The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-08-08
Tile Empress Eugenie's Mexican Par


I, s.t s..la1 . rot. r.f .,5G
We cannot vouch for the truth of the
following story, which appears in a
Leipsic periodical it is, however, too
good to be passed over so we transla e
it for our readers. 4. So, ..-.al .-s
On their return from the expedition
to Mexico, some years ago, the French
soldiers brought with them number of
parts; among them was specially
handsome bird, with brilliant feathers,
which answered to the name of Monte
yuma. ..
Count Castlenau, the Emperor's ad-
utant, who had for long time been
with the noble and unfortunate Maxi
milan in Mexico, had himself. in
structed the beautiful bird in talking,
during the passage on board the steam
er. When he arrived in Paris, the Cen
eral certainly could not place any
laurels at the feet of his imperial mis-
tress, but he brought her the parrot
MontezuDa, who cried out to the EN-
press directly in shrill voice, Vice
PImperatrice q"
"Long live the Empress |" How
gladly Engenie heard these words,
whether they proceeded from the CRATE
full people in the streets of Paris, or
from the throat of Montezuma. The
bird sat in gilded cage in the En-
press's boudoir; she herself gave him
biscuit and fruits with her delicate fin
gers, she stroked his beautiful feathers,
she gave him sugar from her own lips.
'Montezuma was the Empress's pet
when she returned from a journey, one
of the first things she would do was to
hasten to Montezuma's cage to caress
him, and then the bird would cry out to
her, " ViUe PInperatrice"
Then came the evil days of September
1910. The grateful populace of Paris
drove away the Empress only at t'.C
risk of her life did she escape frou the
fierce mob At last she sits in Sir J
Burgoyne's yacht in the Channel, ant
finds a refuge in England, not far from
the spot where the wife of Louis Philip
pc, her predecessor on the French throne
at good old age closed her weary eye,
in exile, But the Empress had scarcely
established herself at Chislehurst, whel
she remembered her parrot, who had fol
six years been her pet, and had Otter
cheered her and amused her in dull ant
anxious days. Montezuma had beer
forgotten in the haste with which sh,
b had been obliged to make her escape.
The Empress was sorry for the loss O.
her pet; and one of her servants hac
travelled back to France, in hopes O.
bringing it to her, but only brought
back the news that Paris was invested
on all sides by the Germans Montezu
ma, therefore, was among the beseiged
After a nearly five months siege
Paris capitulated, and Immediately after
the first tidings of this reached Chisle
hurst, the same servant was again hur
riedly dispatched, charged with The
commission to search out Montezuma
and bring him back to his mistress.
The mission with which the faithful
servant was intrusted was not withou
danger. Disguised in workingman'
q blouse, he made inquiries in tn,
Tuileries about the bird. But what die
they know here about Montezuma
Here all is changed; every trace tina
might remind one of the splendol of tn
former Empire has vanished hospital
and ambulances fill the proud hall
which are now national property
q Where is Montezuma? Occupied wit
these thoughts, and fearing the wratl
of his mistress in case he should returl
empty-handed to Chislehurst, he wan
dered through one of the narrow, dar
streets, which had escaped Baron Hauss
. mann's rage for improvement, and sti
remained one of the Paris of the olde
time. There the servant stood still be
fore shabby shop for the sale ofsecond
hand goods and furniture; and ther
he saw many piece of furniture, swhic
only half year before had adorned tn
Imperial apartments of the Tuilerie
But above everything else. the eyes {
the faithful man were riveted upon
! gilded cage. Yes, there he was, climl
ing merrily about, and cracking nu
the pet of the Empress -Montezum
the parrot of Mexicol He had not bee
eaten during the siege; he who nev,
concealed his Imperial sentiments, ha
escaped the fate to which horses an
dogs, cats and rats, even the anima
in the Geological Gardens, had falle
victims. Quickly does the servant. sho
himself ready to buy he pays withol
bargaining the sum demanded, juml
with the cage into cab, and hurries Q
at once to the Northern Railway ST.
ton, to Ostend, then to Chislehurs
Quickly he stands before the Empress
"Your Majesty, my mission has bee
successfully accomplished-here is Mo-
tezuma !" The Empress went up to Il
cage, as it stood on the table she agai
~ caressed the handsome bird and as
the Tuileries, she held out biscuit al
. sugar to him.
But Montezuma put on a cross and III
pleasant face. Did not the Englii
climate agree with him +? Did he fe
. that his former mistress had not IL
same rank as before, that she had d
scended from the throne, that she w
an exile? "Say Vipe- PImperatriee
said Eugene, as she petted the biz
The parrot remained silent aad litter
Again Eugenie caresses him; now b
persuasions seem to be working up,
the bird. Montezuma begins to plur
himself, lift up his head. and open /
< beak. Everyone listens eagerly, Tn
resounds in a shrill voice through Z
room, "Vige Ia Repu6liqaei Yige la 1
puhliqas e''' Surprised and disgusted,
retreat from the cage, but in the eye
the Empress tear gGstens. "The u