The New Orleans crescent., 1868-07-23
The Empress EugenIe's Summer Palace.

A rare treat is day at VlIleneuve, not inaptly
entitled the Trsnion Of Empress Eugenie. | do
not attempt TO convey to you an idea of the love
illness of the sylvan scenery through which you
pass from the moment of quitting the Palace of
st. Cloud till you reach that charming pLdisdnce.
Perhaps the highest praise l can bsstow, and
praise certainly not exaggerated, is that it recalls
the magnificent parks which surround the ancient
feudal homes of our great fsmilies such trees are
here as you see in the parks at Clumber, at Alton
Towers, at LengleAt, etc.
The :psace gardens as you are aware are stiff
and formal, mere flower beds, stared at by white
marble Hebes and Venuses and groups of orange
trees in huge painted tubs. From the gardens you
emerge into shady glades, along avenues of shorn
grass, beneath the wide spreading beech and oak
to the right and left, well grown underwood plenti
fully stocked with game. Deer start from their
messy couch, and gaze at you stupidly, pheasants
quietly take the trouble OF getting out of the way
of your horses hoofs, so thoroughly at home are
these denzens of the woods.
You feel an intruder on their realm, and when
you think of your own home, an e1ttreSOL per-
haps, in q noisy thoroughfsre, deafened by the
ceaseless rolling of carriages, rum bling of Omn-
buses, or rafting of carts, you envy these lords
of the forests their silent retreats, smelling of
honey-d dews, balsams aud dropping gums" unds-
turbed by sounds less tuneful than the song Of
the lark the coo Of the wood pigeon. Ills true
they have the chance of one day hearing the
whizz of round shot in unpleasant propinquity,
but after all, it is prelude to a mere agreeable
fever.
The drive lasts but half an hour; you would
wish it prolonged for hours. The house of Vile
neuve, guide book informs me, belonged to the
duchess of Angouleme. l myself remember that
il was a favorite shooting lodge of the duke OF
Orleans. 1t has been fitted up by the empress
with the utmost simplicity. The rez-dectdusSe
consists of salons furnished with tapestry, and OF
billiard room. In corner Of the latter apart
ment is a curious wooden excrescence in the form
of an eagles head, which fell at the emperors
feet as he once stood for shelter beneath tree
in the park.
The simiitude to the imperial bird is not very
exact; still, without putting on court spectaces,
/ really could not but acknowledge that this
woOd.Rrown curiosity, undoubtedly did resemble
the form of an eagles head. The picture Of the
emperor's favorite black charger with a white
nose, is hung in this room. and remarked seve-
raj splendid lion skins with the head and claws
lying on the Idrguet. The rooms of the upper
story are entirely furnished with dark chintz Of
ordinary pattern.
In the empress bedroom are prints OF the
Duke of Beaufort and Of Count d'0rssy. This
room opens on her boudoir, in which is q secre-
tsry Of citron wood, incrusted with tablets Of
Seyres china, once the property of Queen Marie
Antoinette. This delicious little apartment leads
10 the emperor's bedroom. Opposite his bed is
hung a crayon drawing of Mile Montijo, and one
is surprised TO remark how slight is the alteration
time has made in the delicate chiseling of the
features; the only noticeable change is that the
prOyement.
Two allegorical pictures are here, Of which the
subject Of one-a winged beast sucking her lid s
blood-would suffice to give any amount Of cGlI-
chenldrs TO the least impressionsble Of mortals.
Pleasure grounds, in the ordinary acceptation Of
the term, there are none.
Beneath the windows is perfect wilderness of
sweet scented pink geraniums, from which deli
| cious perfume pervades the drawing rooms. Be-
youd are masses Of scarlet verbenas, set, as it
were, in frsme Of gold.tinted calceOlariss but
| opposite the biiardroom windows is group CON-
posed of three gigantic Wellingtonisns, the most
splendid specimens OF that new lmpor taton It has
been my lot to see, and far exceeding 10 height
that TO be seen in the reserved garden OF IrIanon
| Unfortunately, these trees have been planted so
close to each other and one will ultimately have
to be sacrificed. The empress dairy is fitted with
white marble, and lighted by stained glass
window. The good lady who presides over the
| milk department assures you that the COWS milk
at Villeneuve is pure cream and offers her visitors
a specimen thereof in cups Of delicate white
sevres, marked in gold with her mAjesty's ci
pher.