Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-03-14

thank the genera for his indy act of
restitution. CapUJyaIted by her grace
Buonaparte was thenceforward her
slave. A cold critic must remember
tl!3t IL the first place there was ne
disarmament Of anybody after the
cveIts u October ), the only action g.
the convention which might even be
construed into hostility being a decree
making emigrants ineligible for cleo
ton to The legislature under the new
constitution; that in the second place
this story attributes to destiny What
was really due 10 the friendship Of
Ba1TaS. a fact which his beneficiary
would like to have forgotten or con-
cealed; and finally that the beneficiary
left another account IN which he con
-. 10 first met his wife at
BarrasS house, this bling confirmed bv
Luclen in his memoirs There Are
hints, too, in various contemporary
documents and in the circumstances
themselves that Barras was an adroit
matchmaker, IN a letter attributed
to Josephine, but without address. a
bright light seems to be thrown on thn
facts. She asks d female friend for
advice on the question Of the mat
After a jOcular introduction OF her
SuitOr as anxious to become a father
to the children Of Alexandra de Beau
harnais and the husband Of his widow
she gives a sportive but merc:less dis
section of her own character, and de-
clares that while she does not love
him, she feels no repugnance. But
Can she meet his wishes or fulfill his
desires? Il admire the generals cour-
age; the extent of his information
about all manner of Things, concerning
which he talks equally Well: the quick
Jess of his intelligence, which makes
hmm catch THE thought of another even
before it is expressed; but | confess
| ann afraid of the power he seems
anxious to WELD over all about him.
HIS piercing scrutiny has in it some
thing strange and ineXplicable that
awe even our directors; think. then,
how it frightenS a woman" The
writer is also terrified by the very
ardor of her Suitor'S passion. Past her
first youth, how can she hope to keep
for herself THAT "violent tenderness
which is almost a frenzy? Would he
not SOON cease to love her, and regret
the marriage? If so. her only resource
would be tearS-a sorry one, indeed,
but still the only one. "Barras de
claTes that if i marry the general he
Will secure for him the chief com
mand of the army of Italy. Yesterday
BuCnapaHte, speaking of this favor,
which, although not yet granted. al
ready has led his colleagues in arms to
mu1mu1ing, said: DO they think I
need protection to succeed? Some day
they will be only too happy if |
give them mime. My sword is at my
side, and with it [ shall 90 far What
do you think of this assurance of sue
cess? Is lit not a proof of confidence
arising from excessive self-esteem? 4
acknowledgement protecting the heads
of the government! [ don't know: but
sometimes this ridiculous Self-reliance
leads me to the point of believing
everything possible which this strange
man would have me do; and with his
IlllGiSlluluUlU'll, NulO CtlI tChO NuEdJ lie
would undertaken This letter, though
often quoted, is so remarkable that. as
some think, it may be a later inven-
ton. If actually written later, it was
probably the invention of Josephine
herself.
What motives may rhave combined
to overcome her Scruples we cannot
TOLL. 1lop1lnuNr in 1n--n Lnf tnIxrOro+,,.N ,,sNJO
ably an awakened ambition for a sue
cess in other domains than the one
which advancing years would soon
compel her to abandon. SHE knew that
BuOnaparte had no fortune whatever;
she must have known likewise, on the
highest authority, THAT both favor and
fortune would by her assistance soon
swift advance, and by the end of Jan
Uary he was secur of his prize.
On February 9, 1896, their bans We're
proclaimed; on March = the bride
groom received his brides dowry in
his own appointment, on CarnOtS mo-
ton, not on that of BaruaS, as chief
of the army of Italy, still under the
name of BOnaparte ON the seventh
he was handed his commission; ON
the ninth the marriage ceremony was
performed by the civil magistrate; and
on the eleventh the husband started
for his post. In the marriage certi-
ficate at Paris the groom gives his
age as twenty-eight, but in reality he
was tWentyseven: the bride. who was
thirty-three. gives hers as not quite
twenty-nine. Her mamie is spelled De-
UasCher, his Bonaparte. A new birth,
a new baptism, a new career, q new
start in a new sphere, Corsica for
gotten, Jacobinism renowned. Gen.
and Mime. Bonaparte made their bow
to the world. The ceremony attracted
no pubItc attention. and was most
unceremOniOus, no member of the
family from either side being present.
and fortOld that with such a difference
in age the union would be barren.
There was one weird omen which,
read Alright, distinguishes the other
wise commonplace occurrence. In the
wedding-ring were two words-"To
destiny eau deStin)." The words We're
ominous, for they were indicative of
q policy never afterward concealed,
being a pretense to deceive Josephine
as we'll as the rest of the world: the
, giver was about to assume a new
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