The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-26
IXRN0r)

shrieks from the Emperor's room. An usher. who also heard them, would have opened the door had not his chief told him that the Emperor would call for assistance if he needed it.
 The prefect was right, for in a moment the door opened and the Emperor stood before him, his eyes full of tears and his voice choking in his extreme agitation. The functionary entered the room, to find Josephine lying on the floor and uttering piercing cries: T shall not sur vive itl l shall not survive itl' The Emperor asked the prefect to carry the apartments, on the floor below and he took a candle off a table to light the way. The private stairs, however, prov ing too narrow for her to be carried down in one pair of arms, the Emperor gave the candle to the usher and helped the prefect bear her to her room.
 Having played the woman that brief Y bile. Josephine quickly and bravely re- sumed the part of Empress. Nothing in her brilliant reign became her more than her farewell to her greatness The fcte went on and, although she could not keep back the tears and summon the vanished smie she faithfully met nials.
 Queen Hortense, perked up in glis- tering grief for her eldest son and wear ing golden sorrow in her loveless we'd lock. was unhappiness enthroned and could rot understand why her mother should dread the loss of a crown But Josephine was daughter of the sun. and, while she cared nothing for power, she was naturally proud of the success with which she had sat the highest throne of earth and retained the affec- ton and merited the admiration of the foremost man of the world. If her early indifference had not really warmed into love for Napoleon she had at least be- come, in their nearly 14 years of mar ried life, fond and devoted wife, capa- ble of feeling the bangs of jealousy.
 The Divorce
 With the arrival of Eugene. the fciual arrangements for his mothers divorce were entered upon. But when Josephine proposed that the Emperor should make her son King instead of Niceroy of India. the always high spirited young man protested mother, let me be left out of the question Your son does not wish a crown as the price of your separation. If you bow to the Emperor's wishes it is of you alone that he must think. Napoleon, who had all her duties In the mocking cereino- Fever failed in a fathers duty to his stepson< expressed his admiration of the viceroys s sentiments. '"That is a true heart" he said; Eugene does well to trust to my affection."
 The son had anticipated the situation. and written to his mother month be- fore that is the Emperor believed his happiness and the interests of France required him to have children, no con- sideration should be permitted to op- pose him, and he invited Josephine in event of divorce, to live with him in Italy. Finally, 1t fell to Eugene to make the first public announcement of the matter Tt was necessary for the hap piness of France that the founder of this fourth dynasty should grow old, surrounded by his direct descendants as a guarantee to us all," he told the Sen ir'. AHc tedrs that ms resolution ndS irawn from the Emperor sufficed for ny mothers glory,
 Neither the, Emprhs nor. her children
 Neither the Empress nor her children .erms than Napoleon volunteered. He at once that she should retain Ter imperial rank as crowned Empress. rave the Eiysee palace In Paris. as we'll IS her cherished abode at Malmaison nd the chateau of Navarro for her res7 dences, and receive an allowance of 100000 a year
 It was agreed that the divorce should e lawfully pronounced by mutual con cnt in q family council of the Code yaroleon. Josephine was as Loyalty cady to forward her husbands plans ow as always, and whiie.her hair was eing dresaed on the morning of the