The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-11-10
CHARLEAiaGNE'S TALIsMAN.

%hN
REPRESENTATION THROUGH THE sToR
M DAYS SUCCEEDING THE
FALL OF THE
SECOND EN-
- PRE-.
ssssss
It is understood that at the recent
Bonapartist council held at Arenen-
berg, in Switzerland, it was decided
that the Empress Eugenfe should
abdicate the regency which she has
held ever since her imperial husband
left Paris, in the bright summer
weather Of 1870, for the last time,
and. that the young Prince. Louis
Napoleon, who underwent in that IA
tai summer bis Baptism Of flre..,.
should take upon himself the respon-
Isibly leadership Of the imperial cause
of France. tsfs kYsds
Whatever the reason for this decis-
ion may be, it is quite certain, we
suppose, that the Empress Eugene,
so long as she lives, will continue to
exercise a great influence upon the
fortunes of the son and Of the party
which is SO openly and SO audacious-
ly laboring for his restoration to the
throne of France. Our readers,
therefore, will read with interest, we
are sure, an account which has been
forwarded to US from England of a
visit recently paid by an English
woman of position and Of intelligence
to the dethroned and widowed lady,
who for SO manv years commanded
the admiration and the homage, not
of her own sex and of her own coun-
trymen only, but Of both sexes and of
all civilized peoples.
The Empress has for some time
past been living at Arenenberg,
where the Third Napoleon possed SO
many years Of his life with lis moth
or, the lovely and unfortunate Queen
Hortcnsc. Arenenberg is charming
chateau standing a little of the di-
rect road from Schafhausen to Con-
stance. 1t was sold in lS43, after
the death of Louis Bonaparte, ex-
king Of Holland, to a citizen Of Neu-
enberg, for $4,000 forms, and in
1866 this citizens heirs sent to
Paris and sold there its fine collec-
tions Of pictures and works Of art,
and many souvenirs Of the First
Napoleon.
This led the Emperor Napoleon III
to re purchase the estate, and it now
belongs to his son. The ex- Empress
{ who always, by the way, alIudes to-
the disasters of 1870 as ''the events")
has passed her autumns at Arenen.,
berg ever since the end of the Fran
co-German war. The chateau stands
b u Z .
on bill nearly 1900 feet in height,
anu commands a lovely view over the,
upper valley Of the Rhine. The
house is furnished now with perfect
simplicity, the only splendor any
where kept up being about the chapel
of the chateau, the altar furniture of
which is decorated with ancient and
very costly trees.
In this chapel is kept the "Golden
Rose sent by his Holiness Plus TX
some years ago to the Empress, then
reigning at the Tulleries. This
Mystic Rose,' by the way, is rather
q rose tree than a rose, and is won
derful piece Of goldsmith's work. It
bunch Of roses with buds
and leaves, the whole about twelve
inches in height, being set in an an
tiqne vase of exquisite pattern,
with bassi.reliece Of scenes
in the life Of Plus TX. The roses,
the leaves, the vase, are all Of the
purest gold, chiseled with delicacy|
and freedom and force worthy the
best ages and schools of art. The
vase is set upon base oflapis-lazuli,
is enriched with alternate medallions
in gold Of the papal and the imperial
arms, and in its turnis supported on
four small steps of lapis-lazuli. OIL
course the ex-Empress sets the high
est value on this precious memorial
Of her sovereign days, and Of the IA
vor with which the head Of her
church then, as now, regarded her,
alike as a woman and a sovereign.
Equally treasured with the s.Golden
Rose," however, is the Craftsman of
Charlenb agne," curious souvenir Of
the two greatest Princes who ever
swayed the destinies Of modern
Europe.