The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-07-04

| the musicians at the Daek OF the orchestra
one behind the dais, communicating with the
mansion another into wide, long gallery
temporary like the ball room, and decorated
to match it; this gallery ran parallelwith the
hotel, and had several doors communicating
with it and the gardens. But the principa
entrance to the ball room was magnifcehi
portal, from which a flight Of broad stepi
led down into the gardens, where every ar
rangement had been madeso facilitate til,
ingress and egress of the crowd of guests
Over the portal shone in Illuminated letters
the following inscription, in German, which
some friend of Prince Schwai7zenberg, in
spired evidently by the muse who preside;
over mottoes for crackers and bonbons, i'm
provised for the OCCASION:
With gentle Beauty charms IS glorious Valor bound
All hail. the golden age again on earth is found!
So rose the light, graceful structure, as by
the wand of some architectural Ariel; It
looked, with its gold-worl,ed tapestries, the
bridal whitcness Of the diaphonous draper
les, the lustrc and color afforded by silver,
gold, flowers, mirrors, chandeliers and costly
ornaments of every description, as if it had
been transplanted out of the Thousand and
One Myths. There was only one calamity
to be dreaded: that long, low bank of cloud
in which the sun had set on the last of.June,
looked ominous enough; what if ,he rain
should pour down in torrents next day, rs
ietc-givers and fete-goers know too well il
seems to take a malicious pleasure N doing on
s,s'h occasions What would become of the
bah room and an It's magniccncc then -
Fortunately, the lst of July set all fear Of
such a provoking coRtretemps at rest the
sun blazcd out of sky without cloud
EYcry preparation was happily complete, aud
with the comfortable certainty that not the
smallest detail had been overlooked which
would add distinction to so great festiyity,
the ambassador, his family and friends be-
tool, themselves to the lighter cares Of the
toilet, NOT without congratulations among
the younger Austrian officers on the superior
brilliancy of their national uniform over that
Of their French rivals.
1t was still broad daylight whom the Hotel
lie Legation was illuminated, aud agcady in
quick, and still quicker succession, the car
riages Of the guests rolled between the crowd
which lined the streets. \ grcnalier de-
taclment Of The Imperial Guard had bciimcs
occupied the posts assigned them. Tho Aus
trian nobility were in readiness to receive the
arrivals, and every lady was presented with
a beautiful bouquet before being conducted
to the ball room, now rapidly filling. The
rank and dignity Of the cuscls increased
with every minute; kings anl queens had al
ready been announced, and now there was a
pause of expectancy. At length the word
Of command TO The troops, then the roll Of
drums, the crash Of military music, announ-
eel the approach Of the imperial state carri-
age. The two families Of Schwar,zcnbcrg
and Mettemich received the Emperor and
Marie Louise. After n short congralulatorv
address from the ambassador, and when the
Empress hal accepted bouquet from The
princcly ladies, her husband taking her hand, .
conducted her TO the ball room. Many per-
sons who had a near view OF Napoleon for
The first time, remarked the regular beauty of
his features, bnt al were struck with the fix .
ID, iron character Of his face. His dcport- .
nent was stern and unbendine almost that
IF man in some fit Of ill-humorcd sulliness.
Not CLEAN Of kindness in the cyc-it5
glance darling straight forward like that Of an
Eagle on its prey; not even a forced smile
played upon those infcxiblc lips, which seem
ID a~ if they could only open to utter some
errib!c commond. Napoleon declined the
offered, and promenalcd with
he Empress through the reception rooms.
galleries and ball room in an abstracted man
Ter, ncrligently addressing few words here
md there, and-casting quick, sharp glanccs
,ver the brilliant throng. They shrank al
most visibly from his gaze. That stern, dark
BItSt4i't Npttdh di li4leAhstiit ElfDiu oNCE
his grand festival; It was much ike the ap-
,earance Of some schoolmaster, infinitely
more feared than loved, among a troop Of
hildren cnjoying themselves at a puppet-
how.
The feeling weighed upon the guests as
hey silently followed the imperial couple
trough the illuminated gardens. What was
lcking in nirth, however. music did her best
o supply, for bands, both instrumental and
ocal, were stationed at different spots, who
.urst into choral songs and symphonies at
he approach Of the Emperor. The Aus
rians had prepared fattering surprise for
iarie Louise. Seats placed upon a lawn in !
tied Napoleon and herself to rest and here ,
n exact model Of the familiar castle Of Sax '
nberg, brilliantly Illuminated, presented is Z
If to her eyes; while there emerged from ]
he sllrubberies a troop Of opera-danesrs IN
he costume Of Austrian peasants, who went 1
trough the national dances Of her country. !
-hen followed pantomimic war and peace, I
yhere Mars displayed nothing more formida- '