The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-08-31

ish wagers. Besides, it is much better
that thou lose thy money than Hillel
should lose his patience"
-.>s-
EFrom tho Stnats Zeiuug.]
THE EMPRESS EUGENIE.
The Pr,mccss Wasa, Napoleoa's First
Betrothez-Mc AUSTRIAN En,peror's
Dcsigns-Me Wles Of Beautiful
,Alventurcrs-Mc Course ofa Great
Life Changed.
Had net the original plans of Napole.
on in regard to his marriage been frus>
:rated by the Austrian Court, his life
might have taken q very different
course, and there might now be no me-
cessity of his despairingly bewailing
the fact that through foreign ,counsels
he has allowed himself to be ruined
He wished to marry his cousin, the
Princess Wasa, granddaughter Of the
Grand Duchess Stephaine Of Baden and
had already offered her his hand on tho
occasion of visit to Baden Baden.
His suit was accepted, but with the con-
dition that Prince wasao, the father of
the Princess, who lived in Vienna apart
from his wife, should give his consent.
Napoleon thercupon turned to the En-
peror of Austria, with the request that
he should undertake the wooing Of the
bride from Prince Wasa, but he received
an answer to the effect that this was not
permitted BY tho laws of etiquette, inas>
much as the Prince was only u Colonel
in the Austria army.
This, however, was merely an excuse,
since Franz Joseph was determined to
prevent the proposed match at any
price. Ho therefore contrived to get
Prince Wasa to positively refuse his
consent; and while Napoleon still
hoped on, match between the Crown
Prince of Saxony and the Princess was
quickly brought about by tho intrigues
of the Austrian Court. Napoleon was
deeply moved and exaspcrated at this,
and upon first learning that this, his
darling project, had been frustrated, he
gave utterance to the memorable words,
"Les souverians de L'Europe Sc SOU
viendront dc moi" (The princes of
Europe shall have cause to think of
me.)
1t is true that at later day the Em-
perior of Austria had only too much
cause for regrctting the share which he
had taken in this affair; but for Napo-
Icon, the result was much worse from
having perhaps the only real heartfelt
desire he ever experienced repressed in
this rude way. Even though tho wo-
man whom he had desired to mako En-.
press of the French had by no means
distinguished herself for eminent quail
ties, yet her modest, bashful, almost de-
pendent nature would have been a
guarantee that she would never have
endeavored to overstep the limit of her
duties, never have labored to secure q
government which would have madc oi
the highest interests Of Franco play
thing for her humors and her selfish
ness.
But this was the result of the second
choice which Napoleon then hit upon
Among the many adyenturcrs Of rank
who happened to be in Paris ut the
time of Napoloon's great political stra-
tagcm, there was a certain Countess
Montijo and her daughter, who had
created a sensation and drawn the at
tention of Napoleon toward themselves
by their extravagant style Of living, as
we'll as by tho beauty of the daughter.
Napoleon had drawn these women to
his new court, and had INDUCED in every
kind of gallantry toward the daughter,
who, however, had quickly given him to
understand that, despite her coque;ry,
she was just as careful of her honor as he
was Of his, and would yield In no way to
his passions unless he allowed hor tho
legitimate place at his side
When now tho proposed match with
the Princess Wasa turned outa failure,
Eugcnie contrivcd to procure an invi-
tation to Compiegne, and there, in tho
frcor Intercourse with Napoleon, and
with tho aid of brilliant toilette, in
which violot. wrcaths amid her blonde
hair had an essentially strong effect,
she succeeded, through the magic of
her personal appearance and her splen-
did conversational powers, in so allur-
ing him that he, still sensitive over the
result Of his former plans, and with the
firm determination Of meeting tho
crowned princes ofEurope as parvcnuo,
suddenly offered hor his hand, and to
the universal astonishment not alone of
France, but Of all Europe, raised to the
position of Empross woman of doubt.
ful descent ind Of an equally doubtful
past.
Since then this woman has shared his
throne with him for eighteen years, and
has apparently, it is true, contributed
very much to its splendor; but if Ma.
poleon now looks back oyor this period,
and calls himsolf to account for the in
| fucnccs which anna thcn hava hoan