Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-12-28
A Distinguished Dinner Party
| From Chdmbers'S Journal.

On the 5th of May. 1912, a great gala
dinner was announced at the royal court al
Dresden, in Saxony. The occasion being an
extraordinary one, foil dress was ordered fcl
the whole train Of the royal household; il,
deed, more numerous aud eminent assem-
blage OF distinguished guests had never be-
fore been invited to unite 10 the pompous
rooms of that distinguished and antique crazy
chateau, which has accommodated 50 many
a crowned head in bygone centuries.
There was the tall king of Prussia, Fred
erick William ILL.,, dead now, ard buried in
his family vault at Sans Souci, but then a
proud and stately gentleman with rigid man
ners and military airs-though not military
capacities; then the king of Bavaria, port.
ly lord with black moustaches, great admi-
rsr OF the Hero of the age, to whose giant
army he had added 10000 Of his humble
subjects, none of whom ever saw his native
land again; and the king of Wirtemberg, o
monstrously corpulent sovereign, who never
rode on horseback, but who drove in q gig
through the ranks of the $4,000 men which
he contributed to the army Of the modern
Alexander. His troops were silent at that
time. and did not cry, as usual, 'God save
the kingw which is the more to be wondered
at, since they saw their lord fer the last time
90 this occasion, every one Of them being bu-
ried eight months afterwards in the snowy
fields of Russia. There was, moreover, the
Elector Of Hesse Casse!, an important per-
sonage to- although his contingent to the
couquerer's army amounted only to 5000
men; Just as much as his father, of glorious
memory, had sold to the British government
fifty years before, at so much per head, to be
shot dead in the woods Of the new world by
the American insurgents. Besides these
distinguished guests, there we're present
dozen or more Of petty grand-dukes, dukes
and princes, all members Of that famous
Rhenish Confederation, and most OF them
hangers on Of the French emperor. They
were, however, set below the salt, which
served them right. Well, no; there was one
amongst them who ought not 10 have been
set below the salt. lie was a stout man with
a stout heart, on whose high forehead there
was written many a painful thought. lie
looked grave, even melancholy. II 1t bad
but depended upon bin, those SOC, 900 Ger
man soldiers who followed the foreign inva-
der into the barren plains Of Russia, would
have received far different destination. IL
was the Grand.duko of SAKE Weimar, Ernest
Au sustus, the most intimate friend OF Goethe.
Grand as these personsges were, descend
ing from the oldest dynasties of Europe,
surrounded therefore by the nlmbus OF
hereditary power, they were, however, doom
ed to act but subordinate role by the side
OF those adven. urous upstairs who formed
the more important part OF the guests, as.
sembled now in the staterComs OF the royal
palace, although they had no pcdiGrees but
their swords, no other hereditary land save
that of the battlefield.
There was a tall well-nade man, lantasti-
cally attired in green tuuic richly embroid-
cred with gold; his left band was leaning on
the hill. of Turkish sabre which be had
brandished in more than forty battles. lie
had look of daring in his dark flashing
eyes, well becoming to the man tina; had
gained a crown with his curved sword. His
mother could have little thought that her
poor ragged boy would one day dine from
golden dishes by the side Of emperors aud
kings--himself king--when she used to
cell apples and gingerbread IN the avenues
of the Bots dc Bouiogne. This was Murat,
king of Naples, brother-in-law of the Empe.
ror, and commande.-in.chie OF tho French
cavalry.
Near him, bat little apsrs from the rest,
there stood modest looking young man,
who took no part in the conversation. On
his breast were seen glittering the grand
crosses of all the continental orders; but his
features were sad, and bis large dark eyes
bore q melancholy expression. 1t was the
viceroy of Italy, Eugene Beauharnais, son-in-
law OF the Emperor.
Who was that robust man with bright
eyes aud noble features, bald and eagle-nosed
like Cesar, 10 lively conversl alton with the
King of Naples, to whose splendid "ttlre his
own plain dress bore singular contrast 1t
was Michael Ney, then Duke OF E:chlpgen
and Marshal Of France, three years alter
wards shot dead, like the other, not IN the
battle field, but as criminal, pierced by
dozen French balls.
And yon proud and sulky-locEing man,
with liou's head, who scarcely deigned to
answer the obliging address Of some little
German prince, but only nodded to his ques-
tions with wandering mind-who was hel
The King of Prussia never once looked at
his dark sud fcowning features, so annoyed
was be at bis presence, MOI was tnts without
reason, for the gloomy man was no other tn@n
his fearful antagonist in the dreadful battle
Of Auerstadt, Davoust, Marshal Of France,
and Prince Of Eokmuhl.
There were o dozen mora oftEeSe chivalrous
champions OF the sword looking with oon'
tempt upon the petty dukes and princes
around them, the satellites of their common
sun. The tall aui erect Ggrre OF Macdonald,
Duke of Tarentum, was prominent amopsos
them all. The proud warrior was leaning
negligentiy agaipst marble statue Of Achil-
les and we'll we're they matched, tnose two
iron hearted men. Only there was look Of
WEAKNESS to be observed on the open and
martial couptenance Of the living hero, which
made it evident that be did not anticipate
much pleasure from the O. ming campaigni
indeed, be was longing for far different
engagement, and thought OF bis beautiful
chateau in the south of la belle France, where
be would fain have spent the rest OF an event.
full life.
By bis side in conversation with Marshal
Junot, Duke of Abrantes, stood little man
with a countensnce strikingly full o. genius
and pood.humor. His fee set lips never
opened without uttering q sarcasm, and the
more critical the occasion wss the more
sparkling became his wit, the source OF
which seemed to be inexbaustible. His ex-
tensive business, whose vast enormity would
have crushed any other head, was managed
BY him amidst continual shower OF sallles
that oftentimes elected roars OF laughter