Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-02-07
Of this man, a stranger to her, and who

assure you IndL uaTTldSe lS u very grave
matter, which has no resemblance what
ever to gay dance. know it is So. /
have had my sad experience, and l cannot
so easily decide upon marrying second
time ~ waa& y
"You refuse my hand, them" said Bo
naparte, with threatening tone.
Josephine smiled. On the contrary,
General" said she, "give me your hand
has been waiting for me this long time"
@That means to dismiss me You close
upon me the door of your drawing-room %
exclaimed Bonaparte with warmth.
She shook her head, and, bowling before
him with her own irresistible grace, she
said ina friendly manner, 81 am too good
a patriot not to be proud Of seeing the
conqueror of Toulon in my drawing-room.
Tomorrow have an evening reception,
and invite you to represent, General"
From this day Bonaparte visited Joseph
inc daily she was certain to meet him
everywhere. At first she sought to avoid
him, but he always knew with cunning
foresight how to battle her efforts, and to
overcome all difficulties which she threw
in his way. Was she at her friend The
rese's, she could safely reckon that General
BOnaparte would soon make his appear
ance and come near her with his eyes
beaming with Joy, and in his own energetic
lang uage speak to her of his love and
hopes. Was she to be present at the re-
ception of the five monarchs of Paris, 1t
was General Bonaparte who waited for
her at the door of the hall to offer his arm
and lead her amid the respectful, retreat
ing, and gently applauding crowd to her
seat, where he stood by her, drawing upon
her the attention of all. Did she take
drive, at the accustomed hour, in the
Champs Elysees, she was confident soon
to see General Bonaparte on his gay horse,
gallop at her side, followed by his brilliant
staff, himself the object of public admira-
ton and universal respect, and, finally, if
she went to the theater, General Bonaparte
never failed to appear in her Ioge, to re-
main near her during the performance, and
when she left, to offer his arm to accom-
pany. her to her carriage.
{ 1t could not fail that this perseyering
homage of the renowned and universally
admired young General should make q
deep and flattering impression on Joseph
ines heart, and fill her with pride and Joy.
But Josephine made resistance to this
feeling she endeavored to shield herself
from it by maternal love. ~
She sent for her children from their re-
spective schools, and with her nearly
grown-up son on one side and her daugh-
ter budding into maidenhood on the other,
she thus presents herself to the General
and with an enchanting smile, said: "See,
General, how old 1 am, with a grown-up
son and daughter who soon can make me
grandmother"
But Bonaparte, with heartfelt emo
ton, reached his hand to Eugene and said:
C. man who can call so worthy youth
as this his son, is to be envied."
A cunning, smiling expression of the
eye revealed to Josephine that he had I'M
derstood her war-stratagem-tha neither
the grown-up son nor the manageable
daughter could deter him from lis object.
Josephine at last was won by so much
love and tenderness, but she could not yet
acknowledge that the wounds of her heart
were closed; that she could trust in hap
piness, and devote her life to new love,
to a new future. She shrank timialy
away from such shaping of her destiny
and even the persuasions of her friends
and relatives, even the father of her de-
ceased husband, could not bring her to a
decision. = ely, t.. -.l.f.,+.
The state of her mind is depicted in q
letter which Josephine wrote to her friend
Madame dc Chateau Renaud, and which
describes, in great. measure, the strange
uncertainty of her heart:
"You have seen General Bonaparte at
my house. Well, them he is the one who
wishes to be father of the orphans Of Alex
andre de Beauharnais and the husband of
his widow. do you love him p you viii
ask. Well, no. do you feel any repug-
nance towards him. No, but I feel in
state of vacillation and doubt, a state very
disagreeable to me, and which the devout
in religious matters consider to be the
most scandalizing. AS love is kind of
worship, one ought in its presence to feel
animated by other feelings than those I
now experience, and therefore I long for
your advice, which might bring the con-
slant INDIGESTION of my mind to fixed
conclusion. To adopt a firm course has
always appeared to my creole aaOuc7talasace
something beyond reach, and find it inf
nitely more convenient to be led by the
will of another.
81 admire the courage Of the General;
l am surprised at his ample knowledge,
which enables him to speak fuent]y on
every subject at the .vivacity of his ge-
MUS, which enables him to guess at the
thoughts of others before they are ex-
pressed; but I avow am frightened at
the power he seems to exercise over every
one who comes near him. His searching
look has something strange which can
not explain, but which has controlling
influence even upon our directors; judge,
therefore, Of his influence over woman.
Finally, the very thing which might
please--the violence of his passion, of
which he speaks with so much energy,
and which admits Of no doubt that
passion is exactly what creates in me the
unWillingness | have SO often been ready
to'express. - " T
'.,The first bloom of youth lies behind
me- Can /, therefore, hope that this pas
sion, which in General Bonaparte resem-
bles an attack of madness, will last long?
If after our union he should cease to love
me, would he not reproach me for what he
had done? Would he not regret that he
union What could then answer? What
could do? could weep, "A splendid
Temedy!' could hear you say. l know
we'll that weeping is useless, but to weep
has been the only resource which could
find when my poor heart, SO easily wound
ed, has been hurt Write to me a long let
ter, and do not fear to scold me if you
think am wrong. You know well that
everything which comes from you is agree
able to me-"
After their marriage and the successful
campaign in Italy, the happy pair enjoyed
each others society for brief time at
Monticello then occurred the following
characteristic scene:
AL Italy did homage to the conqueror