Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-05

sigh at her unhappy fate. 1t was a
fate In which she herself was in no
ways responsible. and for that reason
all the more pathetic
The noble qualities of the woman iSsRo
better shown than in the steadfast love
she held for Napoleon even to the last.
Even after his weakness had prompted
him TO set her aside for the Austrian
archduchess. Maria Louise, believing that
he best served his country by doing so,
Josephine remained faithful to him.
1t requires the strongest kind of
ternperament-the self-sacrifice she
showed. When the emperor was COM
PEELED TO abdicate and was exiled to Ell
ba. no one felt the sting half so deeply,
not even Napoleon himself. why did
leave him?" she said. with tears in her
eyes. why did consent to this separa-
ton? Had / not done so, / should now
be by his side to console him in his mis-
fortunes
Josephine would have been far happier
sharing with Napoleon his exile than she
was amid all the splendor of Malmaison.
The walls of the beautiful palace were
a mockery to her because she was COM
PEELED to abide in them through no choice
of her own. Because they were con-
slant reminder of happier days. Because
she herself had selected them in the
Gays WHGH II SCCLlC0 " iCA NhoN wv
would be everlasting and joy eternal.
Nor was love her one great character
istic She was equally unselfish. On the
birth of the king of Rome. when Proyi-
dence at lenght granted the emperor an
heir TO his throne. Josephine experienced
a moment of satisfaction which in a
measure made amends for her many
days of bitterness. All her thoughts and
hopes were centered in Napoleon and his
glory, and the contamination of his
wishes was to her a source Of pure and
unutterable satisfaction.
Think of the unselfishness which led
her to exclaim: MY sacrifice will at
least have been useful to him and to
France" She wept. but they were tears
of 10y Yet this joy was not unalloyed;
and the feeling which accompanied II
was the more bitter because 1t could
not be shown. 1t was. however. be-
trayed by these simple and affecting
words uttered in the most thrilling tone:
ALAS why am 1 not his motherT
In spite of the fact that Napoleon ac-
ouiesced TO the will of his country and
his relatives to put aside the beautiful
Josephine, she was not alone to suffer.
rBonaparte on doubt loved Josephine with
great tenderness. How deeply was this
attachment is expressed in no better
words than hts own. In HIS letters. pub
seen how ardently his soul of fire had
fixed itself to hers. and mixed UP her life
with his own These letters form a strik
ing record A woman so beloved and by
such a man could have been no ordinary
person
With his own hand when he became
emperor he placed his own crown upon
her head. Just above the diamond band
which encircled her forehead. And yet
aftQryvQ rdg Tins
early in their married career, she had
dire forebodings OF the future. Soon fol-
lowed days of anguish and regret She
had given no heir to Napoleon's throne:
and all hope OF such an event WIS now
past This wrung her heart, the fist sor-
row that had come to II. for It was a
check 20 Napoleon's ambition Of family
greatness and a disappointment to the
French nation. It is better imagined
than described the scene in their apart
ments. when Napoleon. after long de-
liberation. at length said TO Josephine
I'VE must separate; I must have an
heir TO my empire"
With a bleeding heart lie meelzly con-
scented 20 the sacrifice The particulars
OF the divorce are too well known to be
repeated here. She was called the Star
OF Napoleon" and his better destiny for
sock him when he cast of his amiable
and lovely wife.
Josephine and Bonaparte were mar
ried on February II, 1896. On the 18th
OF December. 1909. they were divorced
In the divorce OF Josephine. Napoleon
said at ST. Helena he stepped upon an
abyss covered with flowers. Josephine
died on May q. 1914. her last words be-
ing. g"L'ile d'Elbe-Napoleoni''
The poor mourned in her a faithful
friend. the artists of the capital a kind
and munihcent patron. and the lovers OF
Napoleon the peerless woman who had
graced his throne In the brightest mo-
ments OF his career. Truly did the en-
peror say. IF win battles, Josephine
wins hearts"