Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-10-16


Fashion-A Shabby Alpaca Dress
The story OF Her Flight.
. A lady who lately visited Eugene
writes to Cassell's Magazine nta
She looked what Tennyson calls di-
vinely fair, but as one who has suffered
much. There was worn, weary look
inexpressibly pathetic in her eyes, just
touched over the lower lids with black,
her cheeks were thin and very pale, her
fair hair simply arranged low on the
neck behind, drawn back at the sides,
and with curls on the forehead, and it
was her own hair-distinctly and palp-
ably her own. Her dress was of black
paramatte, selEtrimmed, with a small
tunic, and a general look Of scantiness
about it. She wore little white shirt
collar and cuffs, and not single jewel,
save one diamond star that held the hit
tie collar. Her manner suits her impe-
rial presence-simple, courteous, earn
est. 1t is as of ready-witted woman,
sweet-tempered, full of human interests
and feelings, impressionable, mobile, fas-
cinating; emphasizing all she says with
her grandly cut Spanish eyes, that might
almost indeed stand her in lieu of speech,
SO eloquently do they converse. There
is a wonderful and varied charm about
her, Cleopatra-like, that neither age nor
custom can wither or stale. To see how
the woman struggled with her Empress,
and how it brought her down to claim
sympathy and pity from a solitary stran-
ger, vas very touching.
After some preliminary conversation,
the ex-Empress spoke of her last days in
Paris: :" was forsaken by all the Minis
ters. Trochu, whom the Emperor had
appointed, left me. They all left me
and betrayed me. What could do2 /
was alone. "Ah," she added, With an
inspired look, "it was my passion
She turned her tearful eyes to heaven.
Z" Her passion" Could anything be
more touching2 nr.r.y rr.rs
81 was alone" she repeated, as though
in justification; utterly abandoned.
What could | do but Ay2 / was not
afraid. | could look death in the face;
but all had left me.
"Were the details of your Majestys
flight, which appeared in the newspapers,
accurate2 }"
"Yes," said she, a @-tolerably so, For
thirty days was guarded by those men
Of Belleville. Oh, it was horriblel They
took possession of the Tuileries. My
only happiness was that suffered alone
The Emperor away and my boy safe.
MOI l could not have borne it bad my
boy boen in danger. aa rsfss .fa
BY what door did these wretcies
enter the Tuileries, madame2"
Everywhere-by all the doors, and
the windows, too. They came down from
the Place de la Coneorde. | saw them
coming through the trees. Then they
broke over the fences into the reserved
garden, and at last smashed the lower
windows and broke open the doors.
They came, too, on the other side, from
the Place du CArronsel; black masses
Of men, pressing closer and closer they,
too, broke in everywhere. No one OPP
posed them; the guards were gone.
There we're horrible cries, and screams
and oaths. From these thiefdogs l ex-
pected death; ] saw il in their faces, the
Belleville men; they wanted my blood.
/ was so weary that | did not care; TO
live or die was the same 70 me, For the
last three days there was 4 change;
more savage men came about me.
never left my room; / lay down a little
On my bed for rest, but / did not un-
dress; would not be murdered in my
bed in my night-dress.
She made a little motion with her
hand as she said this that ! cannot
describe. 1t told Of the delicacy of the
woman, and the lofty decorum Of the
sovereign, that carefully gathered her
robes around her ere she dies. .-,.--r L
Madame said had you fallen
hy the hands Of those wretches, you
would have lived forever in history and
poetry. Every art would have been
evoked to celebrate your memory. You
would have united the beauty and fas-
cnation Of Mary, Queen Of Scots, to
the yirtuous fortitnde Of Marie Antoin-
cite. Il would have been glorious inn
mortality"
Yes she said, melting into the
sweetest, merriest smile; yes, that Is
all very we'll; but would like to enjoy
yet a little in my life.