Connecticut western news., 1875-09-03
MR1nAnis0ms

@ All remember the old fortune teller of Martinique, who predicts crown for the young Josephine and finally death in hos pital. Malmaison, us it's name signifies, was once hospital and there died the Elm press Josephine. When a cable despatch announced few years since that the Cha teau of Malmaison was burned, one expe- rienced twinge of sincere sorrow for there were enshrined the sweetest as also the saddest associations of her life, and there the emperor seemed sometimes to su- bordinate the tempests of his ambition to the gentle sway of genuine home affec . ton. Let us gather up, like the shattered fragments of @ sweetly perfumed vase, ths thoughts that cluster round that spot ere the impression it made upon us has quite faded out forever.
 We find this sweet retreat about ten miles west of Paris, and approach to within a mile and half of it by railroad to the town of Reuil. The chateau or palace is long. low, unornamented structure somewhat like mansion of our revolutionary friends: and although the park and gardens in which It stands has been greatly reduced in extent, it still could never have had an air of stateliness or splendor, but more than makes up for the absence of it by it's Area. dian loveliness. A partial neglect has per- mitted the arches of the avenues 8 sweet cratic growth which, aided by the almost perfect stiffness of the woods, intensifies its enjoyment to the last degree. ....
 Parleying for @ moment with the attend. ants around the lodge, we enter the broad avenue, and to the left the first object of interest is little pavilion containing but two apartments, one circular. It contains chess table and camp secretary. Pictures adorn the walls, representing some of the intensest passages in the emperor's life, as for instance his parting from Horteuse when he received orders to quit Malmaison at the time of hls banshment to St. Helena. Another represents the reception of the Russian Emperor by Josephine 6,nd Hor- tense when the allies entered Paris after the battle of Waterloo. In the remaining apartment is miniature portrait of Louis Napoleon, by Hortense the mother, and also one of his older brother, of whom the emperor was so fond, and had he lived would have made his heir. The child's face is as singularly like his uncles as Louis Napoleon's is unlike.
 From hence we followed the broad way to the chateau, which IS bordered with roses, at the time in all the beauty of fresh blooming. There are no more than half a dozen parterre apartments-the dining hall, airy and commodious; long extension ta- ble with cloth of Ted covering it; some beautiful vases resting on the mantcl inlaid with cameos. Then the council room, containing large round table covered with well used green cloth; showing many an ink blot. Chairs in red arc gathered around it; the largest, low-backed armchair, was designated as the emperor's. The adornments are tasteful. Next was the li- brary, ip hanging of blue silk. This seemed to have been more private resort, where one remarked secretary,a chair and books of light and entertaining nature. All seemed again we'll used -. -s ,, ,r
 We pass next into the salon. This is frescoed handsomely, yet growing dim. rep resenting partly pastoral scenes. The fire place of marble is inlaid with agates and two mosaics, a goat and satyr at play. An unfinished piece of tapestry of Josephine's embroidery arrests your ye,the last drawn thread hanging idly from the frame. When did 1t drop from her dainty fingers9 Was it to respond to the low signal of the em- reror by which he was wont to summon her to delicious hours of sweet conversa- ton. or was it at that interview when he caused her 10 listen to that decree which cut the writhing, clasping cords which bound her soul to his, and be bore her senseless into the midst of her ladies in att tendance. Diagonally opposite stands her harp upon which is perched a gilded dove, a sheet of music beside it on which is writ ten 'Hortense.' One observes about the favorite haunts of Napoleon an ar of the greatest coziness, an intense expression of home. It appears in that exquisite painting where he is seated upon a sofa absorbed in reading and the infant king of f'Rome sleeps
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