ee ee a 
her heart to recoil from the thought of ingratitude toward 
one who had been her friend in adversity. ( : 
Occasionally, when Napoleon was absent on his campaign, 
Josephine would retire to Malmaison and become deeply in- 
terested in rural occupations. Thus, she had a large and very 
fine flock of merino sheep which she took great pleasure in 
superintending their culture; hence, a detachment of the im- 
perial guard was on such occasion appointed to do duty at 
Malmaison. This being the case, one evening the empress, 
sitting up till a later hour than usual, heard the sound of foot- 
steps passing to and fro beneath her window, whereupon she 
sent for the officer of the guard and inquired what it meant. 
Hereupon he informed her that it was the sentry who was 
appointed to keep watch beneath her window all night. Upon 
receiving said information, she replied: “I have no need of a 
night-guard, for these brave soldiers have enough to suffer 
from the hardships of war when they are under the necessity of 
going to the field of battle. In my service, they must have 
repose. I wish them here to have no sleepless nights. 
Josephine has often been accused of extravagance, that her 
expenditures were very great. She attached no value to money 
but as a means to the promotion of happiness; she was easily 
persuaded to purchase from those who were always urging 
upon her the most costly articles, appealing powerfully to her 
sympathies so that she may buy. It was difficult for her to 
turn a deaf ear to a tale of distress. Hence, Josephine gave 
away most liberally in charity, whereupon, Napoleon, at times, 
complained of the large sums that escaped through her hands. 
On the other hand, once, when replying to a friend, one who 
told her that she was deemed extravagant, she said: “When 
I have money, you know how I employ it; I give it principally 
to the unfortunate, those who solicit my assistance, and to the 
poor emigrants. Nevertheless, I will try to be more economical 
in the future; if you see Napoleon, tell him so. But is it not 
my duty to bestow as much charity as I can?” 
Such have been the virtues of this great woman, she who, 
at Malmaison, in 1813, amid the danger of the French hussars 
formed bandages and scraping lint for innumerable woun 
who filled the hospitals. 
Josephine was one day walking under the shaded trees of 
a plantation in Martinique, whereupon she saw a number of 
Negro children gathered around an aged and withered 
Negress who had a great reputation among the slaves as a 
fortune-teller. Here curiosity induced Josephine to draw near 
the group to hear what the sorceress had to say. The old 
sibyl, with the cunning that is characteristic of her craft, as 
soon as she saw Josephine approach, whom she knew per- 
fectly, assumed an air of great agitation, and upon seizing her 
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