The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-04-22
THE EMPRESS EUGENE.

The EMPRESS EUGENE.
Olive Harper Interviews the French En-
| press in Bed-A Highly Interesting
London Correspondence New York Graphic. !
camden House is low, wide structure
WIN French windows that open out on
t0e lawn. / am not sire, but IL seems to
me thatit Is all on the ground floor. /
did not see any staircase, nor do | recol-
lect of having seen any up stairs windows.
The house is completely embowered with
/ trees.
Reaching the door, descended, aided
by solemn footman, dressed in deep
mourning, with large Grape bound upon
his arm. The carriage can drive up to the
very door, and you enter at once in a
sniali dark oak hall, where the fleor is
bare polished wood. There are two or
three large cases of solid-looking wood in
the hall, carved In fantastic patterns, that
might be sideboards or tOmbs. Turning
10 the left, the solemn foOtman ushered
me through two heavy doors, placed about
a foot apart, into the receptien-room.
Somehow, when one thinks of a King or a
Queen or any one having to do with roy
slty. one thinks instinctfvely of gorgeous
displays and elegant surroundings, but
you become undeceiyed on seeing the re-
ception-room Of the Empress Eugene.
The room is some eighteen feet square,
and the ceiling Is high. One window
opens out upon the lawn, dressed with
chlniZ curtains. A large round table
stands in the center, with an ordinary red
cover. A portfolio lay upon it. There
were dozen old-fashioned chairs, covered
/ with faded chints. and one easy chair
close 20 the wide-open chimney, where a
! bright wood fire burned, and these. with
one fire-screen completed the furniture of
the room. Two paintings hung, one be-
side the fireplace and over the easy chair,
/ representing an old-fashioned scene,
where the dance was at its height, and
where each face is one well known in
/ history. The other hung so in the shade
/ | could not see it.
While making this survey Of the barely
! furnished room and its comfortlesS aspect,
| the door opposite me. in the corner by the
chimney, opened, and the Countess de
4 Ciary came in and saluted me, and, seat
/ ing herself beside me, began to speak in
I French. She is a small and not over hand
some woman, but with a very intelligent
and pleasing face. She is very vivacious,
and in ten minutes had asked me some
fifty different questions. | waited, for |
thought if her Majesty would see me it
was not my place to hurry her, and hard
ly knew if should ask for her, or wait TO-
her to send for me anyhow. After while
the countess said:
-" You would like to see her Majesty ?"
Ireplied that had come with that hope.
and then, smiling, she went out the same
door, and the Duchess of Malakoff aud her
pretty daughter came in and chatted few
moments. The most of their conversation
was that they did not like England-it is
too tyiSts and cold and foggy. They COM
plimented me on the impression my little
attention and verses had made upon her
Majesty.
ROYALTY RECEIVING AN AMERICAN IN BED.
Presently the Countess de Clary came
and told me that her Majesty, being slight
ly indisposed. had kept her bed that day,
but if [ would excuse her being in bed she
would receive me there. | followed
through a small room, furnished in as poor
l manner, where her Majesty sits most of
her time at work embrOidering or reading
Or writing, into a rather larger room,
where her Majesty lay in bed. A bright
Z fire made the room look cheerful and
pleasant. The bed is much nicer piec
of furniture than any thing else in the
house, and is handsomely hung with silk
curtains. Her Majesty lay there among
the pillows, decked with a dainty little
white lace cap with blue ribbons, and
handsome night-dress rich with lace and
embroidery and tied at the throat with
blue tie. A tiny table held cup of choc-
Olate and a silver tray of bO1lbonS, while
another little table held a draught board,
with the men in position, which showed
that she had been playing.
Her Majesty smiled on seeing me. and
%s.l.1 L..
speaking, saying that she had been very
much touched by my delicate flattery.
| seated myself before her and remarked
well each trait in her still lovely visage
the while she spoke. She made two or
three remarks upon the disagreeable
weather, and finally asked me why |, be-
ing an American, felt such an interest in
things not pertaining to republic. l
told her that in wOman's heart there are
two sentiments more deeply ingrafted
than love of forms of gOvernment-sym-
pathy for misfortune and admiration for
courage and true wOmanhoOd.
She smiled, and then said:
" 1Ou have just come through France,
you say; what do you think of France as
a republic?'
replied that, although France was an
apparently successful republic, it was only
upon the surface, and that in reality it
was failure; that Frenchmen are not
made of the right stuff for republicans.
They lack that fixed purpose and firmness
of character that our republi-
cans have, and that same lightness of ma
ture does not let them study to the foun-
dation the principles they advocate, and
which if they understood they would not
wish, for they entail too many sacrifices.
In. 90, 1..-1,N
and selfish and gay to ever be republicans,
and if the men are not, how can the cOun-
try be a republic?
Her Majesty looked thoughtful, and fin
ally said:
"SOyou think France cannot exist as
a republic?"
replied, NO"
She then continued:
But | would like to understand why
France cannot be republic when we all
see that America IS"
| replied that France could be a republic
were il not that her people are not repub-
leans in any sense of the word. Also. a
republic is born, not made. Our republi-
cans who nodded our Government went
into a wilderness with an ak in hand, and
hewed out and built up, little by little,
that structure that even monarchs admire.
No people who have always loved and
reyered one ruler or another can ever bow
to an impersonal, vague thing that seems
TO them a bare fact, shorn of all the pomp
and pageant and Of the presence of royalty.
Frenchmen's hearts crave beauty and gilt
ter-an idol for whom to die; certain,
real, beautiful and glorious actuality that
they can zee; not chamber full of men
like themselves, who present no one of the
qualities which charm his heart.
Her Majesty looked at the Countess de
Clary and smIlingly said
II never heard this question better