The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-01-19

men in waiting, tea, coffee, plain and
plum cake were handed round. Fa.
miliar and friendly conversation en-
sued, and kind inquiries on the part Of
Mrs. Washington after the families of
the exiles, with whom she had been ac-
quainted during the revolutionary war,
and who always received marked at.
tention from General Washington.
Mrs. Washington stood by the side of
the general in receiving the respects
Of visitors. Amid the social chit.chat
of the evening the clock struck nine.
Mrs. Washington thereupon rose with
dignity, and looking round the circle
with a complacent smile, observed,
"The general always retires at nine,
and ] usually precede him." At this
hint the ladies instantly rose, adjusted
their dresses, made their salutations
and retired.
General Washington had on that
day been waited upon by the principal
gentlemen of the city, according to the
ancient New York custom Of social and
convivial New Years visiting. After
having been severally introduced, and,
having paid the usual compliments of
the season, the citizens interchanged
greetings and withdrew, highly graft.
fed by the friendly notice of the
president, to most of whom he was
personally stranger. In the course
Of the evening while speaking of the
occurrences Of the day, Mrs. Washing
ton remarked: "Of all the incidents
Of the day, none so pleased the general
(by which title she always designated
HIM as the friendly greeting of the
gentlemen who visited him at noon"
TO the inquiry of the President,
whe;hr it was casual or customary,
he was answered that it was an an
nual custom derived from our Dutch
forefathers, which had always been
commemorated from the earliest be-
ginnings Of New Amsterdam. After
short pause he observed "The high
ly favored situation of New York will,
in the process of years, attract numer-
Gus immigrants, who will gradually
change its ancient customs and man
ners but whatever change takes place,
never forget the cordial, cheerful OBJ
ervations Of New Years day
THE EX-EMPRESS EUGENE.
Eugene Marie de Guzman, Count.
ess of Teba, ex Empress of the French
and widow of Napoleon, was born at
Malaga, in Spain, Mays, 1885, Her
mother was Donna Maria Manuela
kirkpatrick of Closeburn, Countess
Dowager de Montijo, whose father was
English Consul at Malaga at the period
of her marriage with the Count de
Moutjo, an officer in the Spanish army
connected more or less closely with the
houses of the Duke de Frias, represen.
tative Of the ancient admirials of Cas-
tile, Of the Duke of Fyars and others
Of the highest rank, including the
Kings of Arragon. On the death of
the Count de Moptijo his widow was
left with a fortune adequate to the
maintenance of her position and two
daughters, one of whom married the
Duke of Alba and Berwick, lineally
descended from James III. and Miss
Churchill. For Eugene, the second
daughter, q still higher destiny was
reserved. In 1851 the Countess Teba,
accompanied by her mother, paid a
heightened visit to Paris, and was
distinguished at the various entertain
ments given at the Tuilcries by the
dignity and elegance of her demeanor,
and by great personal beauty, of the
aristocratic English rather than the
Spanish style. Her mental gifts were
not less attractive; for her education,
partly conducted in England, was
very superior to that generally be-
slowed upon Spanish women, who sci.
dom quit their native country. Short
ly after the opposition of the higher
Northern Powers had put an end to
the idea of union between the EN-
peror Napoleon III. and the Princess
Garcia Wass, Of Sweden, he apprised
the Council of Ministers of his intend
ed marriage with the daughter of the
Countess Montijo--a measure which
excited some disapproval among them
and even led to their temporary with
drawal from Office. During the short
time which interviewed between the
public announcement of the approach
ing event and its realization the Coun.
tess Teba and her mother took up
their abode in the palace Of the Elysee.
The marriage was celebrated with
much magnifcence on January 20,
1853, at Notre Dame, The life of the
Empress Eugene from the time of her
marriage to the breaking out of the
Prussian war was comparatively une-
ventful, having been passed chiefly in
the ordinary routine Of state etiquette,
in visits to the various sons-de. piais-
once, varied by an extended progress
through France in company with her
husband by an annual sojourn for
the benefit of her health at Biarritz, in
the Pyrenees, the favorite resort of her
family in the days of her girlhood by
a journey to England and Scotland in
the Fall of 1861, and in 1864 to some
of the German baths. She became
mother Of an heir to the house Of
Bonaparte March l6, 1856. Accom-
noniad NV the Emnaror she visited the