The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-12-30


was not the only woman of Martinique
who left the island to share a throne
Even more romantic than her story is that
of Aimee Dubuc' dc ,Rivery. We can
give it only ip outline. On gentle slope
of high mountain near Fort dc France,
the summit of which is more than four
thousand feet above the level of the sea,
was in former years very valuable sugar
estate, the property of NJ. Dubuc de Riv-
cry. He was the possessor of considera.
BILE wealth, and bad formerly been an of.
ficer Of distinction in the French army
In the year 1776 his daughter Aimee
was born. At an early age she was sent
to the convent Of the ladies of the Visi.
tation at Nantes, France. AT this estab
lishment she received a finished education,
and wasconsidered one of the most beau.
tiful and accomplished ladies of her time.
At theage Of eighteen she was sent for
by her parent. Under the care of her
governess lady of mature age and ca.
pabilities, she embarked in 1894 ,on board
French ship for her native land. When
they had proceeded as far as the island of
Majorca the vessel was attacked and cap.
tured by pirate, and Aimee Dubuc de
Rivery and her governess were taken
prisoners and conveyed to Algicrs. Here
she was separated from her governess and
sold as slave to the Dey, who had be.
come enamored.of her beautiful person.
Although she was surrounded at this time
with all the luxuries of magnificent
Eastern establishment, she refused to be
attired in the costume of the harem. and
successfully resisted all the advances and
opportunities which the Dey practiced to
obtain return of his love.
In order to crafty feeling of revenge
and to ingratiaie himself in the good
graces of his sovereign, the Dey Of AL.
giers sent our young heroine as present
to Selim ILL.,, Sultan of Turkey. At the
seraglio her modesty, beauty, aud accom-.
plishmeuts gained for her the love and re.
spect Of her companions. among whom
were BE flower of the youth and beauty
of Geolrgia and Circassia
Rea izing the fact that she was in po.
sition from which it was impossible to
extricate herself, and obeying the natural
instincts of lovely woman who possessed
the accomplishment of music and voice
Of great sweetness, she participated in
the amusements Of her fellow prisoners,
and endeavorcd to excel them.
Upon one occasion, when she was sing.
ing and accompanying herself on the
harp, the Sultan, who had never before
seen or heard OF her, happened to pass
near the apartment appropriated to music.
His attention was arrested by sweet,
plaintivc, cultivated voice, entirely new
to him, singing melodiously solo from
an opera with which he was familiar. He
was deeply interested, and on seeking out
the owner OF the voice he was so amazed
and entranced with her modesty and beau.
ty that he tenderly inquired into her his
tory. Her replies affected him to such a
degree that he determined to make her
/, his Sultana, and after several interviews
communicated to her his intention The
gentleuess and reserve with which he ap.
preached her and his great personal beau.
ty worked on her heart, and she soon
came to entertain feelings of love for
him. She was in short time proclaimed
Sultan Valid.
On the death Of Selim Ill. her son,
Mahmoud H., was proclaimed the reign
ing sovereign of the Turkish empire. The
blood of his mother which coursed through
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