The Shasta courier., 1867-02-16
SHASTA COURIER.
Napoleon as a Husband and Father.


husbands. For years past he has not been
on good terms with the Empress, whose feel
ings as a wife be has outraged in the most
barefaced manner. His liasons with womer,
infinitely inferior TO her in every sense, have
been so open, so Aagrant, that ignorance Of
them on her part was impossible. This
naturally soured her temper and rendered
her cold and Indifferent toward the man who
made it apparent to the world that he mel
tier loved nor respected her. The relations
between the two have been matter of sarcas
tic comment on the part Of their encourage.
and manv pointed and bitterly significant
epigrams have been handled about among
them at the expense of the Imperial couple.
g At times tie Empress has added fresh zest
to these cancaas by acting injudiciously ; for
instance, at a soiree intiD,e. that is. private
party, to which the Emperor had. against
the request Of his spouse, invited the Count
ess de Castglione well known to be his
mistress, the Empress caused her baIr dresser
to make for her white poodle dog, with long.
silky hair. just such an unique couture as
was habitually worn by the beautiful count
ess. At given mo-aent-the Emperor and
the Countess, arm in arm, were promenadmg
in the salons-in ran the poodle with the
head dress, its ribbons and jewels an exact
counterpart of that ornamentlng the Count
ess. An irrepressible burst of laughter
greeted the dog. The angered and mortified
Countess retired from the room, and the Em
peror. all aglow with rage, sought out the
perpetrator of this practical joke. When he
ascertained that the Empress was its origin
ator, he could of course but repress his anger.
But this scene rendered him all the more
attentive to the Countess, and in her annoy
ance. Eugene threatened to leave France
She did so at one time and the Castig.ione
was sent awav. After her return the Empress
for wears succeeded in keeping the Countess
from the French Court; but recently the
latter returned, and scandal has once more
busted with her intrigue with Napoleon
As another instance of the indiscreet course
pursued by the Empress, may be mentioned
the fact Of her repeated efforts to leave Paris
clandestinely. On one occasion she was for
cfbly taken out of cab at the palace door,
just as it was being driven away. With
only her maid Eugene had determined to
take the night train for England. The
Emperor got wind of the escapade and frus-
trated it. A little later on, Eugene succeed
ed in taking her departure. and she did not
return until, as stated above, the Countess
of Castiglione had been banished from the
court. 1t is we'll know that with his cousin,
Prince Napoleon, the Emperor has never
been on very good terms. A mutual jealousy
exists, which events tend to infame. The
fact that Prince Napoleon is, next to the
Prince Imperial, heir to the throne of France.
renders the Emperor and also the Empress
quite jealous of him. They seem to dread
that he NAV, in case the opportunity should
present itself, supplant the Prince Imperial,
I,St,c thair
cousin, and very often let him see this
En- reranche the latter makes it easily under
stood that he is quite prepared to be their
enemy at a moments notice, so that the
family relations are not of the most pleas
ant. In the palace, the followers Of the
Emperor and even his servants indulge con.
stantIy in filings at Prince Napoleon. In
the household of the latter. the Emperor and
Empress are more generally referred to by
equivocal sobriguets such as '' Their Males
ties" Of course, these things have arizen
from the jealousy displayed originally by
the Emperor, who was so impolitc as to let
it be seen that he disiked his cousin and
feared his advancement. Irrepressibly de-
termined to become prominent in some way,
Prince Napoleon has ever found the Emperor
quite as determined to prevent his success.
AT times this leafs to open quarrels, and
then Napoleon makes some concessions to
his cousin, but he speedily manages to rem
der these fruitless by little chicaneries be
meath the dignity of SO powerful and success
full sovereign. .
The chief ambition of the Emperor is the
establishment of his dynasty. Having but
one legitimate successor the Prince Imperial,
he has bent all his energies toward smooth
ing the way for the future reign of this boy.
Knowing from experience. however, that the
affairs of the world are but too uncertain,
he is preparing his son for all eventualities,
and is giving him, mentally and physically
a thorough training. There is not much
tenderness displayed between the father and
the son. The former is too cold too unde.
monstrative, to call forth any display OF
affection from the Child but he watches over
him with constant s0licitude He inspires
his mind with a due sense of the grandeur
of bis position. but at the same time i'm
presses upon him the fact that affability ever
pieases the masses. At the earliest age he
taught the Prince to smile and kiss his hand
to the people. Later on. he made to
bow to them with that wave of the hand that
seems so patronizing, and so general
Knowing the benefits of strong constitu.
tion and strong mind. the Emperor has
watched over the early education of his son
with the purpose of fostering both. He is
made to take strengthening exercise, and
is allowed to have but such playthings as
occasion thought and care in their manage
ment. He is surrounded by people who are
to be as punctiious in their service aud in.
struction as though they were waiting upon
the Emperor himself; but land here the
Emperor's acting is as ever displayed) he is
periodically allowed to appear in public
with his little playmates, under no restraint,
Sc that the natural graces of childhood may
charm the masses and be commented upon.
To the soldiers, the Prince is regularly shown
up in his grenadier uniform. 1t is thought
that in this manner he will become endear.
ed to them. In short, as regards the Prince.
his every moment is one having for purpose
to attract and please the people. He is ever
acting, and before leaving the palace on
parade days, is duly taught what he must
say and do and is made to rehearse until
perfect in his part. The result will be.
doubtless, that the Prince. in time, will
become as consummate an actor as his father.
From the Galary.