Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-08-06
Stltttr0 St0tp.
From NcGte's IrIl. ,rs,s woesiy.I
THE STORY or TIE EMPRESS
JOSEPHINE.

Something over 8 century since, a sec
oud s0l was 5oIn to Monsieur Charles
Bouaparte. lawyer OF Aisocio. tde
priucipa. town in the i.lio Mediterranean
Isle o. Corsica. Beyond Two oceans, N
TIE island OF Martinique, there was liy-
lax. 3, the tiro Of this notable birth in
Corsica, gll OF six, Josephine, the
dauestegol Cou1, Tsscher 90 Ia PaEa-ie.
These t,so.s lsr apsrt. aud 50 .i;,le likely.
as il seemed. to ueet upon their ways,
we're re, 90 be msE and wife, ard 20
share the imperial throne OF France
Count Tsscher being 4 noble, and Jo-
sephiue beauty, il vas natural to expec,
Tor her what me world would call Drii-
isn't match. But the count must have
been poor. OF he never would have sur
rendered the pleasures CT life IN France
tor the tcdium ct existence on q speck IN
ihe Caribbean Sea. Nor was Martinique
the place where even oesUty of noble
birth could look TO fud an eligible bus
band. When the daughter Of Count
Tascher. q. the esrlY age Of fifteen. was
welded 20 the Vicom,e de Beauharnais.
her family must have felt that she had
succeeded well. and the most ambitious
amongst them scarcely taucied upon her
brow q more dazzling sign Of rank than
the coronet Of g yiscountess Of France.
some thought OF a prouder destiny
may have sometimes crossed her own
Imagination. one dsy, when she was a
girl. and happened 20 20 on; tor walk
with some companions, q gypsy woman
came in their way. and offered 10 tell
their fortunes. Josephine, amongst
others. was induced % submit her hand
20 the gaze Of The feyce-eyed, brown
skinned wauderer. You will wear 8
TOY 4 croEn one day said the gypsy to
the girl.
The remark one has to make upon this
now famous incident is Just that the old
impos,er gave liberal value in return for
the coin of gold or silver wherewith Jo-
sephine hsd CROSSED her palm" Those
fortune-telling vsgabonds, who know lit
tie about the past. and nothing at all, Of
course, about the future. find it their in
terest TO take note of the dispositions OF
their clients, and to shape aud measure g
prophecy by the probau- a.-..-r IN life
OF the buyer. To rustic servant girl,
Tor instance, the crone would have prom
ised farmers son for husband; to a
city drudge, q shop Of her own; and to d
belle Of the 5ourgeoisis, brilliant "es-
tsblishment, F." jewels, carriages, perhaps
8 title. But patron such IS Josephine,
one who gave in tone and manner. in
every glance OF her eye and in every line
Of Der cold, pure, naughty beauty, such
tokens OF birth snd rank Is the veteran
pretender could lot mistske-She should
| be presented with q splendid dratt on The
fund Of the slIpaying future. A crown,
- roval crown for that fair brow. Often
and often. we make no doubt, had that
/ same Old croue. and others Of her calling,
operating on human credulity--a mine
nevar 70 De worked o0t Ill man hears toe
ar.ek Of doom-oiten ard often had they
| held ont TO some radiant girl, standing
wite-eyed at the gate Of iile, me dazziag
hope that royal s:sts Tou.d yet be hers
/ Bu. crowns. re krow. are rare IN The
wsrld. Those VINO desire % wear them
F. aud whose position b.Is ,aen aspire @
/, the realization OF that Wish, are not
/ few. Besides, the loves OF kings anC
J he needs ard clsucss cl politics 90 no
+ 1T themselves 10 carry out What "i1r,une
Itcllers" choose 10 say; and hence i
+ comes 10 pass mat the favored Of wan
dsrirg prophets acs 40. found TO De SCI
down in tae royal family trees OF the
roysi houses.
Nov, did Josephine heed the gypsy
Most Rzely not. One who became wo
man distinguished for her toree and grace