The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-04
In the Path of Napoleon Years After His Downfall

carnot's, moved toward its decision to
make him the general IN chief of the
Army OF italy. Aunt Renaudine and
Aunt Fanny Beauharnais and jose
phine's father-in-law, the marquis,
filed their approval of the alliance, and
then 1t was time to call In the law
yer. which is always the signal In
France that the love making has como
to crisis.
Napoleon was with his sweetheart
when the lawyer came. But Maitre
Raguideau paid no attention TO the In
significant young man, who was idly
looking out the window as he passed
into Josephine's chamber where she
was stln in bed. The lawyer remon-
strated with his client so earnestly
that the lover standing by the window
heard through the partly open door
some of his explanatory protests;
you are very foolishl You Will re-
gret III 1t is madnessl You are going
to marry a man who has nothing but
cloak and sword. Surely YOU can
make a much better match than this
But Josephine had passed the stage
of argument and she laughingly called
In Napoleon. who rose to the occasion
by compiimenting Maitre Raguideau on
his frankness and promptly retaining
him as their joint lawyer! Moreover he
confessed in the making of the mar
riage settlement that he had no real
estate and no personal estate other
than his military uniforms and trap
pings.
The groom. on his part. was not In
viting counsel from anyone, not even
from his own family. He did his best
to conceal his plans from his maher
and the rest, while Josephine did not
notify her children. who were away at
school. until their tears would be in
vain. When the wedding night came.
unattended by a representative OF
either the brides family or the groom's
the pair drove to the marie.
MIR. Morgan at the Wedding Place
As I was lettering one morning
along the Avenue de Iopera | found
myself in "The Path of Napoleon.'
strewn with red roses and white aud
orange blossoms. Turning the corner
into the Rue dAntin ] saw the one
Napoleon and Josephine.
1t is a bank And as unromantically
fiscal in its appearance as any bank
you ever saw, But that long. low. sray-
ish yellow building on the right in the
Rue dAntin has seen gayer days, for
1t has not always been the Paris and
Nederlands bank. 1t was a palace in
the gilt age OF the grand monarch and
until it was confiscated In the revolu-
ton. Then 1t became the marie of the
second reimbursement. the municipal
building of the second ward.
on the walls of the bank office on
the second floor the cupids still frolic
in golden frieze. They danced at tho
mating of the widow when the soldier
endowed her with all his worldly pos~
sessions, to-wit:
one sword.
one cloak.
For that room, with its desks and
office stools now. was the sale des
marriages when Napoleon led his be-
trothed up the stairs at 10 o'clock Of
a March evening The little bridal
party was late for its appointment and
the mayor had fallen asleep In his
shook him by the shoulder wake
up! Wake up, Mr. Mayor, and marry
us!" he commanded
The marriage rite appears not To
have been taken very seriously, but II
have been an occasion for some merry
pranks with the facts. The bride gave
her age as IS. instead of SO plus. and
the groom met her half way In gal
liant effort to bridge the gulf of years
between them by vowing he was born
in the same year. His witness. a young
staff officer, was only 20, and, there
fore. legally incompetent Barras and
Tallien.-both regicides and members of
the directory were among the other,
sgners of this humorous record-and
the cupids in the golden frieze are
laughing to this day. But the market
price of the wedding certificate is no
laughing matter. for that little piece OF
paper brought $500 at auction In New
York only a few weeks ago.