The Shasta courier., 1866-09-22
SHASTA COURIER.
The Star of Destiny--The Empress JOSE
phine.

| When few centuries shall have thrown
| their shadows upon the strange fortunes Of
Napoleon, and given to everything about
him the tinge of romance, the story of his
first wife will seem to the student rather 9
fable than a fact; he will look upon hel
as we look upon Mary of Scotland, but witt
a deeper interest for she. far more truly
than her lord, was, from first to last, the
child of destiny"
| Told, whitley yet unmarried, that she would
be wife, widow, and then Queen Of
France the entire fulfllment of the frs
part of the prophecy gave her courage to be
lieve In the last part also. while under sen
tence of death. When her bed was taker
from her, because she was to die in the
morning, she told her weeping friends thai
1t was not so-that she would yet sit upo1
| that throne on the ruins of which Robespierre
then stood triumphant; and when asked il
mockerv to choose her maids of honor since
she was to be queen, she did choose them
and they were her maids of honor when hall
of Europe looked upon her. On that night
which was to be her last on earth, Robes
pierre fell. Had he fallen few days ear
lier, her first husband would have lived; had
his fall been one day later, Josephine her
| self would have been among the ten thou
sand victims whose names we never heard
But he fell on that night, and her destiny
was accomplished.
She married Napoleon, and through hel
and as her husband, he was appointed to the
army of Italy step by step they rose, till
the crown rested on her head. The second
part of the prophecy was proved true and
she began to look forward to that loss Of
power and rank which had also been foretold
arH h oh = naIae = i
her life.
And be that welded the child of DESTINY
grew every day more strong and graspinc.. ..
In vain did Josephine strive to rule his am
bition and chasten his aims; be was an
Emperor, he wished to found an Empire.
and by slow degrees he made himself IA
miliar with the thought of putting her away
from him.
When the campaign of 1909 was at an
end, hardened and narrowed, the general
came back to his wife his former kindness
was gone he consulted her but seldom, and
seldom stole upon her private hours with
that familiar love that had so often made
her heart leap. She saw that her hour drew
nigh
1t was the evening of the Goth of Novem-
ber, the Court were at Paris in hon or of the
King of Saxony. Josephine was at her win
dow looking down upon the river, and
musing on the dark fate before her, when
she heard Napoleon's step at the door She
sprang to open it, using her usual excama-
ton, Mon ami!' He embraced her so af.
fectionately that for an instant all her fears
and woes seemed vain. She led him to a
seat, placed herself at his feet, and looking
up into his face, smiled through her tears
You are unhappy, Josephine" said the
Emperor.
Not with you, sire.''
Bah !" said he quickly, "why call me
sire? These shows Of state steal all true Joy
from u.s."
Then why seek theml" answered Jose
phine.
The Emperor made no reply. you are
now the first fmen," she continued "Why
not quit war, turn ambition out of YOUR
counsels, bend your thoughts on the c,,ad If
France and i've at home a.iong those that
love you." '-"'
"Jcooephine," said he turning his face from
her, 1T is not l, it is France demands the
sacrifice"
Are you sure of that, my lord ?" said
his wife. Have you probed your heart to
the bottom? Is it not ambition that prompts
you to seek reasons for repudating me p
for think not, Napoleon, l misunderstood
you-are you sure it is the love of France ?''
Every word that she spoke touched him to
the quick; and rising hastily, be replied.
Madame, | have my reasons. Good eve.
ming"
Stay, sire" said she, taking hold of his
arm, we must not part in anger, | submit.
Since you wish it, | submit cheerfully. 1t
Is not my nature to oppose your will, | love
you too deeply. Nor shall | cease to love
you, Napoleon, because | am to leave your
throne and your side. If you still 90 on
victorious l shall rejoice with YOU: if re
verse comes, | will lay down my life to com
fort you. | will pray for you morning and
night, and in the hope that you will some.
times think of me"
Hardened as he was, Napoleon had loved
his wife dearly and long; and her submis.
sion to his stern resove-her calm but
mournful dignity-her unshaken love, moved
even him; and for moment affection strug-
gled with ambition. He turned to embrace
her again. But in that moment her face
and form had changed. Her eye was lit
with fire like that of insanity, and her
whole person seemed inspired. He felt
himself in the presence of a superior being.
She led him to the window and thrc,,v II
open. thin mist rested upon the Seine.
ana over the gardens of the palace-all
aroGGnu was silent; among the stars then be-
fore them, one was far brighter than the
rest; she pointed to it.
Bonaparte," said she, that star is
mine, to that and not to yours was promised
empire through me and through my des-
TIMES you have risen; part from me and
you fall. The spirit of her that foresaw my
rise to royalty, even now communes with my
spirit, and tells me that your fate hangs on
mine. Believe or not. if we henceforth walk
asunder, you will leave no empire behind
YOU. and will die yourself in shame and sor-
row, and with a broken heart"
He turned away sick at heart, and over
awed BY the words of one whose destiny had
been so strangely accomplished. Ten days
were passed in resolves and counter-resolves
and then the link that bound him to fortune
was broken. Josephine was divorced-and,
as he said himself at St. Helena, from that