The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-03-02
The French Imperial Family.

l rode out to the Bois de Boulogne yes.
terday with friend, and had remarkably
good luck. 1t was lovely day, and the
spacious and beautiful avenue which stretch.
ed beyond the Arc de Triumphe was lined
with carriages, with coachmen and outriders
in gaudy liverles, and many of them con-
tanning titled ladies and their lords. But,
dashing past the gay equipages, and coming
into Paris SO that we had an excellent view
of the carriage and its inmates, came along
an open barouche, preceded by an import
ant looking individual on horseback, dressed
in livery of green and gold, and drawn by
four black horses driven by postillions. In
it were seated, facing each other. full faced
portly looking gentleman, and petite, pref
ty little lady. These were the Prince Ma
poleon, cousin of the Emperor, and the
Princess Clotide, daughter of the King of
Sardinia, his wife. The Prince very much
resembles the pictures of his uncle, and the
Princess the pictures of her which have
been shown in the shop windows. He, it is
said, does not live on good terms with the
Emperor, nor she on very good terms with
him. He, after the Prince Imperial and
his father the King Jerome, is heir apparent
" lHC I'LL OLC VI l. lduSC. kOCdICCly udu ILLS
carriage passed out of sight, when another,
a slow one preceded and followed by about
a hundred cavalry soldiers, came towards US.
This I knew by the display which is always
greater about his carriage than any Of the
Others was the one containing the Prince
Imperial-Napoleon Eugene Louis Jean
JoSeph-the youngster who, if nothing hap.
pens, will some day ascend the Imperial
throne of France. He was standing up, as
he almost always is when riding, and look.
ing out of the carriage window, apparently
in high glee at seeing such throng of car
riages and people. He is a pretty little
blue eyed boy, and will be four years old on
the 10th of next March. His governess
and nurse always ride with him. He is
said to be very bright boy, and already
able to converse quite fuently in English
and Spanish. His mother, it is said, in her
hours of family retirement, often addresses
him in her native Castilian, while the EN-
peror delights to talk English with him
His governess, of course, drills him in
French, so the acquisition of the three lam
guages is no very difficult task for him.
Driving pair of splendid bays attached to
box wagon, with the reigns in his own
hands, and handling them as though he
were accustomed to it, without any outsi-
ders, equerries or guards, the Emperor Ma.
poleon came along the avenue. He was
dressed with black oyercoat, and hat
which was of a fashion of its own. The
points of his moustache looked particularly
sharp, and his imperial as though it had
just come from the barber's. 1t required q
steady hand and quick eye to guide those
dashing horses through the immense throng
of vehicles of every description which filled
the avenue, particularly as the driver, while
keeping one eye upon the steeds, was OBJ
liged with the other to acknowledge the
salutations which he received on every side,
and he kept up continual bowing. l con-
slider myself a tolerably good democrat, but
took my hat entirely from my head as he
passed. A great man is he; he has been
successful, and, cant as psuedo philosophers
may about it, success is the great measure
of great men, after all. The Emperor as
yet gives no sign of age, (he will be fifty
two on the 10th of April next) but looks
as fresh and young, l think, as when saw
him five years ago, before he had the whole
weight of Europe on his shoulders, and the
Pope down on him." A short distance
behind him came the Empress in an open
carriage. with outriders. She was dressed
very plainly, but with scrupulous neatness,
bowling to everybody, and moving her lips
to the form of what seemed to me !" Bon
jour-" She has faded very much within the
last year, and there is no doubt that the
perplexing condition Of European affairs
has affected her physically even more than
it has the Emperor. She will be thirty four
on the fifth of May next, and it is one of the
on dts that she is in the same interesting
candition which, four years ago, led her to
hide her increasing figure beneath mass o!
crinoline. She is good and kind hearted.
A few days sinces she sent a nice, newly
patented bed and mattrass, intended for in.
valds, to an officer who was wounded at
Solferino, with her personal hopes and wish
es for his speedy recovery. "a 'rsgfs a sfa7s,