The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-05

nothing for wealth, was showering for tunes on his family. He had installed them all in princely town and country establishments, all except Joseph, whose marriage with the wealthy Julie Ciary had made him independent Mother I.s- ttza looks on the scene with provincial wonder and prudent misgivngs as she contrasts 1t with the lot of the family seven and eight years before, when they were literally in the bread line" at Toulon and Marseilles.
 one of her sons is absent from the evening at Malmaison. This is the baby hoy, Jerome, tho only one of the Bon aoarte brothers who is too young to have remembered and profited by pri- Vauons. He is already q prince in prof. igaev and Napoleon has sent him ofr with the navy to American waters, to remove him from the temptations of Paris-to keep him out of mischief.
 The Villain on the Scene
 Berther. Cambaceres and Le Brun glance mp from their cards to listen to inc singer Everywhere rove the ferret like eyes of Fouche. the villain in tho scene. always stealthilv seeking out the weak spots in his fellows. particularly in the nrmor of Napoleon. He has al- ready read aloud to the first consul in the presence of others a newspaper re- port that the divorcing of Josephine was
 
 scented her husband with an heir While noisly pretending to laugh at it as 2 wild ahsurdity, he searched the eounte- nance Of Napoleon, who. however, affect ed not to listen to the report or pay any attention to the reader.
 Josephine. too. has frequently been made to listen to the same disuuietins suggestion, Her new position in the world was costing her dear and she was not very ambitious woman. Tf she still did not love her husband, she had grown fond enough to be loyal to hin and to suffer the pangs of jealousy from his dsleyalty
 As the dSers hand is suhdued to what il works In. n man cannot exercise a. despotism without deveioping a despotio nature. Napoleon had become a law unto himself In all things great and small 1T a'1 not a man like other men. he frank lV told Mme. de Remusat, and moral laws and the laws of proprety do not apply to me" As his irony mower over nations incrca sed, he could n0 longer feel hound by Inc silSen tic of matlfmony. and every day the poor. little wife saw and every day the poor little wife saw away from her.
 As his fame waXed greater. her hap piness was lessened As his glory grew. the shadows deepened around her The dread problem of an hereditary success sion arose and Lucien Ronaparte made bold to say to Josephine, whom the wears were hastening toward 10: You should go to Plombieres for the waters: you must go there to nave a child An heir is absolutely neccssary-by fair means or foul"
 At the suggestion of a deception Jos ephine retorted. as she repeated to fhibaudeau while barring her grieved heart to that councillor of state. "I would go away from here and work for my living rather than lend myself to such an infamy. You can have very little respect for France" she added 10 Lucien. Tor you would not propose such thing. You will end by runing Tour brother" Although she went 70 Piombieres and took the waters she told Thibaudeau: "I do not regret that have given my husband no children. If l had l should tremble for their fu- ture"