Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-10-14
CHARLOTTE,S MADNESS.
Distressing state of Her Mind-How
the Unhappy Empi ess Passes Her
Weary DAYS.


weary Days.
Correspondence of the London Echo.l
The recent stories about the Empress
Charlotte Of Mexico being at the point OF
death were SO far from being true that il
now turns out that this unhappy lady is
in the possession Of perfect bodily health,
Her mental malady, however, is worse
than ever. She still remains at the
Chateau OF Tervueren. Her madness
has degener into kind of childish
ness, but is unaccompanied by any vio-
lence, such as is generally the case with
female lunatics. The Empress mind is
overcast, disdainful, and sometimes inn
perious, but quiet and gentle, and as
nearly all her caprices are satisfied, she
has no reason to feel tormented. She
lives very retired and almost alone in two
rooms of the chateau, where she takes
upon herself the care of her little house
keeping. The only person she will con-
verse with-and to whom she appears
attached, and who has an influence over
her-is the learned and clever Dr.
H, who is now charged exclusively
with her treatment. She receives him
every morning for half an hour, and is
calm after each of these interviews The
nine-and-twenty other persons Of all
ranks who form her household are far
from enjoying such favor. The EN-
press accepts their attentions, but with
repugnance, and often rejects them.
She dimes always alone and standing.
She fetches her own plates from the ad-
Joining room; she arranges her own
dishes, and clears the table. The EN-
press is always chilly, and insists on
having blazing fire. She lights and
attends to it herself. She is also fond of
having number of candles burning.
In order to prevent an accident guard
with lock and key was placed before the
fire; this precaution annoyed her great
ly, and she complained to all the SER
wants, and wanted the lkey. DR.. H
took the part of the Empress, and, hav-
ing pretended to scold the servants, or
dered the key to be given to her. Since
then she has kept it, and always talks of
the great victory she won over the doc
tor. The greatest part of her time is
occupied in sending telegraphic dis
patches to Napoleon Ill, whom she be.
lieves still to be on the throne, and con-
versing with spirits, which she says
haunt the upper stories of the chateau,
whose language she boasts of knowing,
end whose advice she follows. Now and
then she orders rich toilet to be made,
which she places on chairs and dunn
mics, and goes through the ceremony of
a court reception. In her eyes, these
dresses and bonnets represent ladies of
France and Mexico. She fatters some,
insults others, and so passes a part of
her time. She never wears any of these
fine toilets. and always appears in her
dressing-gown. Not long ago she cut
off all her fine hair and put it on one of
her dummies; nevertheless, she insists
on having her hair dressed every morn
ing, and domestic has to 60 through
the ceremony. Sometimes she takes a
walk, or runs about the park. No affec-
ton has remained in her heart, not even
for her brother. She will not see either
the King or Queen, and her family are
obliged to content themselves with look
ing at her when she goes into the park.
The fear of being poisoned has disap-
peared, and she eats anything with
good appetite. All hope of cure has
been given up, and the doctors say that
her health is such as promises long
Efa