The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-06-23

into a sort of trance, and to then re-
veal future happenings. Josephine,
brought up with all the ideas and SUI
perstitions of the creole child, which
from its birth assimilates all sorts Of
African folklore, due to its constant
association with negro slaves and serv-
itOrs, was far from soothing at her
nurses revelations and constantly
lived in the hope that she also might
some day be the subject of Euphemia's
prophecies.
Prophecy of Euphemia.
1t seems that Euphemia, however, no
matter how easily she revealed the fu-
ture of other people, seems to have
possessed a strange reticence about
J%osephine's fate. And it was not until
theAbeautiful young creole had reached
the age of fifteen years that the old
NANNY" could be made to speak on
this subject. One day, while seated
under the shade of a giant mango
tree, neal the pool where Josephine
took her daily bath, guarded by her
faithful servant-the visitor to La
Pagerie is still shown the gigantic
tree and the shaded pool where these
events took place-Euphemia's eyes
took on the far-away look that always
preceded her prophecies, and she
spoke:
You will be married to a man Of
fair complexion, intended to be the
husband of another Of your family.
The young lady whose place you are
called to fill will not live long, Your
star promises you two marriages.
Your first husband will be q man borP~
in Martinique, but he will reside in
Europe and weard sword he will en-
joy some moments of good fortune. A
sad legal proceeding will separate you
from him, and, after many great
troubles which are to befall the king
dom of the Franks, he will perish trag-
ically and leave you a widow with two
helpless children. Your second hus-
band will be of an olive complexion, of
European birth without fortune, yet
he will become famous he will fill the
world with his glory, and will subject
a great many nations to his power.
You will then become an eminent WON
49, 0AN POSSNSS " SNPANAhN NA6hANJ , DNN
many people will forget your kind
nesses. After having astonished the
world, you will die miserably. The
country in which what 1 foretell will
happen forms a part of Celtic Gaul
and more than once, in the midst of
your prosperity, you will regret the
happy and the peaceful life you led
In the colony. At the moment you
shall quit it (but not forever) a prod
ICY will appear in the air-this will be
the first harbinger Of your astonishing
. destiny"
II. All Came True.
How true this prophecy became is,
of course, well known. The nan Of
fair complexion whom Josephine first
married was the viscount Alexander
> de Beauharnais, who was first afh-
anced to Maria, the eldest daughter Of
Monsieur de Tascher. Maria, however,
, died in Martinique before her mar
rage took place. Shortly afterwards
Josephine married De Beauharnais,
after a brief engagement, and sailed
for France. De Beauharnais was then
!, in the French army of King Louis XVI.
! For various reasons he instituted legal
l proceedings against Josephine after a
{ few years of married life. He was
i guillotined during the French revolu-
+ ton, leaving Josephine a widow with
{ two children. She then met Napoleon
; Bonaparte, who at the time was but
al humble lieutenant of artillery, and
{ subsequently married him. Her rise
to eminence at Napoleon's side and the
incidents Of her unhappy life with the
emperor are but two well known.
Even the latter part Of Euphemia's
prophecy came true, for, when the ship
which carried Josephine to France left
the harbor of Martinique, the masts
of the vessel seemed to be tipped with
fire, according to traditions which
have been handed down. This, OF
e course, was nothing but an atmos
n pheric phenomenon known as st. Ell
e mos fire, but 1t must have astonished
the youthful mind of the future EN-
press of France to see this sign upor
IS her departure from her native shores
p The third Napoleon, son of Hortenst
de Beauharnais and, In consequence
81 grandson of Josephine. made some few
n efforts during his turbulent reign Il
J. preserve the memory of the TascheI
family. He had a tombstone erecte'
a. In the church of the small village o
IS Trois Islets to perpetuate the memor,
We of Madame Tascher. his great-grand
70 mother.