The Washington herald., 1914-07-26
IX9N0E)

deur. she did not NEEDLE in politics, but
in the spirit of q grocer's or bankers
wife. she made # her main purpose in
life TO please her husband. look after his
home, and promote his success by being
agreeable to his associates. Because she
was the wife of an Emperor. whose home
was a palace. whose business was ruling
the world and whose associates were
kings, princes. and dukes. her duties
were no lighter and no less difficult.
How this wearies me-" she once ex-
claimed. Il have not a moment to my
self. 1t would be better for me were I
the wife OF a laborer." Although din-
mond crowns and gilded salons cast their
illusion over the scene of her splendid
drudgery. Josephine could not have toiled
harder had she been a laborer's wife. For
three hours each day she shaved over her
morning toilet. and thrice daily she
changed her linen throughout A mob
of seryitors and courtiers surrounded her
morning, noon. and night. She break
tasted, lunched, and dined with them, and
the repetition Of some dreary function
was scheduled for each waking hour. BE
gay! Be gay That was the imperial
command always.
However borne down under the burden
OF a crown, however i'll she might be,
and she was not physically strong. how
ever hard her head ached, never did
Josephine on her unending round Of petty
tasks, disappoint the Emperor with a
misstep. a wrong word or lacking
smile. There never was an indiscreet re-
mark. an intrigue, an act of favoritism
on her part to embarrass her husband
for a moment. He, who above all men
valued every tick of the clock. never had
II III.
minute. And when he was worn out by
the cares Of a crowded day, she, who
never opened a book for her own enjoy
ment lay across the foot of his bed and
tones unfailingly entranced him.
No man, monarch or peasant, could ask
for a truer helpmeet. But the lord of the
earth was without an heir. How often
his sisters had taunted Josephine with
natures unkindness to her! Once when
she had triumphantly pointed them to her
two children by her first husband. the
Bonaparte women only turned the knife
in the, cruel wound by retorting. Yes,
still young" And now she was past
forty-five.
The Dreaded Hour.
Meanwhile Napoleon had in fact be-
come a father in the birth Of Leon Revel,
while Nine WalewsH hoped soon to pre-
sent him with a child. These experiences
no DOUBT contributed 10 ms EesolNe 10
seek a lawful heir for his throne.
The long dreaded hour struck for Jose
phine when Paris was in the midst of
preparations for the celebration of the
NTH anniversary of the coronation and
whil6 from all the federated nations Of
the empire, kings and queens, princes
and princesses, were thronging into the
city. After a silent. mournful dinner in
the Tuilerfes, the Emperor and Empress
retired to his apartments, where, while
she was holding the cup OF coffee which
he had just passed to her. he spoke the
words that for many days had been
struggling for expression. The historian
of the tragic scene in the person Of the
prefect of the palace, sitting in chair
tilted against the wall Of the corridor
outside the. door, suddenly heard loud
shrieks from the Enfperor'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 as
sistance IL he needed il.