The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-20
The Emperor Of the French---His Domestic
LIFE AND HIS pECULIARITiEs


The Emperor is not the most exemplary of hus
bands For years past he has not been on very good
terms with the Empress, whose feelings wife he
has outraged in the most barefaced manner lis
EGiscs with women infinitely inferior to her IN every
Bense have been open, so fagrant that Ignorance
OF them on her part was impossible. This naturally
soured her temper and rendered her cold and indler
ent towards the man who made it apparent to the
world that he neither loved respected her As an
instance of the ndiscreet pursued by the Elm
press may be mentioned the fact of her repeated Ell
forts to leave Paris claudestiney. On one occasion
she forcibly taken out of ca at the palace door,
just as she was being driven away. With only her
maid Eugene had determined to take the night tram
for England The Emperor got wind of the escapade'
and frustrated it, little later on Eugene succeeded
in taking her departure, and did not return until the
Countess Of Castiglione had been banshed from the
court. 1t is well known that with his cousin, Prince
Napoleon, the Emperor has never been on very good
terms. A natural jealousy exists, which events tend
to inRame 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 jeai-
Gus of him. They seem to dread that he may, in case
the opportunity should present itself, suppant the
Prince Imperial and Il natural result they dislike
their cousin, and very often let him see this.
The servants in the palace tell many amusing stories
regarding the queer dongs of the Emperor when the
norose fit is upon him. They say that, in his ROOM
he arranges things to suit hmself-hangs his engrav-
ings and family portraits, places the furniture, and
piles away his letters and papers So long as he ia in
his way, cheerful he satisfied with the disposal
of the rooms; but during the dark days" he takes
down the pictures, moves the furniture and the books
all the while grumbling and growing at himself. On
these occasions the maitre dhote of the palace is in
despair. The dinners are always "detestable," the
wines "sour in short the great - Caesar" is as
tretlu and whimsical in bis blues the most peLted
and spoiled girl. By contrast, at other times he eats
and drinks anything, makes no complaint and gives
less trouble than the most insignificant member Of
the household
Napoleon has one fixed idea which has almost be-
come maxim that is the discovery of some terrible
engine of warfare some extraordinary nus<et or can
non. lie is theoretically and practically one of the
most skiIlu artillerymen of the day; and he bends
his energies toward the perfection OF that branch of
military science increasingly 1t will be borne in mind
that he was the first to use ried cannon to the eff
cacy Of which he owed, in great measure, the brill
liant series of victories which marked the campaign Of
1859 as one Of the most successful the French may
boast Of. At the Tuilesies, at Fontanebeau, at
Compiegnc and at St. Cloud there are rooms which
may be termed arsenals, filled are they with the
arms which the Emperor has invented bought Or re-
ceved from those who are Of his passionate de-
sire to examine and try every species of firearms
lie is somewhat OF an alchemist and, at times, dill
gently endeavors to abricate explosive substances of
unhcardof power but the constant requirements of
office, the routine of imperial life, take him awav
perlorce, from these cherished pursuits.
might cite many little incidents to prove that Ma
poleon has very fine feelings, but the following
will suffice. As is well known, he is fond of riding
and driving splendid horses. Naturally enough, one
would suppose that when these latter have done him
good service in fact been used up by his overriding
over-working them for the rest of their lives they
would be well taken of. Nothing of the sort
such good fortune awaits them. 1 have seen hor
which, for years, had borne his Majesty faithfully
ending their days in the shafts of butchers cart
When they no longer up to the mark they given
away sold for trae. They must no longer en-
cumber the imperial stables. This fact speaks volumes
in proof Of utter seshness and want Of sentiment on
the part of the Emperor A gentleman grants home
to a dog horse which has been faithful and true
He to it that after their toll and service they
may spend their days in comfort As far as Napoleon
is concerned the dogs are shot and the horses sold
The Galaxy