The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-01-28
COnniepna.


A writer on social life in France I'm
der Napoleon III, says " Whatever
the Interior ideas of the guests, there
were 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 a host. He combined the French
courtesy and tact with an English ease
and absence of ceremony. He addressed
his guests with unaffected cOrdiality,
and without any visible condescension.
If there was anything in you at all, he
did not converse with you in court COM
monplaces, 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 we're admitted at all
vouehed for their shrewdness and capac-
ity /; at least, they must be abreast of
the ideas of the age. 1t was the most
accomplished diplomatists who were
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 cO7lfreres without ceremony,
ventilating in an off-hand way matters
of European importance. Clever wri-
tiers found themselves at home with
brother author of decided literary tastes,
even if they had not made their pens
politically useful or formidable. Bril-
liant cG1tSe1tTS 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
we're 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, aud the director of the cell
lars arranged the cYus, that might be
worthy of the master of Champapne.
Burgundy, and the Gironde. But there
was no osteutation 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 espee-
lal distinction the more distinguished
of the guests. The party separated at
an early hour, the formalities were over,
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 smoklng-rOom. So at breakfast.
You had your coffee in your room. and
assembled before noon to meet your i'm
peTial hosts at the dejeotneT. 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 IN Europe. There were CIR
rlages 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
MOnGrQlIe. For that, we repeat, was
the fascination of the life at Compiepne.
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, but
for independent males or people of afiu-
ence it leftvery little indeed to desire. /"