The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-03

the fortress across the bay efrom her
home We're booming ont the glad tidngs
Of the recession of Martinique 20 France.
And not OILY did the sound Of the guns
bring JOY TO the heartS Of Josephine
parents for their countiy's sake, but
mainly for the reason that now indeed
was their child a true daughtes Of France
The life begun under such romantic
circumstances bore out in every respect
the wariike augury. For 10 think Of Jo-
sephine Is 10 think of Napoleon-of his
armies. and battles. and victories; sell
dom Of his crushing disasters defeats and
death.
MARTINIQUE'S HISTORY.
Josephine's home. the island of Maru-
nique. from the time of its discovery by
Columbus. In 1862. until 1885 when the
French colonized Il, was no different
from most Of the isles Of the Caribbean
sea during the period. Visited by buc-
cancers and free-booters 1t gradually be-
came settled by the French who drove
the natives hack into the mountains.
From 1885 until 1862 it was held by the
French. when 1t was seized by the Eng
lsh who held Il until that beautiful morn
ing OF the I'D Of June. 1868, when the
booming OF cannOns announced its resto-
ration 10 France and also, unwitungly'
saluted the birth of the Future Empress
OF the French.
Josephne's parents were descended on
her Fathers side from the French family
NJ Tascher. the first of whom had set
ted on Martinique in 1925. and on her
mothers from the Creole family OF San
nois from whom their estate took us
name. Josephine's father was n heuteh-
ant I'm the French service, but ne rellred
at the age Of twenty-seven TO i've there
after the life of a planter broken only Dy
such struggles as are known to the pur-
suit of that avocatlon in the TROPICS
JOSEPHINE CHILDHOOD.
The childhood OF Marie-Joseph-R Rose
roscbar de La Pagerie-which formid-
eb1e annellation was soon abbreviated 10
Iosenbine-was one calculated TO en-
nance those physical charms for which
- was always noted. The great
bouse'' in which her father lived was
buut On a terrace OF one OF the great
suis overlooking Fort De France bav.
On the hillside. surrounded by an thS
beautiful foliage Of the tropical island
Josephine became the empress OF ~
main comprising her father estate Si,u
all the SLAVES that dWeN 'hoie"' "''''0
she was yet an infant ,,
Tyo Great events marked her child life.
one OF these, and the most DISASTROUS
occurred on her third birthday.
THE HURRICANE
On the morning Of that day. Just as
her nurse. the faithful Adee, whom shs
never fogot and often referred to IN ner
letters In after years. was about 10 give
her her bath. q frlghtful hurricane SWEPT
over the island completely wFecKlhg tne
"great-housc" Of the Sannols. deslroyihs
nearly all the plantations the slaves
houses and part Of the mill
This destruction told heavily on her
,sthsr who from that hour was changed
,nap The loss he suffered was great
enough 10 prevent his ever reoulldlng 'he
old home. The family went TO dWei IN
me upper floors of the sugar house ana
so for the remaining wears OF her IRE az
home the future Empress or the french
lived In what was practically a huse lolt
over grinding crumbhng sugar-nhlii
that still remains standing almost as ~
ala when Josephine turned for last
glance at II on leaving home some years
later.
THE PROPHECY.
The second great event or her enid
life was I'm her tenth year when the Car
ibbean prophecies foretoid, 50 accurate
~ what was 20 befall her. ~ that age
she was almost arrived az woman's stat
ure: not very tall but with an admirable
figurs and with beautiful hands ana
feet for which she WAS always noted
larry fond at that time OF taking long
rambles through the woods with her
faithful nurse Adee; and IL was on one
OF these rambles that the seeress invited
Josephine into her hut and foretold her
future career
The prophecies declared .aat Joseph
me would meet with good fortune; that
she would make a long and stormy voy-
age and would marry happily; that she
would be released by the death OF her
husband and that she would become the
bride OF the greatest man the modern
world had ever seen. The prophecies
declared this mans star would rise
with Josephines; out that when hers
set then his, also, would sink beneath
che horizon. or the verliication OF this
propnecy history bears witness.
JCsEPHINE's SCHOOL LIFE.
II was shortly after this. amidst the
tenrs Of her parents and the lamenta-
tons OF her devoted adhercnts. her
kathsr's slaves. that Josephine departed