The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-31
LAST HOURS OF NAPOLEON.
Il DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE EX-
EMPEROR'S END.
His Preparation for Death--Scenes at
the Notwithstanding OF tho EN-.

His Preparation for Death--Scrnes at
the Death-Bed-SuRering OF the EN-.
press.
The London correspondent Of the New York
World writes under date Of January IL:
The Emperor, as you know, died at quarter
| to eleven A. n. on the 9th. After the second
operation performed by Sir Henry Thompson
Ian operation exceedingly painful, and
during which the Emperor mad to be placed
under the influence of chlorolorm no accl-
dent more than those of an inevitably local
character took place, and the Inflammation
appeared 10 be of quite an ordinary nature,
and promised soon 10 subside altogether. AS
the pain, however, continued to be extremely
violent, the doctors considered 1t advisable to
put the august patient under the influence OF
| powerful narcotic, and the Emperor passed
The last night of hls existence with calmness
which allowed every hope to be entertained OF
his ultimate recovery. Sir Henry Thompson,
Sir VIM. Gull, Baron Corvlsart and DR.. Con-
neau were 10 hold consultation on the follow
ing day at eleven O'Clock; and 1t was generally
understood that third operation would take
pace after the consultation. At ten O'Clock
in the morning, however, Sir Henry Thomp.
son entered the bedroom of the patient, and
was aslonlshed to find that the pulse, which
no to that time had continued to beat with
great regular.ty-seventy FIVE to eighty sud
denly became weak. The learned doctor saw
Immediately that Napoleon III had only few
minutes to live; he apprised hls colleagues,
who partook Of his opinion, and the Empress
was Immediately Informed Of the change that
had taken place for the worse. So certain had
she been that all was going we'll and that the
Emperor was out of danger, tnat she had or
dered her carriage, and was about to take a
short drive. She had descended 10 the ball,
her face wearing sweet, halfsad, halt-glad eX-
nd ho nj O
carriage when she was recalled. Fastening to
the Emperor's bedside she sent quietly for the
priest, who was at that moment ut the church
celebrating marriage, and dispatched car
riage In hot haste tor the Prince Imperial,
who, only that morning, had returned 10 tile
military school at Woolwich. Count Clary
went In the carriage TO bring him, and never
did imperial horses travel at such speed. IL
was race between lie and death. The dis
lance to and fro was thirteen miles, and 1t
was accomplished within the hour; but the
Prince was forty minutes loo late, and was
shocked beyond expression TO hnd that his
august father was no more. The Prince affec.
tionately embraced his Imperial mother, and
they mingled their feelings of bitter grief to-
gether, the son ln his own overwhelming sor-
row trying to console the mother 10 her deep
angui0h. She conducted him 10 the bedside
of his dead father; be threw himself upon his
breast aud kissed his face, already cold In
death, and then went weeping from the room.
he walked up and down the hall, Wringing
Ills hands and bathed in tears.
The Emperor fully understood the great
danger of the operations TO which he consented
to submit, and was well aware that their re.
suits might be fatal. He, In fact, prepared for
death. He revised and made codlcll to hls
villa very curious document, of which l
shall perhaps have occasion TO again speak
and gave it 10 his wife; and on the day before
the first operation be made what the Catholics
call a good confession," received absolution,
and approached the blessed sacrament. In.
deed, he had been scrupulousy attentive to his
religious dulles for several months past; he,
the Empress and The Prince Imperial never
failed 10 20 TO mass on every Sunday, on every
holiday OF obligation, and on every day oil de-
votion. 1t turns ont not 10 BIZ true That Father
Goddard, the Catholic priest al Chlselhurst,
did not arrive In time 10 administer
to the dying Emperor the last rites
OF the church. He was with him for
ten minutes before he expired; the
condition OF the Emperor made II impossi-
BILE for him 10 receive the vialicun, but Inc
sacrament of extreme unclion was admins
tered, This sacrament, In the Catholic faith,
RENTS venial sins, mortal sins having been
already remitted by the sacrament OF penance
and confessions; 1t heals the soul OF ils infrmi-
ty and weakness; IL helps to remove some
thing of the debt of punishment due to past
sins; 1t implrLs strength TO the soul, and arms
1t against The attempts of Its spiritual enemies.
Father Goddard had administered this sacra-
meut, which consists In amounting the slck
person, In the form of cross upon the eyes,
ears, nose, mouth, hands and feet, repeating
the words, Through this holy JUNCTION. aud
His most tender mercy, may The Lord
pardon Thee whatever eins thou hast
commltted;" and he was inst commenc-
ing "Lhe order OF the recommendation Of
t, t,,of
ing with the words "Depart, o Carlstlan
soul, from this world, In the name OF Gcd, the
Father Almighty: who created thee; In the
name of Jesus Christ, the Son ct the living
God, who suffered for thee; In the name OF
the Holy Ghost, who has been poured forth
upon Lhee"-when the Emperor, who had Just
given his last kiss TO the Empress, oreaLhed
two faint sighs and expired: The Em pres',
who up TO that moment had remained per-
fectly calm, uttered Shrek of grief aud an
guish, and fell faintlng in chair; and for
lew moments nothing was heard In the room
but the low voice of the priest as he continued
his PRAYER, and the s0bbing OF the kneellng
spectators of the scene. There were present,
at the moment OF The death, the Empress, III.
PIetrl, some OF the other members OF The
household, all OF TIE physicians, and Father
Goddard.
Two or three hours after the Emperor's death
the body was laid out, and many OF those who
had followed the fortunes OF Napoleon Ill IN
England, but had paid their last visit loo lutte
10 fnd him alive, were admitted to the house
to look upon the remains. The bed room
which witnessed the closing scene OF great
lie is small and simply furnished, and con-
tanned two beds one originally belonging to
the apartment, the other, small Iron bed.
stead on which the Emperor 10y, had been
brought from another room, as more conven-
lent Tor the purpose of the operations. This
bed stood on the left hand, guarded by q
screen, and the chief ornament of the room
was golden GROSS, 20 PLACID that 1t could be
seen by the Emperor In his last moments;
At the request of the bereaved Imperial
family signor D. Brucclani, of Russell
street, Covent Garden, was promptly
summoned 10 take cast OF his Majesty's
head; and this task, both as 10 the
features and the form of the skull, was per-
formed with perfect success. The counte-
nance of the dead Emperor was remarkably
calm, as if be had been merely asleep as In.
deed he may be said to have been when he
passed away; and, looking at the face alone,
It was hard 10 realize the stern TACT OF death.
The eyes were softly and TRANQUILITY closed,
and the whole aspect might have seemed 10
show, not only that he died without palm, but
that No such agony as he suffered during The
past weeks aud months had been endured.
The lines OF the countenance were not worn,
and the familiar visase, with the moustache
aud imperial untouched, was perfectly un-
changed. Physically speaking, the late En-
peror's frame was robust, and the chest espe-
c!ally was full and strong. The head was
very large, and the forehead particularly
prominent feature.
1t seems to be clear that though the death
FINN yUo dT1o In 10 nj