Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1853-02-26
EUGENE,
EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH
From the New York Tribune.l

Senorita Eugine de Teba, or as she is more
usually known, Mile. de Montjo, is the daugh
ter Of 4 nobleman who belonged to one of the
most eminent families Of the Spanish aristocra
cy, that of Palafox, and who distinguished him
self in the civil war of 1928, under the title o
the Count dc 1'eba. At this time he became
acquainted with Miss Maria kirkpatrick, the
dashing and handsome daughter of Scotch
gentleman who held the post of Consul of the
United States at Malaga A loye-affair and a
romantic marriage was the consequence. The
new made Empress is the daughter of this
Spanish grandee and Maria kirkpatrick, who
is still living, widow, and accompanies her
daughter on her present visit to Paris, where
she has appeared under the title Of the Coun-
tess Of Teba. After the marriage, in 1928, the
death of an elder brother conferred upon the
Count, along with a score of other titles, that
Of Montjo, by which name, since her first ap-
| pearance in fashionable life, the daughter has
been generally distinguished. She also inher-
its handsome fortune, her independent in
come being something like 100000 a year.
| The father died some years since, leaving two
daughters; the elder now wears, by marriage,
the title Of Duchess of Alya and Berwick, than
which the Spanish nobility can boast nothing
more elevated.
For some years the young Countess de Teba
| or Montyo, who is now about twenty-five, has
enjoyed at Madrid the reputation of an exceed
'ngly fast woman. Tall, graceful, of statues
que symmetry of person, with luxuriant au
burn or rather red hair, pale complexion,
which has latterIy stood in need Of little
rouge, great electrical eyes of brown so deep
and radiant as to pass for black, rather long
and aristocratc features, large but exquisite
|y sculptured nose, lovely mouth, and teeth
Of dazzling whteness, she is type of admira-
bic beauty, which a languid and Jlast air hard
ly dmnshes Endowed with uncommon wit
and spirit, she speaks French, English, Italian
and German with as much iuency as Spanish.
proficient in exercises of strength and address
she rides with the bo!dest, and drives four.in-
hand with the most skIful.
AT Madrid, it was the habit Of our heroine to
bid defiance to public opinion, as the whim
might seize her She used to appear alone in
public, driving her own carriage. She had
seperate establishment in her mothers palace,
inviting and receiving company without consult
ing her mother, and often refusing access even
to her relatives Once her mother forced her
door, despite the remonstrances of the servant
who protested that the Countess wanted to be
alone. To her great astonshment, she found
that her daughter was missing. For twenty
four hours the young lady did not appear, and
when she returned, coolly informed her afflicted
parent, who had loudly expressed her fears that
there had been an elopement, that she had
been away on an errand
On another occasion, the whm takes her to !
pay a special compliment to literature, and her |
carriage stops at the door of Senor Escosura,
one of the most prominent of living Spanish !
authors, who was some years since Minister
of the Crown. "Good morning, my dear sir"
was her salutation TO the astonshed Mterateur;
Il have come to breakfast with you, in order
to have talk on literature and poetry" A few
weeks later, Escosura gave dinner to nuns
Der of literary men, artists, and actors, at which
the Countess was present without her mother
or any other lady as chaperone. She was the
life of the party: making speeches and giving
toasts with the loudest. Among the guests
was third~rate French actor, named Laferriere
who had had great success in Madrid. He was
from the Theatre Historique, in Paris She
ook fancy to him. and had a long coversation
With him. When the time for leaving came,
'Well,'' said the Countess, ''my carriage is here
md will take NJ. Laferriere TO his hotel" The
Ionng man was little abashed at such cour-
esy from such a lady; but she insisted, and
hey departed together.
Mile. de Montijo, was great sportwoman,
md very popular, of course, among the torrea-
lors, or bull fighters. She was present at all
he bull-fghts in Madrid, where she used to
wear the most manifcent costume of Meja de
Serillo, something like that of Mile Soto in the
'alet of the same name at Niblo's but much
more characteristic. A very large and high
omb at the top of the head, with wreatlls of
oses falling each side, mixed with the hair;
rofusion of diamonds, necklaces bracelets and
iugs; very snowy and tight waist, cut low in
he neck; and with bare arms; a very short skirt,
pen worked stockings with colored embroide-
y, and very small embroidered slippers. When ,
he appeared'in the circus, she was saluted by
Il the torreadors, and exchanged with them the
lost cordial greetings. "To thee Countess &c ,
'eba, dedicate my love and my ~prowess!' /
1ey wonld exclaim, waiting kisses toward the :
oung lady. "Brayo, Antonio! Bravo, JOSEF :
Veil fought, my boys" and other words of the
'ost liberal appreciation, were the answer. In
Il such scenes there was considerable display i,
Spanish frankness, which would have been =
cry shocking to the sense Of propriety of Ame- :
can ladies.
Like all fast women our Countess found u =
establishment difficult to obtain
nee she courted the Duke of Ossuna. the ricf- !.
st grandee of Spain, but he declined the hon- n
r. Disappointed in this scheme, she received =
lie addresses ola young noble of CASTLE, and
as nearly engaged to marry him. But she
,uld not help flirting at the same time; and II
nee, when this young man was in her drawing 4
'om, she went SO far in her coquetry with P
,other, that the former aspirant for her hand u
,ized chair and threw it at her head, saying, g
ith the most opprobrious epahets, that he '
1T was resented by the last object of her at
ntions, and two or three duels were the con-
quence The result of all these acts of DASH n
eccentricity, and of all these scandals, and of 81
hers quite as notorious, was, that it would
We been little less than impossible for Mile