The Delta independent., 1895-03-06
EMPRESS JOSEPHINE.
Her Kariy Life and Her Separation fro
Her FIRST Husband.


Her First Husband.
In 1919, while the boys at Briennc
wcr. still tormenting the little un-
tanned Corsican noblcman. and driving
him to his garden fortalice, there TO
seek refuge from their taunts In com
pany with his Plutarch, there had ar
rived in Paris from Martinique a sue
ccssful planter OF that island. n French
gentleman OF good family. NJ. Tascher
de In Pagcrle bringing back to that
city for the second time his dauehtD-
Josephine She was then girl of six
teen. without either beauty or educa-
ton. but thoroughly maturcd, and with
quick Creole intelligence and a crac,.-
ful litheness Of figure which made her
a most attractive woman. She had
spent the years OF her life from ten 10
fourteen In the convent of Port Royal.
Having passed the interval In her ma
tive isle. she was about TO contract n
marriage which her relatives In France
had arranged. Her bcthrothed was the
younger son Of a family friend, the
Marquis de Bcauharnals. The brid"
landed on October 20. and the ccre-
mony took place on December l3. The
young vicomtc brought his wife home
to a suitable establishment In the cap
ital Two children were born to them
Eugene and Hortcnse; but before the
birth of the latter the husband quar-
relied with his wife for reasons that
have never been known. The court
granted n separation. with alimony, TO
Mime. dc BcauharnaIs who some years
later withdrew TO her fathers home in
Martinique. Her husband sailed to
America with the forces OF Bouille. and
remained there until the outbreak OF
the Revolution. when he returned, and
was elected a deputy 10 the states gen
cral
Becoming an ardent Republican, he
was several times president OF the Ma
tional Assembly, and his house was an
important centre OF influence. In 1Ip0
VI. Taschcr died, and his daughter.
with her children. returned to France
II was probably at her husbands in
stance. for she ut once Joined him At
his country seat, where they continued
to live as brother and sister until
Citizen Bcauharnais was made com
mandcr of the Army OF the Rhine. As
the days OF the Terror approached
every man OF noble blood was more
and more in danger. At last Beauhar.
nais's turn came: he too was de
nounced to the commune and impris-
oncd. Before long his wife was behind
the same bars. sI'hcir children were in
the care OF an aunt, Nine. Egle. who
had been and was again to be wo-
man OF distinction in the social world.
but had temporarily sought the pro
lection OF an old acquaintance. for
mcr abbe who had become n member
OF the commune.
The gallant young general was not
one OF the four acquitted out OF the
batch OF forty.ninc among whom ne
was finally summoned 10 the bar OF the
revolutionary tribunal. He died on
June %. 1874, true to his convictions,
acknowledging in his farewell to his
wife fratcrnnl affection FOR her, and
committing solcmnly to her charge his
own good name. which she was to re-
store by proving his devotion to
France. The children We're to be her
consolation: they were to wipe out the
disgrace OF his punishment by the prac.
ticc of virtue and-civism.-Profess
Sloanc's Life of Napoleon In the March
Century.