Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-04-06


forward his avowed protector, while the first
fruits of that protection was his appointment
as General of Division.
The Convention was saved, and Paris no
longer required the presence or services of
General Bonaparte, who moreover during the
struggle of the 9TH of October, indulged in
an independence of action, SO undisguised,
that it reduced his commanding officer to
mere cypher in the eyes of his own soldiers
and happy as Barras had felt at the cuccess-
ful issue of the day, he was nevertheless con-
scious that his ewn position throughout the
affair had been the reverse of dignifed. He
consequently found no difficulty in convin-
cling himself that Napoleon might serve the
Republic more efficiently elsewhere than
within the walls of Paris, and he had scarcely
come to this conclusion when he arrived at
another.
The young Corsican was soldier of for
tune, who had walked the streets of Paris for
months without an aim or hope-indebted
to a college friend both for the coat he wore
and the bread with which he broke his fast
Madame de Beaeharnais had been enabled
through the good offices of Tallien, to recover
portion of her late husbands property, and
could he only induce Bonaparte to marry her
but we viii not follow him in his deduc-
tions; let it suffie that after mature delbera-
tion he broached the subject to his protege,
who eviuced as little inclination as Josephine
herself to the marriage which was proposed
to him. He had been presented to Madame
de Beauharnais in the salon of Madame Tai
lien, where he was enabled to contrast her
soft and indolent grace with the more striking
but less fascinating beauty of her magnificent
! friend, AID that of all the loveliest women
under the Directory, the fame of whose per-
| sonal perfections has been handed down TO US
! by the memoirs of that period, many of whom
having shared the captivity and sufferings Of
Josephine, now enjoyed IN her society the
safety for which they had paid SO high a
price.
The favor Of Barras, coupled with the bold
exploit of the Rue St. Honore had caused
the name Of Bonaparte to be familiar, and
| his presence to be coveted by all which at
that time constituted the fashionable world of
| Paris; nor was 1t long ere he became a con-
slant guest in the modest drawing room of
Josephine, where he found temporary repose
for his eager spirit in listening to her low
musical voice, and watching the furtive CLAN
Gee OF her down cast eyes; bat that was all.
No thought of her a wife ever crossed his
mind. He was welded to his ambition, and
even while he admired, he remained heart
whole. There were, moreover, other circum-
, stances, which to proud and aspiring heart
like his, suficed to keep his feelings within
the bounds Of friendship and regard, and he
started like war-horse at the sound of the
trumpet when Barras abruptly proposed that
he should offer her his hand in marriage.
4 want no wife save this be said, as he
struck the hilt of his sword and even were
1t otherwise -
Listen to me- interposed his patron, you
are brave, but you are poor, and this widow
of the Marquis de Beauharnas, although far
from possessing the fortune to which, under
other circumstances, she must have succeed
ed, is yet In q position to advance your for
tune, and to secure your career. You are a
foreigner and au exile, while she is highly
connected and has influential friends, who
viii not fail to exert all their energies to serve
the man who may become her husband. You
will do well if you remember this
Bouaparte remained silent.
T Hear what have further to sayf' pursued
the commandant of Paris, we are. as yor
know, preparing to send an army into Italy
Marry Madame de Beauharnais, and L vii
secure to you the command Of that army
when it will be your own fault if you do no
become one Of the leading men of the Repub
he
a flush passed over the face of the youns
general.
Decide continued Barras, as you thinl
proper. With the wife | have proposed t
you, [ pledge myself that you shall be Gen
t eral- chief of the forces of France beyon'
the Alps; decline tue marriage, and l leav
] you to work out your own destiny
We all know the result Of that converse
ton The bribe was too tempting to be re
sisted, while Josephine proved as yielding
e AssaiIed on all sides by assurances that no
4 only her own interests, but also those of he
t children, were Involved in her compliance
with the wishes of Barras, she finally consen
: ted to become the wife of Bolaparte, who
fo- a short time, proved the most devoted c
: suitors, and the most uxorlous of husbands
e The marriage was no sooner decided o
/ than the republican General, asserting hi
D nriyilege as an accepted lover, frequently &C
: companied his fair betrothed to the houses {
e their mutual friends, or sauntered with he
along the stately terraces OF the Tuillerie;
and amid the leafy shades of the Bois d
t Boulogne; while if the heart of Josephine re
: NAMED awhile untouched, her vanity wa
# less passive, and as she listened to the glow
:, ing prophecies of the ardent young soldie
b uoon whose arm she leant, she began to II
b dulge in the same visions and glory in tn
o same hopes. On one occasion she requeste
him to accompany her to the residence of D.
: Raguideau, an old lawyer in whom she ia
n long been accustomed to confde, and to whoi
e she was anxious to reveal the forthcomln
: change in her destiny
: On their arri7al, they were informed
@ the clerks in the outer Office that Nj. Ragu
}; deau was in his private room; and Josephine
d Withdrawing her hand from the arm of Bon'
y parte,. begged him to await her there for
!, few minutes, while she had private inte
"a | ..;a.. III L. fr;ond As she disa nnaarea