The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-07-04

bus college here at Its opening In
September.
Aberdeen, S. D.-The Rt. Rev.
Bishop O'Gorman will preside at the
ceremony of Reception and Profess
sion at the Presentation Convent in
this city on Tuesday next. Some of
the neighboring clergy will assist.
ONE-HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
OF DEATH OF JOSEPHINE.
Malmaison, May 29.-That is to
the reflective and sympathetic mind,
the supreme date in the imperial
tragedy of the fall of Napoleon.
It was on April II that he wrote
his deed of abdication. 1t was on
April 20 that he left Fountainebleau
for Elba. Both scenes were touch
ing end tragic. 1t was OH June JS
OF the next year that he was finally
crushed at Waterloo, in chat world's
earthquake" These are all epochal
dates.
But on May 20, 100 years ago.
amid the then incompatible beauties
of the rose gardens of La Malinaison,
and amid memories of almost incon-
ceivaLle grandeur. but in heartbreak-
ing loneliness, died Josephine. That
was the supreme tragedy. That was
the seal upon the setting sun.
There is a familiar legend that a
voodoo priestess in the Santo Do
n,i.,go said to the lovely Creole in
her girlhood that she would some
day be greater than queen, and yet
would die in hospital. Certain it is
that Josephine believed in the first
part OF the prophecy. She regarded
herself as woman Of destiny.
"They speak of your STAR" she
said to Napoleon one day; '..but it
is my star that influences yours; it is
to me that a great destiny is prom
ised."
Nor was her boast idle. 1t was
from the moment when he first sa
and became enraptured with her that
i Napoleon's star was in the ascendant.
It remained ascendant, superb, til
umphant so long as his fortune was
linked with hers. From the moment
when, with a studied perfidy ext4a
ordinary even in him, he cast her off.
bis star began hopelessly to wane.
The achievements which preceded
his divorce from her were Ecknluhl,
Aspern and Wagram, the occupation
of Vienna and the peace of Schon-
brunn. The events which followed
1T were the peninsular war ana the
Moscow campaign. With Josephine
at his side, he was the dictator of
Europe. Without her, he was
trapped by a Russian winter at the
north and by Wellington at the
south; and the end was at hand.
How often and how bitterly he la
mented his remuneration of her, i'm
agination may picture. Again and
again he turned away from the
shallow substitute for her whom self.
ish ambition had provided, and
sought out Josephine amid the roses
of Malmaison for counsel. But II
was too late. She advised him wisely
but he did not follow her advice. Had
he done so he would not have com.
mitted the three browning follies OF
his life. He would not have muir.
dered the duke Of Enghein. He
would not have provoked England
into sending Wellington to Spain
He would not have invaded Russia
Against each of these mad acts 10
sephine warned and exhorted him
But each and all of them he commit
ted against her counsel. Had sh'
still been his wife, her counsel nigh
have prevailed.
; When the allies approached Paris
in 1914, she fed from Malmaison t.
Navarro. But the allied sovereign
| besought her to return, that the.
| might have the privilege of beinl
received by her at Malmaison. Sh
. complied with their request. in tn
, fond hope that thus she might II
some way retrieve the fortunes Of tn
I man who had not scruple to make e,
3 flaw in the ceremony by which b
\ married her, so that he might. If h
should so wish, discard her and an
Q null the marriage. It is not ofte
= that bridegroom has practiced sue
J. infamy. It is not often that woma
: has forgiven 1t. But she did, as sh
9 had forgiven his innumerable. IL
). fidelities. Ell. ii i