Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-20

man, the united testimony OF all her con-
temporarles, both friends and enemies
may be taken in contradiction. AS to her
wit, the repetition of a few OF her retorts
establishes that beyond peradventure.
When Jerome, after his second marriage.
offered to make her princess of Small
calden, in Westphalia, she replied that
Westphalla was not big enough for two
queens; and when he reproached her with
accepting pension from Napoleon when
she had refused one from him, she an
sWered that she had rather take refuge
under the wing OF an eagle than to be sus-
pended from the bill of a goose. Mr..
Dundas, the English cabinet minister,
once at a dinner asked her maliciously If
she mad noticed that Capt. Basil Hall in
his travels said all Americans were vul-
garians. Nine. Bonaparte answered
promptly that as the Americans were
direct descendants of the English they
could hardly help being vulgarians, Her
numerous TetOrts and witticisms were re-
peated TO Napoleon l., who enjoyed them
intensely, and who paid her handsome
pension as long as ne reigned. Between
these two uncommon souls a perfect UNI
derstanding existed. They each fought
the other with rare tenacity, and it was
drawn battle between them. but each re-
spected and admired the other. Mime.
Boaaparte declared herself an imperiaist
always, and never swerved even when the
storm OF oblOquy beat fercest on Napole-
on, and Prince GortSchakotf said that had
she been nearer the throne the allies would
have had more difficulty in Overthrowing
the emperor. With Jerome's desertion of
h9r, the efforts made to annul the marri-
age, and the birth Of her child the world
is familiar. But degree Of sentimental
sympathy had been felt for her that she
has not in the least required. From the
magnate of counting houses, Will
lam Patterson, she inherited the most
entirely hard and unsentimental nature
any woman ever possessed. For her
quondam husband she always expressed
the profOundest contmept, and she
egregiOusly moderated his capacity.
Jerome was subjected to the dis
advantage OF being put i'll positions OPP
posed 10 his talents and nchnations. He
mad really brilliant IN litary talents, but
he was first putin the French navy, where
he made an utter failure. Again, be was
made king and told to govern, which he
did not know how to do. But at last,
when he entered the French army. he
found his right place. HIS mastery hand
ling of his troops at the battle OF Waterloo
caused Napoleon to say TO him that his
abilities had become known too late. But
Betsy Patterson thought him a goose. and
said so openly. She delighted in surprises
and once at a dinner IN Baltimore, when
one of the guests in an unlucky moment
happened to say something dsparaglng
about Jerome, and an awful pause result
Cd, Nine. B0naparte remarked nonchal-
antly that everybody knew Jerome was
the fool of the family.
She mad indeed, at one time a strong
idea OF marrying again. but, as she her
self said, Marriage without enhancing
ones consequence is lunacy." 1t was
commonly supposed that sentiment in
duced her always to use on her cards
Autograph of her name, "Mme. Jerome
B0naparte,' written in JerOme's curious,
cramped, eighteenth-century hand; but,
although romance may have had some
share In it in the beginning, economy reg
Ulated the matter in the end-she had the
card-plate, so she used it. No shadow of
resentment for her husbands treatment
OF her ever appeared, although she was
indignant enough that he did not give his
son larger allowance. She wrote her
father:
jerome is too mean to support his own
son. He ought to pay you the money he
owes you"
They once met accidentally in the Pitt
palace at Florence, and she displayed not
the slightest emotion, either at the time
or atterward, in speaking Of it. 1t is not
generally known that she procured from
the Maryland Legislature civil divorce
from Jerome. This is sometimes done by
Catholics in order to obtain legal prOtec-
ton of property, children, etc, although
it carries with it no dissolution of the re-
ligious bond. In religion, Nine. Bona
parte was nothing IN particular, although
for convenience sake sue sometimes pro-
fessed Catholicism. She was a rich wom-
an when she got the divorce and her OBJ
ject was to keep Jerome OF his creditors
from making any demands on her proper
ty. What Is to he thought of the heart of
a young woman VINO says, parchment
deeds examined by skllliul lawyer are
the best and only guarantees for happi-
ness Marriage ought never to be en-
tered into for any other motive than COM
fort, and there Is none without cOnse-
quence and fortune" She is severe in
her denuncIations of "folly about love and
idle matches" Even toward her son, the
young jerome, she shows The same cool
judgment, the same undemonstrative at
lection, one might expect. 1t is hard to
imagine, though, how this son of Betsy's
could inspire anything beyond a very
frigid sentiment, as he proved himself TO
have been a schemer from the time he was
ID wears old. tie knew very well his
mothers opinion of the B0napartes (whO
had meanwhile recognized MIN and paid
him considerable attenu0n): ''The Bo-
napartes are all alike-Very afecti0nate
in words, but without the least intention
OF parting with farthIng." Consequent
ly this young Joseph Surface had c0nclud-
ed to hold TO his grandfather, William
Patterson, OF whose wealth he had very
solid and substantial knowledge. lie fiat
tered the old gentleman very astutely, as
surfing him that after dining with halt the
great people of Europe he had never yet
found a repast so much to his liking as the
roast beef he got at his grandfather
house IN South street, and was at very lit
tie pains 10 conceal the contempt he had
for his mothers ideas. Although Nine.
Bouaparte aptly said: Education i'm
proves, but can never give capacity
truth some people never discOyer-yet she
seems TO have thought better of her sons
ability than he deserved, Just as she made
tie mistake of taking his father for fool.
She had him oafefully educated, and car
ried out a theory she often expressed, that
on education let no money be spared.
Every other kind OF saving is gain, but a
good education is never TOO highly paid.
Money IN that way always brings a good
interest TO every one, in which she was
highly mistaken; but the absolute unin-
tellectuality OF her early sur
roundings always made her judy
ment defective on those points
although nearer right than might
have been suspected. She violently de-
sired her son to marry daughter Of DO