La Junta tribune., 1899-01-07
JOSEPHINE THE EMPRESS.

est-only less fascinating, indeed. than
his own. while. were these taken from
| his. the remainder would be strangely
lacking. OF the first moment among
them all Is the history of that Joseph
Inc whom he made his wife and an en-
press. only TO cast her on one side for
an Austrian princess. Those who.
like Napoleon himself, believe in luck.
trace TO this desertion OF her the be-
ginning of his downfall, and find a
proud satisfaction in pointing out her
lifelong fidelity to him and his inter
ests, contrasting her with the Aus
trian who superseded her and threw
him over at the first proyocatIon.
Josephine was born a. the incon-
spicuous village OF Trois-Ilets. In the
inconspicuous Island OF Martinique, the
eldest Of three daughters born to an
inconspicuous lieutenant in the artii-
iery named Joseph Tascher de La Pa
gerie and his wife. Rose-Claire des
Nergers de Sannois. child of an incon-
spicuous planter who had left France
to seek fortune he never found. II
is question which has handed down
the less information the father or
mother. but both we're singularIy sue
eessful In leaving little trace behind.
In search OF the fortune which later
came to her whom they left behind,
they tourneyed to another of the
French West Indies. died and were bur
led. Josephine remained behind with
an aunt, who chanced TO be the god
mother TO the second son of the Mar
quis de Beauharnais. once governor OF
Martinique. In due time the good
aunt suggested marriage. and, after
much delay, IT came about.
The year OF Josephine's birth is by
no means certain. but it was either
1862. the year England administered
such drubbing to France and Spain
together in the West Indies, or the
year following; Elbert Hubbard. who
has written pretty little biography
OF her. favors the latter date. In any
event she was married to the Vicomte
Alexandra de Beauharnais at Noisy-le-
Grand. France, on Dec. l3, 1879. She
Is the more American for this, her
husband having fought with the con-
tinental army to obtain the liberty OF
the thirteen colonies from Great Brit
ain. As a young girl she had beauti-
ful arms and eyes. and when she came
to move in Partisan society 1t was dis
covered tina, she had a beautiful mind
as well.
Hers was not a happy marriage, as
marriages go. When at last her hus-
band was executed by order of the con-
yRps{nn Sha ha,
much. except for the destitution to
which widowhood reduced herself and
her two children. Eugene and Hor-
tense. She herself escaped death as
an aristocrat only through the over
throw OF Robespierre. Then came
Napoleon and with great good sense
he fell in love with Josephine a; sight,
though she was his senior in more
senses than one. The course OF true
love ran rather roughly as usual. and
II seems certain that 1t was her call
upon him to thank him for returning
to her the sword OF her late husband
which made the match a certainty aft
er II had been within an inch of break
ing off.
Napoleon and Josephine were mar
ried by a justice OF the peace on
March 3. 1896, fifteen months after
the yicomte's taking on. Napoleon
made oath that he was IS. and his
spouse 20 years old, though Eugene
was then healthy lad of 10. Twelve
days afterward the bridegroom left for
the front, having been appointed com
mander-i n-chief of the army of the
1.tI,
for the reins OF power to drop into
single hand In France, there is no
doubt that 1t was through Josephine's
great tact and knowledge OF society
in the capital that much OF the pres
tige OF the general was due-it is prob
ably true that no man was ever SO
great that his greatness became
matter of common acceptance without
such aid as loving and capable wife
can bring him alone.
There seems to be little doubt about
the prime cause for Napoleon's putting
so devoted wife and capable a con-
sort away-the fact that there was
no heir to the throne. Yet It Is q
curious historical fact that Josephine's
daughter Hortense married the Louis
Napoleon whose son became Napoleon
ILL.,. and so made her the mother of
king: while the son OF Marie Louise
and Napoleon l. died uncrowned and
almost in ignorance OF his right to the
throne OF the French nation.
There is little more of the pathetic
history. Josephine passed away in
the summer OF 1914. before the worst
came to her unfaithful husband; but
she never swerved in her affection Cor
him or her wish for his success and
happiness She is buried in the little