Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-05-27

little OF each otner. DurlnS THIS Time
there occurred the anniversary of th'
coronation, and of the victory of Auster
litz. Paris was filled with rejoicing. The
bells rang their merriest peals The me
tropolis was rcfulgent with iluminations
In these festivities Josephine was com
PEELED to appear. She knew that the
sovereigns aud princes then assembled il
Paris were informed Of her approaching
disgrace. In all these sounds of triumph
she heard the knell Of her own doom
And though a careful observer would have
detected indications in her moistened eyes
and her pallcd check, Of the secret woo
which was consuming her heart, her ha.
bitual atiability and grace never, in pub.
lie, for one moment forsook her. llor.
tease, languid and sorrow stricken, was
with her mother.
Eugene was summoned from Italy. He
FASTENED to Paris, and his first interview
was with his mother From her saloon
he went directly to the cabinet of Napo-
Icon, and inquired of the Emperor if he
had decided to obtain divorce from the
Empress. Napoleon, who was very
strongly attached to Eugene, made no
reply, but pressed his hand as an expires.
sion that it was so. Eugene Immediately
dropped the hand of the Emperor, and
said
"sirc, in that case, permit me to with.
draw. from your service"
"How!" exclaimed Napoleon, looking
upon him sadly; "will you, Eugene, my
adopted son, leave me!'
"Yes. SIRE" Eugene replied firmly;
"thc son of her who is no longer En-
press cannot remain viceroy. will fol-
low my mother Into her retreat. She
must now find her consolation in her
children"
Napoleon was not without feelings.
Tears filled his eyes. Ina mourntul voice,
tremulous with emotion, he replied,
Eugene, you know the stern necessity
which compels this measure, and will you
forsake me! Who, then, should have
for 4 son, the object of my desires and
prcscrver of my interests, who would
watch over the. child when | am absent?
If die, who will prove to him father!
Who will bring him up? Who is to make
Il man OF him 2"
Eugene WAS deepl ply4affeeted;. and, Jta:.
King Tupuirurrs r'vJ-r.'rr~v',-"
conversed long time together. The
noble Josephine, ever sacrificing her own
feelings to promote the happiness OF
others, urged her son to remain the friend
of Napoleon. "Thc Emperor" she said,
is your bcncfactor-your more than Ia
ther, to whom you're indebted for every
to whom, therefore, you owe
boundless obedience"
The fatal day for the consummation OF
the divorce at lcugth arrived. 1t was the
18th Of December, 1909. Napoleon had
assembled all the Kings, Princes, and
PrinceSscs who were members Of the i'm
prrial family, and also the most illnstrious
officers of the empire, in the grand saloon
of the Tuillcries. Every individual pre-.
scut was oppressed with the melancholy
grandeur of the occasion.
At length the mournful silence was in
tcrrupted by the opening of sidc,door
and the entrance of Josephine. The
palor Of death was upon her brow, and
the submission of despair nerved her into
a temporary calmness. She was leaning
upon the arm of Hortense, who, not pos
sessing the fortitude Of her mother, was
entirely unable to control her feelings.
The sympathetic daughter, Immediately
upon entering into the room, burst into
tears, and continued sobhing most con.
vulsiycly during the whole remaining
scene. The assembly respectfully arose
npon the entrance of Josephine, and all
were moved to tears. With that grace
which ever distinguished her movements,
she advanced silently to the scat provided
for her. Sitting down and leaning her
forehead upon her hand, she listened to
the reading of the act Of separation. No
thing disturbed the scpulchral silence of
the scene but the cOnvuislVe soDDliSs ",
Hortense, blending with the mourntul
tones of the readers voice. Eugene, in
the meantime, pale and trembling as an
aspen leaf, has taken position by the
side of his mother. Silent tears were
trickling down the checks of the Empress.
AS soon as the reading Of the act of
separation was finished, Josephine, for a
moment, pressed her handkerchief TO her
weeping eyes, and then, rising, in clear
and musical, but tremulous tones, pro-
nounced the oath of acceptance. She
then sat down, took the pen, and affixed
her signature to the deed which snndercd
the dearest hopes and the fondest ties
which human hearts can feel. Poor
Eugene could endure this anguish no
longer. His brain reeled, his heart ceased
to beat, and he fell lifeess upon the floor
Josephine and Hortense retired with the
ancctionatc son and brother. it was a
fitting termination of this mournful but
sublime tragedy.
But the anguish of the day was not YET
closed. Josephine, half delirious with
grief, had another scene still more painful
to pass through in taking final adieu o
him who had been her husband. She
remained in her chamber, in heart-rending