The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-02-05
The Son of Napoleon Bona
parte,
Ills RELATIONS wrrlI FANNY ELLslrn.

The search after tho relics, writes q
PARIS correspondent, belonging 10 the
Duke de Rcichstadt, King of Rome, has
ended in the securing of several most in
teresting souvenirs, to be placed in the
Napoleon gallery of the Louvre. The
life of this son of the great Emperor who,
according to the touching ep'taph written
by himself for his own tUmh, +" was born
King of Rome, and died Lieutenant in
the Austrian SERVICE" was too short to
admit Of any voluminous record.
The souvenirs now brought to Paris
have been wholly furnished By the we'll
remembered danseIise, Fanny Ellsicr,
who lives in the strict retirement of II
country life near the Hague, occupied
solely in the cultivation of certain spices
Of rose, which she has brought TO the
highest perfection by the fortune left
her by Cent?, added to that acquired by
her own industry and talent, she is enabled
to lead the easy life of chatcainc, an
while her leisure time is occupied with
the cultivation of flowers, her heart is
fully occupied likewise with the cultiva-
ton of all her tender souvenirs of the
court Of Vienna, and the place she once
occupied thereht with the full consent
and appreciation Of every member OF the
imperial family.
The story Of the loves Of the Duke de
Rcichstadt is short and sad enough. Dis
gnsted with the restraint of the life at
Court, wounded ~ the position 10 which
his birth had consigned him amoog the
proud archdukes, his high-born relatives,
he was wont to steal away into the coun.
try to enjoy solitude and the contempa-
ton Of nature, at little village near
Vienna. The doctors had forc.old that
unless some interest in life were offered to
this sensitive, nervous youth, he must. of
necessity, sink into atrophy and wther
away in consumption. Many and many
Il hope had been raised of his forming an
attachment which might throw some in
terest around h ext ,tencc, and ward of
the en'W which was killing him by inches.
Bat the conviction that the opporiun-
tiles thus offered him were but snares Of
The enemy 10 set a spy over him in his
most unguarded moments, kept Inn on
the watch, and lie never once yielded to
the temptation. But the moment came
for him, az it comes for all men. lie be-
oamc struck with the grace and beauty
CT his landlady's niece, girl fresh from
tho woods, whose picturesque costume
and simple manners hattered both his art
i,tic and IN ,ral taste, and lie soon became
deeply enamorcd To thus girl he told
the whole story Of his life-ihe temp
tations which had offered lim-the as.
pirations which he bad INDUCED, the
hopes he entertained. Ills entire exist
cnce underwent change. To one being
could he unfold the secrets of his heart,
and the restraints that had been killing
him were overcome at last.
Bu. as there must always be d m m
vt work upon the happiness of every NOR
tai here below, 20 did the satisfaction ex
perienced by young Duke de Riclisteadt
room come to an end. lie who had ever
Stunned all gayety, who had ol stinu;cy
refused to attend all colrtly .Ietei, opera,
ball and play-inding his health and
'pirlts much improved, must needs one
night be seized with the irresistible desire
to see the ballet of "Ihc Diable Boicux,"
in which the cachucd danced by Fanny
Ellsler had become the aim and object OF
every conversation and Of all tho enthu.
siasm Of the city. He went alone to the
opcra-hc saw the dancer come forward
10 the footlights with that swimming step
that had won the hearts of all MANKIND
he gazed first in terror, then in doubt.
then in horror and Amusement, and sank
slowly down senscless on the floor Of the
box where he was placed!
1t was the dancer herself on whom his
Whole heart and soul had been bestowed.
1t was to her he had contiled his most
secret thoughts. The whole intrigue of
the Court became at once revealed to his
mind. lilo went back no more to the
village, but retired again to the little
students room in the palace still shown
As the place where he died, and could
never be persuaded to behold the trai,ress
who had SO imposed on his trusting heart
No one but himself ever suspected
Fanny Ellsler Of any base intriguc-the
pastoral comedy had been played out in
good part with the entire concurrence of
Imperial relatives. The end Of the drama
was bright and glorious existence for
the dancer; for the Duke, misery, des-
pair and death.