The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-06-21

in dirty plumes and with his arms al
ways out of his overcoat sleeves. ever
learn what to do with his aristocratio
honors. which he threw off whenever
he dared, delighting to recall to mem
DRY the days when, as he said: II es-
teemed myself rich with two loaves OF
bread on the table"
Stranger Than Fiction
While four marshals, Ney, Berthier.
Davout and Massena, became princes
two, Murat and Bernadotte, became
Kings. Those royalties were both Gas
cons. WEARING In their dark farces such
livery Oh the FURNISHED sun as to look
more like Moors than Frenchmen.
Although Mile. Lenormand the
prophecies of Paris In the empire,
promised Bernadotte once when he
asked her to read the cards for him
that he would be "a King with king
dom beyond the seas" his strange for
tune never has ceased to puzzle history.
He had aspired to overthrow the re-
public and become dictator. but Di-
rector Sieyes, with whom he plotted,
turned from him In disgust as "a black
bird who thinks he is an eagle"
When Napoleon instead became die
tator, Bernadotte entered into con-
spiracy against his chief and was de-
nounced by Talleyrand as "A furious
beast. a grenadier capable of all and
everything" who was equal even to
hiring four cuthroats to make away
with Napoleon" The first consul pru-
IDENTIFY sought to put him at a safe
distance and ordered him to command
the Louisiana expedition, before the
sale of that territory, but Bernadotte
rejected the post and afterward. whom
appointed minister to the United States.
he eluded exile at Washington by miss
ing three boats in succession.
Opposing the establishment of the
Legion of Honor, he received Its high
est decoration. Resisting the empire, 10
yet became marshal. Although at
fecting to scorn titles. he found him
self a prince. In all the battles OF the
empire he had only n short half hour
of glory at Austerlitz. lodging Jena
and Auerstadt, missing Eylau and be-
ing ordered off the field of Wagram for
n disastrous folly Yet Napoleon let him
be chosen from among his marshals to
be the heir 10 the throne of Sweden.
and when this ex-sergeant became
King, he was morbidly unhappy be-
cause he was not an Emperor.
The only explanation of this other
wise inexplicable career Is offered by
the gossips of history. who tells us that
Napoleons extraordinary indulgence
was all for the sake of Bernadottes
wife his own one-time sweetheart, De-
Stree Clary Desiree would have be-
come the bride of Joseph Bonaparte.
and ultimately Queen of Spain, II Jo-
sephs masterful young brother had not
come upon the scene at Marseilles. and
In his superior wisdom selected her eta-
ter Julie as better suited 10 the ee6ov
Bonaparte. and Desiree as just the girl
for himself. Julie Is the one for Jo-
seph." he announced. because he has
an undecided character, while she
knows what she wants and will get It,"
But in the end poor little Desiree
lost both Bonapartes and her chance
to be Queen of Spain or Empress OF
the French, and had to content herself
with Bernadotte as the best opportu-
nifty in sight. Wherefore Napoleon's
troubled conscience ever after strove
to make up to Desiree for the two
crowns which he had snatched from
her brow. Thus, merely by way of COM
pensation, she became Madame Ia
MARKETABLE Princess of Pontecorvo.
Princess Royal and Queen of Sweden.
Is It not so in the story boolxse And
are not the lives of Napoleon's mar
shals, his dukes and duchesses. princes
and princesses kings and queens. all
stranger than fiction?
Kicking Over the Ladder
The Emperor rejoiced in fulfilling
his promise 10 make the fortunes OF
those who have worked with me to
found the empire and the fortune OF
their children" But as the valiant sons
of the revolution gained the heights of
they had climbed from obscurity to
distinction, from democracy to aristoc-
racy, was kicked over. The Emperor
himself vowed that henceforth II viii
never employ any man who has not
an income of $4,000 year from lands
of his own. / am not rich enough to
make the fortune of everyone In the
world" No more sergeants need apply
for dukedoms and great estates
He still stirred his soldiers with the
illusory hope that any one of them
might find a marshafs batin in his
knah-ck; but alas. none of them did.
For the batons were all gone and no
marshal OF France emerged from the
ranks OF the grand army. He contin-
ued to proclaim the promise of ca
reer open to every talent, but all those
hereditary titles and estates which he
had created were mortgages on pos
terity. perpetual entails. each of which
forever closed a door to talent and
merit
Free trade In genius was at an end
Copyright 1914( by James Morgan.l
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