Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-09-23
THE MOTHER OF NAPOLEON l.

lHE mOlaEh Ob NhfOLEON L.
. Carlo Bonaparte and Letitia Romolini were
his parents. They had loved and been be-
trothed when she was only fourteen years Of
age; but their families were active political
antagonists. and the marriage was deferred for
about two years, when the Paoli party, to which
Carlo belonged, became absolute masters OF
Corsica, and active strife ceased. They were
welded in l776 by the Archbishop. and receiv'
ed the blessing OF her parents at the nuptlas.
Count Marbeut, the conQueror, was made
Governor of Corsica, and Carlo Bonsparte ana
his family were highest on his list OF personal
friends. Ten years after that conquest the
Corsican mobiles sent Carlo to Paris as their
representative in the popular branch Of the
Imperial Government of France. Leaving
Lctitia ln charge of their growing family, he
took Joseph and Napoleon with him.
They crossed the sea to Legborn and jour
neyed to Florence where Carlo received from
the Grand Duke, Leopold, letter TO his SIS
ter, Marie AnIoinette, the Queen OF France.
She made Carlo welcome guest at Versailles.
when Napoleon. then ten years old, first look
ed upon that gorgeous palace Of which be was
afterWard the master. Carlo left Joseph in a
school at Autun, and through the influence of
Governor Marteui he was allowed TO place
Napoleon in the Military Academy at Brienne,
where the aiterWard eminent Pitchegrue was
one of bis Instructors.
Six years later a heavy weight Of misfortune
fell upon Lettia. Carlo was attacked by the
disease which terminated the life of bis most
ilustrio,s sou, at 81. Helena, thirty years after
ward. He went alone to Montpelier, 10 France,
for advice and remedies, aud there hs died,
1885 under the hospitabIe root OF glrhood
companion of Leii;is, the mother of the cele-
bIatea Marshal Junot
When Carlo died Letitia was not thirty i've
years OF sgA, and had been the mother of thir
teen children. Five soDs aud three daughters
we're yet viEg-a race Of monsrchs who occu-
pied thrones and lost them during one OF the
most wonderful historca' dramas, enacted 10
the space OF ten years. the world has ever known.
She saw them rise and tall while her tresses were
YET dark, and the beauty OF her youth ycr
blUomed on her cheeks and spark'ed In her
eyes, Her sops were Giuseppe, or Joseph.
who was made King of Naples iu 1906 and
of Spain ip 1908; Napoleon, who made him
self Emperor OF the French aud disposer OF
thrones in 1905: Lucisna, or Luclen, rho
alone refused crown, but accepted plin-
cipaity. with its title, from the Pope in
1908; Lniei, or Louis. made King of Hol
land in 1906. and refused the crown OF Spain
in 1909 and Giroauia. or Jerome, who was
made Kiug of Westphalia in 1907. when
that province was erected into kingdom.
The daughters were Maria Anna Eliza, who
was created sovereign OF Tuscany, with the IL
te of Grand Duchess. in 1908; Carlotta, after.
ward Marie Pauline, who,as the vile OF Prlnce
Borphese, became the most ilIustrlous Italia
pripcess OF her time and Caroline Maria An
puuoiado, the wife Of Murat, who became
Queen of Naples 10 1903.
The young widow of Ajaccio had 10 reason
to dream, 10 widest fancy, Of the spepdors
that awaited herself and family. The latter
were mostly little children; jerome, the young
est, an infant in her arms She was lett with
scanty means for their support and education.
To these she devoted all her energies with
marvellous success. Strength, we have ooserV'
ed,was the prominent feature IN her CHARACTER
and this was displayed in the hour OF need.
NAPOLEON once snid, ''sbe had the head OF u
man Oh the shoulders of woman. Losses,
priyatiops, fatigue, bad 10 effeoe upon her
she endured all, braved ALL" These came at
times thick and fast. Joseph, ever kind ard
rood helped bis mother with all bis might as
he grew toward manhood while Napoleon,
rather dull student in outward expression, was
prepariog in the military school at Paris, Tor
that wonderful career which enabled him, by
inperis. decree, to make Sovereigns OF his
brothers anl sisters, and to confer upon his
mother, at the sge Of fifty years, the lofty TILE
Of Madame Mere, equivalent to that OF Em
press Mother with al income ct two hundred
thousand dollars year.
THE HORRIBLE CHIaSoN.-The time when
chippous will 20 out of fashion might be called
hairy millennium. The other day We saw
wopder-a young lady who wore her own hair
only. There was not very much OF ii, but how
beautiful and natural it looked, and how du-
fer ut from those monstrous and abominaoie
hops of lutte, those impossible switches, those
bundles of tangled wool, which now dist gure
nearly every woman in the city. 10 LOOK at
these gigantic detormi,ies, which do not even
pretend TO be natural, is to think OF .pcrspira'
lion, trichil 90, rops-yards, dirt and detests6e
taste. They ds6gure the entire head OF the
lreltless Of young ladies. Sometimes the
vanity of the wcarer leads to amusing results.
We recently saw lady whose brad or
'front.' had been disarranscd by wind, and
displayed forehead as bald as Bismarck :,
while behind, her Iuyuriant tresses were6oound
up in bundle like coffee bag. 1t ID getting
to be mmon to see decided differeuceS IN inc
coirrs OF the real and the false hair.
But our laties do not seem to mind these
absurdities. They have ceased to pretend that
the chignons are but the natural locks OF their
pretty little heads, and openly discuss the
prices OF hemp AID wool. We wish even these
who buy real hair, Gu, from tho dead or bought
from the living, would r. feet upon the words
Of clergyman, who asked one of bis fair aud
tashioDsbIe sheep IT she had ever thought that
she might &c wearing the hair Of u woman
whose soul might bo elsewhere? TIE aues-
ton wa severe, but suggestive. 1t would not
however apply to the msjnrlty OF American wo
men they do DOT wear natura! hair, and are
Obliged to stick op tho back OF their heads
.ut.auces dore up 10 nets, that rest Die hair
ahour as much as q scruhbng brush does. The
time may come when American woweO will
not sacrifice beauty. taste, aud what may be
called the honesty of personal appearance, 10
the tyranny Of barbarian and ugly fast'On:- =,
But it will never come till they have as much
regard for the inside OF their precious heaus Us
they now have for their outside.
rUTLERY-A full stock or Ivory an" otnti
4 4 T,h1 wi nf Rnunre' and UtEor mAheS