Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-03-05
THE COUNTESS OF TEBA AND THE
EMPRESS ETTGENTE


Hardly five years ago, little Frenchman of ra-
ther unprepossesslng appearance, aud in very
Strengthened circumstances, lived in furnished odg-
lngs In Jermyn street, London. The name of Be-
naparte and the friendship of one or two leading
BRUSH statesmen, had procured him the entree OF
several OF the first houses; and he might OCCASION
ally be seen in the outskirts of the throng which
surrounded the bellies or notabilites Of the day az
the West End balls. Notwithstanding the prestige
derived from an lllustrious uncle, and the rather
equlyocal fame acquired by two unsuccessful at
tempts to invade France, the position oecupjed hy
Mr.. Bonaparte was rather obscure than otherwise
Among those who knew him at all, politicians re-
garded him as mailman, the nobility as a payutuu.
the ultra English as nephew of their greatest
enemy, old men as a proaigate, and mammas as
ruined spendthrift. Small encouragement did he
receive when he mingled in the crowd of fashiona-
bles at some fair lady's court; cold Indifference
and not untrequently naughty disdain, were the
usual acknowledgment Of his civties. Duchesses
and marcbionesses took the measure, as thew
thought, OF the needy adventurer at glance and
Immediately classed him among the non availables:
nor were the queens of beauty and ton less decided
in excluding him from sphere reserved to the an
clent aristocracy OF Europe. Madame de Montiio,
VINO was then In London, and overwhelmed by Sig
Llhcant attentions from dukes and peers was too
shrewd to find attraction in his society; and her
daughter, the beautiful Countess of Teba could
not possibly find time to listen to the French exile
when the wealthy Duke of Ossuna and the courtly
marquis OIL san Jago were signing at her feet
More than once, if rumor be true, did he muster up
courage to join the select circle of her admirers
and strive to attract her notice by the intellectual
power he could display in conversation; but there
was GOODNESS in her manner and lady-ike ndjf-
ference in her smile, which soon repealed his adj
vanceS.
Five years elapsed. The quondam adventurer
was seated on purple throne, and surrounded by
the insignia OF imperial state-around him stood
the greatest personages of France, and the repre-
sentatlyes OF more than one of the leading powers
OF Europe. The Countess of Teba whose maIured
but unimpaired beauty eclipsed the fairest orna-
ments OF the French court, stood before her. He
beckoned her to a seat, and his Master of Ceremo-
MES, with courty suavity, directed her mother to
stand behind her chair. We can well conceive the
i'll disguised EMULATION with which the BRIDE Who
hve years before, had affected an air of wel-bred
fatigue at M. Bonaparte's attentions, pronounced
the world 81 declare that take his Majesty
Napoleon ILL.,, here present, in marriage'' We
can form tolerably fair estimate of the astouud-
ing change which the last five years have produced
In the Countess de Montos feelings by contrast
ing her disoantul recognition of her humble ac-
quaintance in London with the triumphant smile
she wore as she stood on his left hand at his mar
riage. Nor is the disparity between the timid sui
tor of lo4o and the proud husband of 1853 less
marked. Neither the old Court of the Bourbons
nor the former imperial regime, ever furnished Pa
ris with more imposing spectacle than the cere-
mony at Notre Dame. Splendid equipages lew
eled toilettes squadrons of horse, regiments of
infantry, ancient mobiles, venerable preates and an
innumerable concourse of people, combined to