The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-03-30
THE FLIGHT OF THE EMPRESS EU-
GENIE.
Bishop McIivnipe,s Account.

the yoke of her husband, was given
lately by Bishop McIlvaine, at a meet
ing called by the students of Kenyon
College, in Gambler, Ohio. 1t resembles
in most particulars an account which
has already been published, but the in
cidents related are given with such
striking particularly, coming from such
a source-the Bishop had received them
from one who aided the fight of Eu-
genie-that our readers will be inter
ested in its perusal. We copy it from
the Cleveland Herald:
at seems the safety of the Empress
had been assured to her by General Tro-
chu, who had solemnly promised to in
form her of the approach of danger. For
some unexplained reasons he failed to do
so, and when "n Sunday the mob began
to assemble about the Tuileries, three of
her friends, Prince Matternich, the
Spanish ambassador, and M. Lesseps
formed plan for her escape and went
to her rescue. M. Lesseps stood outside
and harangued the mob for the purpose
of OBTAINING them, while the two other
| gentlemen went in search of the En-
press. They found her partaking of a
very frugal lunch with one of her ladies,
and her fears could not be aroused.
Seeing it impossible to persuade her,
the two gentlemen used force to remove
her. At this she consented to make q
slight preparation, and without at all
changing her dress (for the mob had al
ready entered the Palace, catching up
a small leathern reticule, she put into it
two ocket-handkerchiefs, and two
books, the New Testament and a prayer
book. On her head she put riding
hat, and then by that time thoroughly
aroused, she fled through the palace /;
of stairs, through chamber and salon, q
long walk before they came down to the
Rue Rivoli, on which side of the Palace
the mob had not collected. Here cab
awaited her. She, with the lady in at
tendance, was put into it. Now said
the friends, we must leave you; too
well known, our attendance would but
bring destruction upon you Make good
speed! Yes, good speed, for she heard
the cries of the furious mob, and as she
was entering the cab. a little boy eX-
claimed, There is the Empress and she
thought all was lost but it proved that
there was no one there to take notice,
and so the two ladies drove off. Soon
they came into the midst of the excited
crowd, and the lady accompanying her
questioned on this side and the other
the meaning of it all, and appeared to
be greatly interested in the proceedings,
while the Empress sank back out of sight
in the carriage. They had long ride
out beyond the Champs Elysees to the
quieter parts of the city, when they
alighted dismissed the cab, to avoid
giving any clue in case of pursuit, and
walked some distance. Where should
she go: To whom flee? What friend
trust: There was but one to whom she
would venture, and that one an Ameri-
can gentleman of some note, who with
his wife had long been friend of both
Emperor and Empress. So they took
another cab for the house of this gentle
man whom we will call Mr.. w, ar
irving there to find him away from
home, and his wife absent for the sum-
mer at small seaport on the coast.
The servant, under these circumstances,
was extremely ungracious, and qaite re-
fused to admit these strange ladies, and
when at last, upon their insisting, they
were admitted to the house, she was un-
willing to show them into an apartment
suitable for them, and it was not with
out some difficulty that they were al
lowed to wait in the library for the
owners return. When at last he return
ed and entered the room, judge of his
surprise at the sight of the Empress
You must get me Immediately out Of
France, this very night exclaimed the
Empress the moment she saw him. Out
of France that very night: He told her
it was impossible. He was expecting a
party of friends to dinner, but would
plead sudden business and excuse him
self, and make preparations as quickly
as possible for her flight; but, in the
meantime, she must be quiet and rest
This she was prevailed upon to do, and
supplying herself from Mrs. VS.
wardrobe, retired for the night.
"The dinner party, receiving the ex-
cuses of the host and overcome with a
sense of mystery, soon withdrew, in
spite of the cordial message and wishes
of the gentleman, that they would make
themselves merry in his absence. At
four o'clock in the morning carriage
stood at the door, into which Mr.. W
put the two ladies, and driving himself
set off on their way out of France, pur-
suing quiet streets, then unfrequented
roads and lanes of the country, avoiding
the more public highways of the king
dom; and so on, until the horses were
worn out. They were near little vii
lage, but then came the question how to
get carriage brought to them, and ex.
plain why they could not go to it. Mr.
W went to the inn, and having
found private carriage, which wa;
waiting over there, agreed with the ser.
want to come out mile or SO, and carry
his party, Mr.. W-'s two sisters, one
of whom was very lame indeed, and
could not walk step, some miles on
till they should come to a railway. Thil
done, and the lame lady, with much
difficulty, put into the carriage by hei
brother and sister, they proceeded
for distance, until they came to rail
way, where they left the carriage t.
break up the clew, and rode short dis
tance in the rail car without attracting
attention. Then they took anothel
carriage, riding in roundabout ways
until at the end of two days they cam,
to the little seaport where Mrs. W
was spending the summer. How mus
Mr.. VI conduct the ladies into tn,
presence of his wife without their being
observed by every one? After some re
connoitering, this was successfully &C
complished, and throwing her arm
} around the neck of Mrs. W, Eugeni