Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-05-14
Habits Ct the Impress Josephine.

following SKeCcn or Ghe private llIeSOI the
Empress Josephine:
The Empress Josephine had six hum
dred thousand francs for her personal ex-
penses. This sum in no degree suffced
ly. A hundred and twenty thousand
francs were allowed her for her charities.
The archduchess had but three hundred
thousand francs, and sixty thousand for
her private purse. The reason of this diff
ference was that Madame Bonaparte was
compelled to assist many poor relations.
whose claims on her were great and fire.
quent She having certain connections IN
France and the archduchesS none, Mad
anne Bonaparte was naturally Obliged TO
spend more money. She gave much away,
but, as she never made her presents from
her own resources, but bought mcessantly,
her generosity only augmeaeed her debt to
an appalling degree.
Notwithstanding the wishes of her hus-
band she could never submit to either or
der or etiquet in her private life. He was
unwilling that any salesman OF any kind
should be received by her, but was obliged
to relInquish this point. Her small pri-
vate apartments were, crowded by these
people, as well as by artists ofs all kinds.
She had perfect mania for being painted,
and gave her pictures to whomsoever
wanted demonstrations friends, fenanaes
de cham1bre, and even to her tradespeople,
who brought her constantly diamonds and
jewels, stuffs and gewgaws of all kinds.
She bought everything, rarely asking the
price, and the greater part of the time for
got what she had bought.
From the beginning she had signified to
her lady Of honor and her lady in waiting
that they were not to interfere with her
wardrobe. All matters Of that kind were
arranged between herself and her fenanaes
de chanabre, OF whom she had six or eight,
think.
She rose at nine O'Clock. Her toilet con-
sumed much time; part of it was entire
ly private, when she lavished unwearied
efforts OIL the preservation Of her person
and on its embellishments, with the aid OF
paint and powder. When all this was &C
complished she wrapped herself in long
and very elegant peignoir, trimmed with
lace, and placed herself under the hands
of her hair dresser. Her chemises and
skirts were embroidered and trimmed.
She changed all her linen three times a
day, and never wore any stockings that
were not new. While her hair was being
dressed if we presented ourselves at her
door we we're admitted.
When this process was finished, huge
baskets were brought in containing many
different dresses, shawls and hats. There
were in summer muslin or percale robes,
much embroidered and trimmed; in win
ter there were redingotes of stuff or of vel
vet
!. From thesef baskets she selected her cos
tune for the day, and always wore in the
morning hat covered with feathers or
flowers, and wraps that made considerable
| drapery about her. The number of her
shawls was between three and four hun
dred.
She had dresses made of them, coverings
for her bed, cushions for her. dog, She
always wore one in the morning, which
she draped about her shoulders with a
grace that I never saw equaled. Bona
parte who thought these shawls covered
her too much tore them off, and more than
once threw them into the fire; after which
she would then send for another. She
purchased all that we're brought to her, no
l matter at what price. have seen her buy
shawls for which their owner asked eight,
ten and twelve thousand francs. They
we're the great extravaganza of this
court, where those which cost only fifty
louis were looked at disdainfully, and
where the women boosted of the price they
bad paid for what they wore.
i have already described the life which
Madame BoLaparte led. This life never
varied in any respect. She never opened
book, she never took up pen, and new
er touched needle; and yet she never
seemed to be in the least bored. iss
She was not fond of the theatre: the
emperor did not wish her to go there with
out him and receive applause which he did
. not share. She walked only when she was
at Malmaison. a dwelling which she had
never ceased to improve, and on which she
: had spent enormous sums.
y Bonaparte was extremely irritated by
these expenditures. He would fly into a
passion, and bis wife would weep, promis.
ing tc be wiser and more prudent; after
which she would 60 on in the same way
and in the end he was obliged to pay the
/ bills.
The evening toilet was as careful as thai
of the morning. Everything was elegant
in the extreme. We rarely saw the same
!. dresses and the same flowers appear thu
second time. In the evening the empress
appeared without a hat, with flowers
pearls Or precious stones in her hair.
Then the dress showed her figure tt
perfection, and the most exquisite toilet
Was that which was most becoming to her
The smallest assembly, the most informa
dance, was always an occasion for her t.
of dresses which accumulated in the vari
Gus palaces; for she bad a mania for keep
ing everything. 1t would be utterly i'm
possible for me to give any idea of the
: sums she spent in this way.
At every dressmaker's and milliner's il
Paris, go in when you would. we were sur,
to find something being made for her o.
ordered by her. have seen several lact
robes. at forty. fifty and even a hundred
: thousand francs each. 1t is almost incred
; ible that this passion for dress which wal
SO entirely satisfied should never have ex
haused itself. j
8 After the divorce, at Malmaison, shs
, had the same luxurious tastes, and dressed