The Portland daily press., 1864-10-22
Saturday Morning, Oct. %, 1864.
The Empress Eugenie.
HER TOILET, HER DIAMONDS, ETC.

. .
HER TOILET, HER DIAMONDS, ETC.
Since the splendid days Of Louis XIV, the
grnndoise palace created by hun has seen no
spectacle SO brilliant as tine wonderful affair
OF last Saturday, got up by the Empress in
honor OF Queen Isabeilas husband. Don
Francisqes dc Assesses, first cousin to his
vile, " whom, in spite OF the abnorrence
with which she regarded him, LOU. Philippe
contrlsed 10 get The young Queen married by
her mother, r. ached Bordeaux on the 18Th.
was magnihciently received by the authorities
OF the Ieglon, escorted to Paris by persons
seut by the Emperor, reached st. Cloud on the
17th, aud Was received by the Emperor, Em-
press and little Prince, with great ceremony,
at The foot OF the great staircase. Next day
hosts OF guests went To the IuHleries, where
the king had a reception. The Empress was
dFessed In a vaporous robe of white tulIe,
with imperial mailtle, and wore diadem OF
diamonds so bright as really to dazzle the
eyes; She famous regent" the mcst splendid
OF the crown diamonds of France, blazing
like little sun just above her brow
With her splendid array of toilet and Jew
els, her white veil like mist floating over her
unrivaled shoulders, she looked every whit as
lovely as Wien her remarkable beauty ard still
more remarkable grace first enthraled the
heart Of her imperial adorer So beautiful
did she look that night, go splendid was the
general coup d'9it, that no one paid the slight-
est heed TO the performances, admirable
though they were, with the exception of the
King, who was evidently enchanted with the
brilllancy Of the stage effects, and the little
Prince, who had never before been allowed to
assist in such performance, and who, wear
ing for the first time the order of the Golden
Fleece, sent him by Isabella, was in the sew
enth heaven OF excitement and delight, and
folIoyuad dofaii sOf
music with the most Wrapt attention.
The Empress, more than any other woman,
has her good and her bad days. At nmes she
looks positively plain, almost ugly; at other
times she looks a mixture OF Peri, Fairy,
Saint and Siren, making up the straDgest,
most bewitching ensemble it is possible to
imagine. On that evening, probably from
the immense satisfaction of her pride and van
ity ia receiving her ci-devant sovereign as her
equal and her guest, in the eyes Of an admir-
ing universe, it is certain that she looked Won
derfully lovely. with her white skin, almost
whittier than her dress, the faint roses on her
cheeks Excessively pretty, whether due to
nature or art J her floating drapery seemingly
scattered over with diamonds and pearls, and
dazzling crown above her lovely hair. .s,
So perfectly well aware was she, or her ad-
miring husband, or both, of the marvellous
beauty of her appearance that evening, that
Gne great STATE carrlage-all glass ana gll0lng
in which she went to and from the opera,
was lighted up inside by some ingenious in
PRODUCTION of lights in the roof, SO that her
beautiful majesty was as distinctly visible to
all Paris as she passed along as though in
broad daylight. This curious little fact ian
Invention never seen beforel may serve as an
excellent illustration of the Emperor's way Of
silently appealing to the feelings and sym
pathies OF this capital. In whatever interests
him the Parisians must quietly be given their
share, Seeing that the Empress was looking
unexpectedly and radiantly beautiful, the i'm
perial carriage was lighted inside in such a
way as to bring her out into splendid relief, in
order that Paris may look into the carriage
and sh are the Emperor's admiration of his
wife. In regard to whom he is all the more
sensitive and exactiDg because she is not of
royal BIRTH Paris correspondent of the Mon
treal Herald. al