New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-21
characterization of the Ex-Empress u
Mexic0-A T0uching Scene.


Paris Correspondence London Court Journalj
At Brussels the premeirc communion of
| the Princess Louise has been the great
event The young Princess has Just at
tanned her twelfth year, and is considered
the living likeness of her aunt. The En-
press is in a dying state, but no omission
was made in her case to the usage indispens-
able in all Catholic countries, of seekinga
benedictiOn from every one of the family
upon the juvenile members who are about to
enter the bosom Of the church by receiving
the Holy Sacrament for the first time. The
occasion is one of greater ceremony than
even a wedding or a christening, and offers
the opportunity OF reconciliation and for
giveness. of renewal of ties which have been
neglected, and formation of new ones to
which indifference had hitherto been ex-
pressed.
Even the poor Empress, as if under sud
den inspiration, had been made to under
stand that ceremony of importance was
about to occur, and by singular instinct
she insisted on rising from her bed and at
firing herself in her favOrite DRESS sort of
pardessus of white silk, trimmed with black
lace, and putting on her most beloved Orna-
ments to welcome her young relative.
Many presents had been preparation it Is
the custom always to bestOw some mementO
of the day upon the new commmnicante-
and the poor Empress sat in her armchair,
propped up with pillows, awaiting with
childish Impotence the entrance of her
little niece. The red morocco case contain
ing the necklace and earrings she was to
bestow upon her visitor was ready in her
hand A smile of consciousness played
over her features as the step of the child
was heard to approach. For moment did
her attendants, nay, even the doctor, i'm
agine that ray of light was about to flash
across that poor bewildered brain: but
when the door opened and the little figure.
attired all in white, with the snowy veil
thrown across her head and bosom, pausing
for moment on the threshold, advanced
ioyously toward her, some souvenir of her
own youth, some remembrance of the veil
and flowers must have come across her. for
she dashed the jewels to the ground
and seizing the hands of the Princess Louisa,
covered them with kisses, looking all the
while into her face with such vacant, in
curing expression, that the poor child,
quite overcome, sobbed aloud After
awhile she grew more calm, and, looking
about in search of the jewel case which had
fallen 10 the ground, she shook her head
mournfully, and taking from her neck the
chaPlet and cross which had been given to
her by the Archbishop of Mexico, and from
winch she has never parted since the day of
her entrance into that city, she placed it on
the arm of the Princess, winding it round
and round many times, and, after kissing
the cross with passionate effort, sank back
again on the pillow and remained still and
motionless with closed eyes and compressed
bps, dead to all around, as she is in the habit
OF doing for many hours together. The
scene was very touching, and the doctor
declares his opinion that the CLEAN of re-
membrance which shot across her on the
first appearance of the Princess will be the
last she will ever experience in this world.
Ever since that day she has been confined
to her bed, where she lies withouf ,po+;o,
and seemingly without consciousness, while
her attendants kneel by turns at her bedside
and pray Gods mercy on that much tried