Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-06-30
Gistoriral.
NAPOLEON AND JOSEPHINE.
BIZ JOHN S C. ABBOTT

employed, were perishing. The rich were
gathering the wrecks of their estates aud fly
ing from France There was 10 law but
such as was proclaimed by the thunders of
Napoleon's batteries. The National Guards
he Immediately re-organized, and soon efficient
order was established. Napoleon was inces-
sanity occupied in visiting all parts of the
city, aud words of kindness and sympathy
with suffering, he combined with the strong
and inexorable arm of military rule, More
than one hundred families, says the Duchess
of Abrantes, were saved from perishing by
his personal exertIons. He himself climbed
to the garrets of penury, and penetrated the
cellars of want and woe and with mosten-
| ed eye, gazed on the scene of fearful wretch
edness with which Paris was filed. He eau
! scd wood and bread to be distributed to the
! poor, and, totally regardless Of ease or self
indulgence, did everything in his power to
alleviate suffering.
| One day when alighting from his carriage
| to dine at Madame Permon's, he was address
| sed by woman, who held dead infant in
! her arms. Grief and hunger had dried up
| the fountain Of life IN her bosom, and her un-
| wcaned child had died of starvation. Her
! husband was dead, and FIVE children were
| mourning for food at home. ''1f L cannot
obtain relief" said the famished mother, Il
must take MY remaining five children, and
drown myself with them" Napoleon ques-
! toned her very minutely, and ascertained
! her place of residence, and giving her some
money to meet her immediate wants, he en-
! tered the house and sat down with the guests
| at the brilliant entertainment He was how
ever, so deeply impressed with the scene OF
wrctchedness which he had just witnessed,
that he could not oblterate it from his mind,
and all were struck with the absent manner
| aud the sadness of his countenapce lmme-
| diately after dinner be took measures TO as
certain the truth of the statements which the
! poor woman had made to him, and finding
! all her assertions verified, he took the family
! Immediately under his protection. He OBJ
tained employment for the girls in needlewolk
among his friends, and the family ever ex-
pressed the most profound gratitude to their
| preserver It was the unceasing exhibition
I of sacbtraits ofs>haraoter By which Napoleon
entwined around him the hearts of the French
people.
There was at this time, in Paris, a lady
who was rendered quite prominent in society
by her social attractions, her personal lowell
ness and her elevated rank. She was a wild
ow, twenty eight years of age. Her husband,
the Fiscount Beauharnais. had recently per-
ished on the scaffold, an illustrous victim OF
revolutionary fury. Josephine Tascher
Bcauharnais, who subsequently became the
world renowned bride of Napoleon, was born
on the Island of Martinique in the West In
dies When almost child she was married
to the Viscount Beauharnais, who had visit
ed the Island on business, and was captivated
by the loveliness of the young creole. Upon
entering Paris she was Immediately introdu
ced TO all the splcndors of the court of Marie
Antoinette. The revolutionary storm soor
burst upon her dwelling in merciless fury. =
She experienced the most affective reverses
of friendliness, bereavement, imprisonment
and penury The storm had, however, pas.
sed over her, and she was left widow, Will
two children, Eugene and Hortense. From
| the wreck of her fortune she had saved az
ample competence, and was surrounded BY
influential and admiring friends
Napoleon in obedience to the orders Of tn,
Convention, to prevent the possibility of an
other outbreak of lawless violence, had pro
ceeded to the disarming of the populate o
, Paris In the performance of this duty, til,
sword of NJ Beauharnais was taken A few
days afterward, Eugene, very intelligeE
child, twelve years of age. obtained access t.
Napoleon and, with most engaging artless
ness and depth of emotion, implored that th
, sword of his father might be returned to him
Napoleon had no heart to refuse such a re
quest He sent for the sword, and with kline
words Of cOmmendation, presented it will
: his own hand to Eugene. The grateful bo,
burst into tears, and, unable to articulate
word, pressed the sword to his bosom. bowet
in silence aud retired Napoleon was mucl
interested in this exhibition of ti,ial love, anC
his thoughts We're Immediately directed t.
tie mother who had formed The character o
such child Josephine whose whole sou
was absorbed in love for her children, was ST
grateful for the kindness with which the dis
tinguished young general had treated he
E fathcrless Eugene, that she called in her car
riage, the next day, to express to him
mothers thanks She was dressed in dee]
mourning Her peculiarly musical voic
was tremulous with emotion. The fervo
, and delicacy of her maternal love, and th
perfect grace of manner and of language Will
!, which she fulfilled her mission, excited tn
, admiration of Napoleon. He soon called up
, on her. The acquaintance soon ripened int
an unusually strong and ardent affection.
Josephine was two years older than Napo
leon. But her form and features had resis
ted the eDcroachments Of time, and her cheer
fulness and yivacity invested her with all th
charms of early youth. Barras. now one o
the FIVE Directors who had bcep ESTABLISHES
io power by the guns of Napoleon, was
very ardent friend of Josephine. He warm
ly advocated the contemplated connection
, deeming It mutually advantageous. Napole
on would greatly increase his influence by al
alliance with ono occupying so high posi-
! tiou in society, and surrounded BY friends s.