The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-06-26
Madame Lavalette.
BY Mrs. L. MARIA CHILD.

Mrs. T.. MARIA CHILD
Marriages made by the will Of third
person are not usually happy; for peo-
pie rarely love those whom their rela-
lives are determined they shall love. 1
Iavalette seems to have been an excep- |
tion TO this general rule. Bonaparte, |
wishing to reward the bravery of his
aid-de-camp, and being at that time
somewhat restricted in his power, re-
solved that he should marry niece of
Josephine.
81 cannot make you a major,n said
he; 81 must therefore give you a wife.
You shall marry Emile Beauharnais.
She is very handsome, and well edu-
Gated"
Iayalette objected that he had no for
tune; that be was going Immediately to
Africa; that he might be killed; that
perhaps the young lady would not fancy
him. But the conquerOr of Italy was
not in the habit Of supposing the opin-
ions and feeling Of others could possibly
be instructions in the way of his wishes.
"Killed you certainly may be-" be re-
piled; "but she then will be the widow
Of one of my officers-she will have a
pension - and may marry advan-
tageously. The wedding will take place
in eight days. ! will allow you a fort
night for the honeymoon. You must
then come and join US at TOulOn. Come,
come, the thing is all settled. Tell the
coaehman TO drive home"
Lavalette smiled to see how readily
he was disposed of, apparently upon the
suppOsitiOn that he had no right to feel
any interest in the matter. Foreigners
accuse US Of dancing as if we did il by
the act Of the legislature; but this mar
rying per order is a more serious affair.
Lavalette agreed to visit the young
lady, mentally reserving a degree Of
freedom, in case the union should not be
mutually agreeable. The following is
his own account OF the interview:
'In the evening l went to see Madame
Bonaparte. She knew what was going
forward, and was kind enough TO show
some satisfaction, and call me her
nephew. Tomorrow she said, I'VE
shall go to st. Germans. 1 will intro
duce you to my niece; you will be de-
lighted with her-she is a charming
girl Accordingly, next day, the Gen
eral, Madame BOnaparte, Eugene and l
went in an open carriage to st. Ger
mains, and stopped at Madame Cam
pans. The visit was great event at
the boarding school; all the young girls
were at the windows, in the parlors, or
in the courtyard, for they had OBJ
tained q holiday. We soon entered the
gardens. Among the forty young ladies
/ anxiously sought for her who was to
be my wife. Her cousin, Hortense, led
her TO US, that she might salute the
General and embrace her aunt. She
was, in truth, the prettiest Of them all.
Her stature was tall and most elegant,
her features were charming, and the
glow of her beautiful complexion was
heightened by her confusion. Her
basufuIness was so great that the Cen
eral could not help laughing at her; but
he went no further. Ii was decided that
we should breakfast in the garden. In
the meantime ] felt extremely uneasy.
Would she like me2 Would she obey
without reluctance? This abrupt mar
riage and this speedy departure grieved
me. When We got up and the circle
was broken, begged Eugene to conduct
his cousin into a solitary walk. / Joined
them, and be left us. l then entered on
the delicate subject. 1 made no secret
of my birth, or of my want Of fortune,
and added: i possess nothing in the
world but my sword and the good will
Of my General, and ] must leave you in
fortnight. Open your heart to me. !
feel disposed 10 love you with all my
soul, but that is not sufficient. If this
AAaAl AAAN1 A0k n4Ea1e NOur IHDOtH lull
confidence in me; il will not be difficult
TO find pretext to break it off, shall
depart; you will not be tormented, for
will keep your secret While l was
speaking, she kept her eyes fixed on the
ground. Her only answer was a smile.
and she gave me the nOsegay she held
in her hand; / embraced her. We re-
turned slowly to the company, and
eight days afteTward went TO the mu-
nieipality. The following day a poor
priest, who had not taken the oaths,
married US in a small convent Of the
Conception, in the Rue 81. Honore.
This was in some way forbidden, but
Emile set a great importance on that
point. Her piety was gentle and sin
cere."
Immediately after the marriage, Count
Lavalette left his bride, in order to join
the expedition to Egypt. At the end Of
eighteen months he returned; and when
he received orders again to depart for
Saxony, he took Madame Lavalette
with him. The people of North Ger
many had great prejudices against
trenchwomen, aud we're therefore sur
prised when they saw a young and
beautiful lady so modestly dressed, and
timid even to bashfulness. During her
residence at the Court Of Berlin she ex-
ClttQ Efeab auulraLlOn.
In France, honOrs were of course
heaped upon them during the prosperity
of BOnaparte. Grateful for these favors
and warmly attached to the Emperoris
person, Count Lavalette welcomed Ma
pOleOn on bis return from Elba. In Tie
counter revolution, which immediately
ensued, this became a crime; and be
was imprisoned.
The state Of Madame Lavaletteis
health made this afiiictiOn peculiarly
distressing. She was expressly forbid
den 10 visit her husband. A few months
after he was arrested she gave birth to a
little son, which died in a few hours.
The reverse of fortune that had fallen
upon all her friends, and the sad fate OF
her husband, produced such q state Of
nervous excitement that she wept for
her lost infant with delirioUs and incon-
solable grief.
She was scarcely restored to a tolera-
ole degree Of calmness, when it became