The Washington herald., 1914-05-24

him an heir to the throne Of France. In
the lottery Of birth, however. Joseph's
two children were girls. as also were the
nized wife, Christine Boyer. When
Eugene's wife, the Princess Augusta, was
In expectancy OF motherhood, Napoleon,
mindful OF the prank of the stork was
q warning letter: TRY not not to give
US a daughter" When, however. q
daughter was born to Augusta, he cheer
fully reassured her. IF people begin with
a girl. they always have a dozen chill
dren."
Lucien had q son by the disinherited
second wife and Jerome another by the
disowned Betsy Paterson; but those
children were barred from the imperial
line. When the empire came, only Louis
and Hortense had sons in the recognized
line Josephine thus was consoled by
the prospect Of a grandchild Of hers
crown, while her own son Eugene had
already been adopted by the Emperor
and nominated to succeed him on the
throne of Italy.
The Little Heir.
Napoleon Charles, the elder of Louis
boys, was looked upon as the destined
great Joy to 'TncIe Bibiche" as he dared
to nickname the Emperor. who delighted
to roll on the palace floor and romp with
the , boy or hold him on the back of a
pride and affection, Napoleon Charles
used to shout at the review of the guard
In the courtyard, Long live Uncle
Bibiche. the soldier!'
While the Emperor was going his con-
auering way across the northernmose
plains of Prussia in the springtime OF
1907. messenger brought him the news
OF the little princes death at The Hague
in his fifth year. Although his mother.
Hortense. had then still another baby
ooy 70 console her she was inconsolable.
and in the blindness of the grief to which
she abandoned herself. she refused for a
time to zee his second child
The blow was hardly less heavy for
Josephine. who not only sorrowed for
her daughter as a fond mother but also
sorrowed alone, fearful as she was that
her chance was gone of seeing the i'm
perial dynasty transmitted in her blood,
since the Emperor would not be so like
and that at any rate the old problem of
the succession would now be reopened
Napoleon tried from the field to comfort
the stricken mother and grandmother
and courage which he dispatched from
the front were these:
May "A. 1907.
To Josephine:
1 can appreciate the grief which the
death of poor Napoleon has caused
you You can understand the anguish
feel. I could wish that were with
you: that You might become more
moderate and discreet in your grief
You have had the happiness OF never
losing any children. But II Is one of
the conditions and sorrows attached
to suffering humanity.
Let me hear that you have become
reasonable and tranquil. Would you
aggravate my anguish?
Adieu. my love. Mp.
To Hortense:
Ny daughter-Your griefs touch my
heart B~t wish you would summon
more fortitude. The sincere man
struggles necessarily to gain the vic
tory over himself. I do not like to
see you unjust toward the little Ma
poleon Louis Cthe surviving child and
toward all your friends. Your moth
er and I cherish the hope to be more
In your heart than We are.
/ gained a great victory on the 1ith
Of June lat Friedland). / am well and
love you intensely.
Adieu my daughter. ! embrace you
with my whole heart. Mp.
BY the death of the boy the childless
Emperor himself was brought face to
face with a momentous question. which
disturbed the very foundation of his en-
pire and threatened the stability of the
Institutions he had reared. II was the
old troubling and unanswered question
which had sting him to exclaim. "Aftsf
me the deluse. My brothers or some sue
cessors will fight over my tomb like the
followers Of Alexander"
Iopsrisht, u3-h. b. James AorsaA)