The Washington herald., 1914-11-22

heir to his empire and his glory. Marie
Louise slept, and only a valet, not even
a doctor. watched and heard the delirious
murmurings Of the dying youth.
Call my mother! Call my mother
he hoarsely whispered as the dawninG
summer day lit up the big, empty room
and he felt himself sinking with no hand
but a valets to grasp. II was not thus
the dignitaries OF an empire crowded
about the bed: Paris anXiOusly listened
for the 100 guns Of the Invalides and all
Europe hardened to his birth cry. Now
he was signing away his poor, fruitless
life in deserted chamber.
The valet called a member Of the duke s
stan and physician. But they hesi-
tated to break in upon Marie Louise :
until her boys lips were silent and his
eyes fixed. Kneeling by his bedside al
the administration Of the sacrament OF
extreme unction. she rose only when
told that rAiglon had taken flight and
was free at last. She had hardly more
than gone when the palace crowd began
to stream into the chamber and seize
upon souvenirs of the dead. In an hour
they had almost stripped his room,
carrying of his sticks and whips and
ruthlessly shipping his yellow curls un-
til his head was shorn OF most Of its
hair.
Fate of the BOnapartes.
When death thus claimed the son OF
Marie Louise il brought a strange re-
venge TO the memory OF the divorced
Josephine. For now her grandson. Louis
Napoleon. the only surviving son OF Hor-
tense, became the heir to the overturned
throne Of the empire and the hope of
the prescribed and scattered Bonapartes.
Joseph. as the oldest of Napoleon
brothers, but whose two children were
girls, and therefore not in the line of
succession. had been an exile in America
seventeen years when. at the passing
Of TAFulnn ha 70 nd
from England sought to guide the course
Of the family. As Count Survilliers, Jo-
seph had been living on pretty country
estate at BOrdentown. y. J. When he
that all the Bonapartes would follow him
and establish themselves in the New
World But they had preferred to lin
ger within the shadow of their former
grandeur. though treated as paroled prfs-
Oners and forbidden to change their resi-
denCes without permission.
Even Queen Julie Clery did not join
her husband in New Jersey. 1t remained
for Quaker maiden OF Philadelphia to
console his Punishment and present him
with a daughter. The child of a King
OF Spain was recognized and pensioned
by the second empire but after it fell
American woman, and earned her living
by teaching music until her death, at
Richield Springs. n. Y. in 1891.
Rome. under the magnanimous hospi-
republic of the west. became the rally
ing point OF the Bonapartes For thither
the mother OF the dethroned kings went
with Cardinal Fesch, to place herself
her son had dethroned and held captive
for many years. In Rome Nine. Mere
not only had cher brother, the cardinal,
but Lucien and Pauline also made their
home In the Eternal City.
With his wurtemberger princess,
Queen Catherine. Jerome found refuge
under the Austrian flag. at Trieste.
where, with Elisa and Caroline, a colony
OF Bonapartes was established.
Louis was permitted to live at Flor
ence, but alone and without wife or chill
dren. For Hortense chose to live apart
from her uncongenial mate, and she
made a home for herself and her two
sons on the banks OF Lake Constance,
in Switzerland.
At the fall of Napoleon Nine. Mere
once more became the head of the fam
lily. In prosperity her children had
smiled at the prudent counseIs of this
and scrubbing, had reared them in pow
prty. But when adversely came they
turned to her again and placed them
selves under her stern maternal rule.
from the disaster, which she had always
foretod. and they no longer were
ashamed Of her parsimony. She did not
relax her grip on her pursestrings. how
bounty to them. in response to the i'm
portunities Of the one-time kings and
queens.
To Napoleon she offered all she had.
because she said she owed it all to him.
What does IL NATTER she argued. |
when l shall have nothing left, I shall !
lake my stick and go about begging |
Inns for Napoleon's mother" And |
when. in spite>of her appeal TO the pow
RS for clemency, he died In his prison |
sland, she just as resolutely held her
'ortune in trust for his son. rAiglon.
Mime. Mere was seventy-one when call |
d to mourn the death of the Emperor,
md II was her sorrowful fortune to sur
rive many who were dear to her. Her /
laughter Elisa the former grand duch-
IS OF Tuscany, died the year before. and |
Ter daughter Pauline, the Princess
1eath next claimed rAiglon. her heir,
he rose and expectancy of her old age,
md then Saveria, her longtime COM
,anion, who in palmer days had shared .
he household labors at Ajaccio, was
AIKEN from her.
As unbending before the frowns as she
lad been before the smiles OF fortune,
ustained by her maternal pride in hav-
ng given to the world a master. Nine.
dere at eighty was still an active and
amiliar figure in the streets and parks
nd churches Of Rome, where she un-
commanded the homage Of all.
While yet In remarkably vigorous health
{ the villa Borghese, attended by Lu-
lens daughter, Charlotte, when she
ripped and broke her hip. Her chill
rem hastened to the stricken mother
rom their several retreats, and the gov
grew uneasy at the sight Of
o many Bonapartes together.
But for six years more she tarried, a
ripple In world Of graves. Lying at
ul length on q mattress in her car
iage she persisted for Q time in driving
bout the noble city. At home in her