The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-01-22
Conniepna.

Il writer on social life IN France I'm
der Napoleon III, says Sc Whatever
the Interior ideas of the guests, there
we're few pleasanter country houses
than Compiegne. The entertainers pro-
vided every luxury, and then they
left visitors much to their own devices.
Partly, perhaps, owing to his cosmopol-
itan education and his long residence
IN England, Louis Napoleon was perfect
as host. He combined the French
courtesy and tact with an English ease
and absence of ceremony. He addressed
his guests with unaffected cordially,
and without any visible condescension.
If there was anything in you at ali, he
did not converse with you in court COM
naonplaces, but went straight to some
subject that had any interest for both.
The society was the most agreeable Eu-
rope could assemble, and although you
must show title of some kind to enter
it, talent was made at least as welcome
as rank. The members of the regular
imperial circle were clever men, as a
rule. That they were admitted at all
vouched for their shrewdness and capac-
ity at least, they must be abreast of
the ideas Of the age. It was the most
accomplished diplomatists who were
deputed to the charge of the interests
of their countries at this sparkling cen
tire of political life. Foreign ministers,
like Prince Gortschakoff and Lord Clar-
endon, made it convenient to meet their
French c0TlfTeTeS without ceremony,
ventilating in an off-hand way matters
of European importance. Clever wri-
tiers found themselves at home with a
brother author of decided literary tastes,
even if they had not made their pens
r 4 II ID Il
liant cG1Eseltr8 sparkled naturally in
contact and keen rivalry. The women
must be agreeable if they were to hold
their own where the leaders of the ton
were as witty and vivacious as the
Princess Metternich and Nine. de Pour
tales. There were state and pomp
enough, but they were all kept in the
background +; they were matters, of
course, like the grand staircases and
the gOrgeously decorated apartments.
Carriages were in waiting for the guests
at the railway station, where they ar
rived by train which deposited them
in time for dinner. The major-domo,
or groom of the chamber, ushered them
to their rooms. OF course, ample time
was allowed for dressing, when ladies
were got up like elaborate works of art
inspired by the demon of caprice, if not
the genius of beauty. Then came the
dinner, when the table was covered with
all the delicasies of the season where
chefs of reputation asserted the suprem-
acy of the first school of cookery in
the world, and the director of the cell
lars arranged the crlLs, that might be
worthy of the master of Champagne,
Burgundy, and the Gironde. But there
was no ostentation of fuss, however
much thought and study might have
gone to the arrangements. In the even
ing the emperor and empress mixed
with the company, treating with espec
ial distinction the more distinguished
OF the guests. The party separated at
an early hour, the fOrmalities were ever,
and you were left in liberty hall. You
were the master IN your own apartments,
or you might make your party at cards
or billiards, or adjourn for easy talk in
the smoking room. So at breakfast.
You had your coffee in your room, and
assembled before noon to meet your i'm
perial hosts at the deje1tner. Any dress
was admitted there, and you dressed In
accordance with the way you intended
to amuse yourself. The stables were
full of horses, and the emperor had the
finest stud ia Europe. There were car-
riages of all kinds In abundance, and In
the season there were keepers and dogs
at your service, to say nothing of those
grand GLASSES which revived with even
greater splendOr the historic glories of
Fontainebleau in the time of the Grand
MOnGrQ1te. For that, we repeat, was
the fascination of the life at Compiegne.
There was a union of more than impe-
rial luxury with the easiest and most
independent existence. The way of life
might be hard on the wives of poor
men who had to dress and jewel them
selves up to their social privileges, hut
for Independent males or people of aflu-
ence it leftve little indeed to desire. 4"