Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-05-31
nltstelIaneous.
From the Philadelphia American, May IL.
NAPOLEON III. AND EUGENIA.

DUBLIN, April q, 1855.
The guests and their welcome will form
chapter in tho romance of history, which the
men and women of the future will read with
amazement. Let us look at their antecedents.
Louis Napoleon was an exile from infancy. He
had not the advantage of a fathers care, and
was the spoiled boy of an unhappy mother, who,
in her compelled obscurity, sighed after court
life. He was the second son of Louis Bona
parte-the younger brother Of Napoleon the
Grest-and Hortense, daughter Of the divorced
Empress Josephine.
The father, the least ambitious aud most hon
est of his race, the mother as fascinating in
manner and loftier in intellect than Josephine.
The marriage was concocted by Josephine, in
hopes that the offspring might satisfy her hus-
bands longing for successor, and avert the dis
missal she afterwards sustained. 1t was as i'll
starred in all else, as it failed in cffecting her
desires. On the steps of the altar, husband and
wife loudly proclaimed their mutual aversion,
and invoked memories of other loves eternally
to separate them. They soon realized their
wishes; they separated.
| Hideous ISLANDERS assaled Hortense in the first
months of her marriage, and ascribed the affec-
tion entertained for her by the husband Of her
mother to q guilty passion, which Bourriennes IS
account of the conduct of Napoleon combines
wsta the udignan. denial sf the Emperor u 81.
Helena to pronounce utterly incredible.
Louis was about seven years old when the AL
lies visited Paris. Hortense had delighted in
the education of him and his brothers; she
wished to remain. But she was compelled to
depart, and settled, with her children, at Con
stance. While there, an incident occurred thai
is worth being recorded,
? He was sbout twenty, when one day, walking
in mid-winter on the banks of the Rhine, will
his cousins, the Princesses Josephine and Mari
of Baden, the conversation turned on Frencl
gallantry in the middle ages. The Princess Ma
rie pronounced an extravagant eulogium on tn
ages of chivalry. She praised the devotion Q
the knights whose motto was, Dieu, mon ro'
ct ma danae," and whose allegiance no DANCE
and no sacrifice could shake. Louis Napoleo
. asserted that the French had not degeneratet
either in courage or gallantry, and that the
rcverenced women as highly as their fathers.
- Devotion" he exclaimed, " at no period {
J, the world has failed woman capable of inspi
ing it," AS he spoke, they arrived at spt
where the Necker falls into the Rhine. The Sc
at the confluence of these waters is alwa,
rough, and in winter, especially, dangerous.
violent gust of wind at the moment detache
- a flower from the bouquet of the princess.
- " What an excellent opportunity for an anciel
chevalier," said the young girl, saucily pointir
- to the poor flower, which, carried off by a rap
:. current, had already almost disappeared in Il
~ ~ whirlpool caused by the meeting of the ty
=. rivers.
m "Ah my cousin" cried Napoleon, " this
I'd challenge accept it," and in m
Of ment he leaped into the river, and was divi
manfully after the truant blossom. The pri
cess, her mother and their attendants were p
rifed with horror at tho danger he ran; b
-. Louis in a few minutes regained the bank wi
his treasure, and presenting it he said 8" HI
is your flower, my charming cousin. But
-, ~ Gods sake" he added, laughing, and touchi
" his streaming garments, let us hear no mt
j., of your knights of old
cir Louis Napoleon was in Rome when the re
luton occurred which made the d" Citizen King
;ed ruler of France. The shock of that revolut
the was felt in Italy. Louis conspired with the
ur- publicans. But the Pope was too powcrl
supported by Austria. He was banished-
BON to Bologna. His brother, Napoleon, defea
there, died suddenly. The news of tho deatl
|p.' the one and the critical position of the OF
md reached Hortense. She fastened to Anoona,
succeeded in rescuing Louis from the Papal
3D. Austrian authorities.
They escaped to France in disguise, and st
,ad- cretly, that Hortense was the first to tell La
Philippe of their arrival. She wrote to hi
4rov 81 am mother There was but one WI
will could save my someone to France-and
urse come. know the dangers we run my life
my sons life are in your hands. Take the
orn- you will"
F., Louis had fallen sick. The mother begg
his few days rest. A week was granted, on CO
ss-- ton Of keeping the strictest seclnsion
nall they were to return to their old Swiss asylu
Louis had never seen Paris, for when aI
orn- FAINT, he had been borne away from the Ell.
but his birthplace. 1t was the anniversary oi
from uncle's death. From the window Of his
in the Place vendome, the column that
sins. memoratcs him was seen, wreathed with flo