Hoo'e generosity
snc Ic'u9cu 10 coHailer "9 private property, I'LL
Ndpoleou sent IL altcr leT, to5cllrr with many
other va'uaOIeS lett oehInd IN IKE manner.
~ !" uGNotin9 heFSeH TO lle adorhheht oil the
N'!" W id'''iiiS"Ii 'oS7P'''Hc uIsPi'yeu tne most
Icll"cu ana aF'iSl'c 'aHte' III Ietlet o' IN
SuucIoh 10 I'or SuPef'n'enaeht' she teI'S nun
'nlt the llTSt apartment Oh tle Sulle "hlch was
I" serve ior an ai'e,rooi'i' must De painted III
Il9hl green WIN oofder OF I'lacs. In pan
,ie,S I''' were 10 oc Placeu me ehgFaVihgs from
bIo!c scenes, ana Uhler each portrait OF the
!
'ie cehtrc oI thc room lHrFe was always to be
I'r@e mower stand, hIIed with lresh flowers
IN u, 1heir season. ana al each angie the Dust OF
frcnch philosopher Nhc particularly mention
ca tn"I hoSS2au was 70 STAND Detween the two
WINDOWS where The vines and foliage would
P'ay afouiu His neau loHiilh3 natural crown
worthy OF 'he author OF hm"e. Her private
c.o!hct was 10 De IN ligHt blue, with border
oi r'hnhcuIuS ana poiyanthus. len large en-
CRAVINGS from the gallery OF Musec, and twen
~ hedalilonS nlIed up the pannes. The case
inehtS were Pllnte4 wh!te ana green with dou'
bic Il leiS OF god ~ mite elegance OF varle
" D"l no study no Proiu'ion. contlde tt
treat, where medltate-slecp, pcrhaps-bu
oitenest read which Is sufficient to remind yol
oi the three hundred volumes OF my small ed
| ton.'
The first million of francs which Napoleon
allowed Josephine from his own purse, were
expended IN restoring the castle OF the ancien
Kings OF Navarro, which had been long neg
! lcctcd ana nearly demolished in the Revolution
lis Immense park had once been embellshed
| u 4