The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-10-07
Napoleon's Courtship.
(Concluded.)

u deep ana Iatterlng impression on
Josephine's heart, and fill her with
pride and joy. But Josephine made
resistance to this feeling she endeav-
ored to shield herself from it by ma
ternal love. She sent for herchildren
from their respective schools, and
with hor nearly grown-up son on one
side and her daughter budding into
maidcnhood on the other, she thus
presents herself to the General, and
with an enchanting smile, said: "See,
General how old am, with grown
up son and daughter who soon can
mako mo grandmother"
But Bonaparte, with q heartfelt
emotion, reached his hand to Eugene,
and said: "a 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 understood her war stratagem-
that neither the grown-up son nor
the marriageble daughter could deter
MN from his ODJcCt.
Josephine at last was won by SO
much love and tenderness: but she
could notyo acknowledge that the
wounds other heart were closed; that
she could trust in happiness and de.
vote her life to new love, toa new
future. She shrank timidly away
from such shaping of her destiny
and even the persuasions ofherfriends
and relatives, even the father of her
deceased husband, could not bring
her to decision.
The state of her mind is depicted
in a letter which Josephine wrote to
her friend Madame CHATEAU Renaud
and which describes, in a great meas.
ure, tho strange uncertainty of her
heart:
"You have seen General Bonaparte
at my house. Well, then, he is the
one who wishes to be father of the or.
phans of Alexandra dc Beauharnails
and the husband of his widow. "Do
you love him?" you will ask. Well,
no. DO you feel any repugnanco to-
ward himT No, but | feel in II state
OF vacillation and doubt, 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 now experience,
and therefore long for your advice,
which might bring the constant in
decision Of my mind to fixed con.
clusion. To adopt a firm course has
always appeared to my creole noncha.
lance something beyond reach, and ]
find it infinitely moro convenient to
be led by the will of another.
II admire tho courage of the Gen.
eral ! am surprised at his ample
knowledge, which enables him to
speak fluently on every subject; at the
vivacity OH genius, which enables
him to guess at the thoughts of others
before they are expressed; but I avow
lam frig htcned at the power he seems
to exercise over every one who comes
near him. His searching look has
something strange which I cannot
explain, but which has q controlling
influence even upon Cur Directors
judge, therefore, of his influence over
woman. Finally, the very thing
which might please-the violence o.
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
"The first bloom of youth lies be
hind me. Can /, therefore, hope tina,
this passion, which in General Bona
parte resembles an attack ofmadness
will last long? If, after ourunion, he
should cease to love me, would ht
not reproach me for what he had
done? Would he not regret that he
had not made another and more bril-
liant union What could | then an
swcr? What could | do? | could
weep. "A splendid remedyl' could
hear you say. | know well tina,
weeping is useless, but to weep ha.
been the only resource which, coule
find when my poor heart, so easily
wounded, has been hurt. Write tt
me long letter, and do not fear tt
scold me il you think | am wrong.--
You know wellthat everything which
comes from you is agreeable to me-
After their marriage and the sue
ccssful campaign in Italy, the happy
pair enjoyed each others society fol
brief time at Montebello; then oc
Cured tho following characteristic
scene:
All Italy did homage to tho con
queror, and it was, therefore, very
natural the sculptors and painter,
should endcavor to draw some advan
tage from this enthusiasm for its de
liverer, and that they should ondeavol
to represent to the admirers of Bona
partc his peculiar form of countc
nance.
But Bonaparte did not like to have
his portrait painted. Tho startling
watchful gaze of an artist was an an
noyancc to him; it made him restless
and anxious, as If he feared that the
scrutinizing look at his face might
read the secrets Of his soul Yet at
Josephine's tenGcr and pressing re-
quest he had consented to its being
taken By young painter, lie Gros,
whose distinguished talent had been
brought to his notice.
lie Gros came, therefore, to Monte
bel!o, happy in the thought that he
could immortalizc himself through a
successful portrait of the hero whom
he honored with all the enthusiasm
of q young heart, But he waited in
vain three days for Bonaparte to give
him a sitting. The General had not
one instant to spare for the untoriu.
nate young artist.
At last, at Jospphine's pressing re-
quest, Bonaparte consented. on the
fourth day, to sit for him enc quarter
of an hour after breakfast. lie Gros
came, therefore, delighted, at the
time appointed, into the cabinet Of
J JOSEPHINE. and had his easel ready,
A attire thu moment when Bona
parte should sit in the arm chair OPP
posits. But alas the painters SLOPES