The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-16

OF nobleman;" and on paper appended TO the
above was this brief statement, "Mme de MontiJo
is really what she asserts she Is, the wife OF the
Count OF that name, but the couple were virtually
divorced three years after marriage, and the
Countess processes TO live on her jointure OF
O,OOO francs year." The word ''professes" was
underlined in both notes and 1t is evident that
the authorities supposed that the foreign lady
Derived the larger share OF her in
come from the maintenance Of one Of
those private gambling saloons which have
at all times been common In Paris. Whether this
was the case or no need not be cOnjectured but
II the TACT were true. it would entail none OF the
discredit which attends the encouragement OF
gambling in other lands, seeing that the French
look upon games of hazard with q wOndrous re-
spect and affection. AS to the note about the
beauty OF Mme de Mohtijo's daughters, nothing
that could have been said on this head would have
been exaggerated, for they were both lovely to
an astonishing degree, and were, moreover,
known as
FAST GIRLS.
But not fast in any evil sense. They were well
guarded by their mother. and had all the virtues
and modesty of well bred young ladies; but they
rode good deal, dressed exuberantIy, and in the
nying excursions which they made now and then
to Spain they delighted in bull fights, masked
balls and other amusements OF q dashing KIND.
1t was during one OF those excursions that
being at "a bull fight one day. the two pretty
Montijo girls were seen by the Duke OF Alba
and this circumstance led to very romantic pas
sage in the life Of the future Empress OF the
French. The Duke of Alba was immensely rich
ana bore one OF the finest names in the kingdom.
He was also young, handsome, amiable and charm.
ing in every way, so that 1t was an exciting day
for the two sisters when he obtained an introduce
tiOn to their mother and began to visit at their
house with asstduiSy. He came every day and
would sit for hours and chat In the evenings he
came again, and whenever the MOntijos were to be
seen, whether at theatre, promenade or party,
there was the Duke OF Alba dancing attendance on
them and exciting fine storms of jealousy in the
breasts OF other Spanish young ladies who pinned
to pear his cOronet For a long time, however.
there was no telling which OF the sisters he pre-
ferred, and the point was only solved on the day
when he proposed to the eldest one Eugene,
who, perhaps loved the Duke. or who per-
haps had simply asptred after the manner
OF young ladies' all the world over to
make dazzling marriage. was cruelty
wounded by her disappointment. and in the first
burst OF her grief tried to commit suicide. You
will not find this little episode in official histories;
but 1t is a true one, nevertheless, and well known
to all who are versed III the private chronicles of
society. Eugene swallowed poison an antidote
was administered in time; but the drug left q
trace behind it in the shape of an occasional
twltching Of the mouth, which has not disappeared
to this day. Eugene could not then foresee
HER IMPERIAL DESTINY,
but the time was rapidly approaching when she
was to eclipse her sister IN way startling as 1t
was unexpected. Thanks to the wealth and rank
OF the Duke Of Alba the position OF the Montijos
was now very different to what it had been before
the marriage. The Countess was no longer obliged
to live in a third floor lodging OF second rate
street, nor to lay herself open to the
suspicion OF keeping q card saloon. She
set up sumptuously Tor time IN the Duke OF
Aba's house in Madrid, and in 1861, when she went
back to Paris, hired mansion in the Champs Ely
sees and became regular frequenter OF the parties
given by the President Prince Louis Napoleon, at
the Elysee. 1t should be mentioned that this re-
turn to Paris. which was to lead to such high
results had not been undertaken spontaneously
by the Countess, but had been in manner forced
upon her by her ducal sOn-in-law. The Duke Of
Alba liked to be master In his own house Mme de
Montijo, who had a fairly meddesOme and doni-
neering temper loved to be mistress too that the
Duke would have ended by leading difficult time
of it II he had not hit on the easy expedient
OF allowing his mother-in-law 100, 900 francs year
provided she would live abroad. This she did, as
above said in fine style, and her daughter Eugene
was enabled to appear everywhere dressed with
the grace and richness suited to her wonderful
beauty. 1t became marvel to everybody at
this time how a girl OF such attractions
as Mile. de Montijo remained so long with.
out finding q husband. She was twenty
five, and yet seemed in no hurry
whatever to be married. An English earl, an
American banker, young cousin OF the Duke Of
Aba's both wealthy and titled, all proposed to her.
a a onfE ran lima
q famous novelist who is still living But to all of
them Eugene said no." not heartlessly, but with
a firmly settled purpose, as il her good genius were
whispering to her that she would lose nothing BY
being patient. And so 1t befell that at a ball
given by the President at the Elysee, some nights
only before the coup d'etdt, Mile. Eugene met
HER FUTURE EMPEROR AND HUSBAND.
The manner Of meeting was somewhat romantic.
Louis Napoleon did not much care for the crush of
bathrooms, and he had chosen propitiOus moment
to escape with his friend, Edgard Ney, the Duke of
La MOskowa, into the Elysee gardens, when he
came suddenly upon a radiant, blushing girl,
who was trying to do up her hair alone,
opposite glass in the conservatory. Her
hair had come down during waltz, and the crowd
was too great to admit Of ner girls reaching the
ladies' dressing rooms so she had glided in here,
hoping to be unobserved. Louis Napoleon, seeing
her in this strait, CALAMITY gave her his arm and
led her round by the private apartments to the
dressing rooms in question, and from this day
there was mutual regard between the President
and the fair stranger. During the following
twelve months Nine. de Montijo and her daughter
were invited as guests at all the Presidential resi-
dences -Fontanebleau, COmpegne, st. Cloud-and
it escaped nobody that the Prince paid Mile.
Eugene an inordinate amount or attention. No
one supposed, however, that these attentions
could end in marriage, for the President having
performed his coup d'etat was on the point Of be-
coming Emperor and it was no secret that his
ambassador at Munich was trying to arrange a
match for BIN with q princess Of Bavaria The
King Of Bavaria refused to give away his relative
TO prince whom he styled an ''adven-
turer," ana then 1t was that Louis Napoleon.