Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-01-23
TIE STAR OF DESTINY.
THE. EPH In E.

When q few Centuries shall have thrown
their shadows up1a the strange fortunes OF
Napoleon, and given 10 ,yeTything about him
tic tugc Of rUlnance. lie etory of his first
wifi; viii seem 10 the student rather fable
than fact; he viii look upon her as We look
uuon Mary Of Sco;!a:i,i. but with deeper in
teres; for she, Ear iaore tra'y tl.an iicr lord,
vas rom frs; II las = ihe chi! OF destiny"
- Told. wa.lc vr' uuna;r,c,l. that 5 lc wor.a
be ;. gip. Il s-i'l,w, r.ni the! z 'ean vi France
tile entire iuiiiucnt uf The lirsi part Of the
prophsay gave i:e. c,l'..si u ri;cvc in The
last part also when url. sentence oi death.
When her beA was t;l.n from hcr,.tccaase
sh. was to die i; tie ;n'rning. she tild her
/ wer.sprlfriends that il sa' n'l 50, That she
fsh6u'd yef 81 Tp5N HAT itbrone Oh ase. .ruirs
Of which Robes spicr;e ;han stood triumphant
and whe;, asked in ucckcfy 10 cinos> her
maids Of hyaor since she WAS 70 bc queen,
she did choose them. and ley were hcr maids
of honor VIXEN half u' EarOpa looked up 10
her. On that night, WHICH was to have btc
her last or earth, Robc~picrrc fell. Had be
fallen a few days earlier her first husband
woui,l have lived, had lis fall been bnt one
day later, Josephine herself would have been
among The len thousand victims, whose names
we have never heard. But he fell on that
p;.Lt. and her destiny was accomplished.
She married Napoleon, and through her
and as her husband, he was appointed to iar
arni7 Of italy, step Dy step they .use. TIL at
las! the crown rested on her head. The sc
conl par; OF the prophecy was proved true,
aid size began to- lod!i forward to that cas Of
power and ranI; wlicEl' Lad also been lorotoid,
and which was to close the strange drama CT
her life.
And he that welded the child of destiny
grew every day more strong ard more grasp
ing In vain did o:ephi're attempt to rule
his ambition and chasten his aims; he was
an einpcror, hs v,5he9 t. found au eMpi:e,
and by slow degrees be made himself familiar
with the thoughts CT putting bsr way.
When the campaign Of 1909 was at an end,
hardened and narrowed, the general came
back to lis wife; his former kindness was
gone, bis playiulness vas checked, he con-
suited 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 Aonrs drew nish
1t was tie cActlag oi the goth of GovcE'
ber, the Court we're 1T Paris in honor Of the
E.ng Of Saxony. Josephine sat at her win.
dow looking down upon the river, and uldsing
on the dark fate before her, when she heard
Napoleon's step at h:r door. Sac sprans to
omen it, using her usual exclamation, Nan
anil" He embraced her so ufectonately
that for an instant all her fears and woes
seemed vain. She led him to chair, placed
herself at lis fpas, qTd looking Up into his
face, smiled through her tears.
"You are unhappy, Josephine" said the
emperor.
dNot with you, sire"
"Baa!" said be- quickly. "Why call me
sire2 These shoHs'of state steal al true JOY
from us.i
4Thcn why seek them ?" answered Jose
phino.
The emperor made no reply .Yon are
now the first of men," sue continued, "Why
not quit war, turn ambition cut oc your coun-
sells, bend your thoughts on the good Of
r,once I'VE =. :. home among these that love
you ?"
her, 1T is not I, it is France demands the
sacrifice"
Are You sure of that, my lord ?" saiPhis
wife. "Haye you probed your heart to the
bottom? Is it not ambition that prompts
You to seek reasons for repudiating me ?-for,
thin, 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, ho replied,
MADAME, havemy reasons. Good eyenins."
"Stay. sire" said she, taking hold Of his
arm, :" We must not part in anger. submit.
Since you wish 1t, submit chcerfnlly. 1t is
not my nature to oppose your will, lore you
too deeply. Nor shall cease to love you,
Napoleon, because am to leave your throne
and your side. If you still go on victorious
shall rejoice WITH you; if reverse comes, [
will lay down my life to comfort you. | will
pray for you morning and night, and in the
hope that sometimes you will think Of me-"
Hardened as he was, Napoleon lad loved
his wife deeply and long and her submission
to his stern resolYe-her calm but mournfM
digpity-her unshaken love- moved even him
md for a moment affection struggled 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 ofinsanity, and her whole person seemed
inspired. He felt himself in the presence of
superior being. She led him to the window,
and threw 1t open, a thin mist rested upon
the Seine, and over the gardens Of the palace
all around was silent among the stars then
before them, one was far brighter than the