The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-12-07
A ROYAL sIBYL.

e
A reporter Of the Mercury, having learned
that Mdlle. Louise Lenormand. the French
fortune-teller. and only daughter Of her still
'ore famous Muther, Adele Lenormand.
was in he city, called upon her at the resi-
dei.ce OF her cousin, ON Blpecker street. Hi
was usleretl Into the presence of a little wo-
nan OF fnrty-fiye, dressed in the most taste
fnl style; of the polished manners Of tru'
Parisirnne. and speaking the most elegant
French.
'Iou ask if T nave cnme to America tl
prictice my profession ~ she said. ''Mo,
Dieu. no, shall never att, mpt to predict
the future any more. Ny experiences ia
France since 1870 have been most CALLING
Prior to the declaration of war against Pru>
s in 1870, was frequently consulted by
both he Emperor Napoleon and the En-
press Eugene. mplored them not to pre-
cipitate such war. [ told the Emperor that
it would be disastrous; that he would lose by
it his crown and his life. He seemed deeply
impressed, and asked me, ''Shall [ fall OF,
the field OF battle?" 'Ah. no, sire, l re-
piled; you will die in exile He buried his
face in his hands and, for long time, re.
! manned absorbed in thought. AT last he
raised his head. His face was liyid. His
| eyes seemed even more sunken and leaden
| than usual. Has my star set?' he asked in
Il husky voice. I could not help bursting
into tears, for he locked the very picture OF
utter despair and mental prostration. He
did not say another word, but with unsteady
gait left my room.
/ "Mdlle. Leaormand,' asked the reporter,
''do you believe that the Inflated Emp ror
had full faith in your powers OF foreseeng
the future?". ''Had he ?" she replied. with
a smile Of conscious pride. s'He had good
reason to believe in our wonderful powers.
Why, had the Bonapartes followed my grand
MOTHER my mother, and poor me, they
might still be the rulers OF France. My
grandmother implored Napoleon the First
not to 60 to Russia i'll 1912. But he did go,
believing in his star. Previously she had
foretod to the Empress Josephine her i'm
y, ndlng divorces. Again, in 1915, my grand
mother predicted the disaster # Waterloo
He saw her in Pals after his flight from
that dreadful field Of battle, and. In a voice
broken with sobs, he expressed his regrets
at not having followed her advice. The
Bourbols, after their restoration, prosecuted
my grandmother. My g andmother Gied in
| 1923. My mother had inherited her powers.
| When King Charles the Tenth, in 1924, was
crowned at Rheims be was so elated that he
sent u state-carriaye to Paris for my mother.
Mime. Lenormand,' lie said to her, they tell
me that you are q clever sootllsayer. Now,
can you tell me how long I shall remain
King of Francs?' My mother replied, Sire,
you will lose your crwwn i'll $780, DO you
mean to say, asked the King, visibly dis
concerted by her answer, that 1 shall die in
1902 No, sre,' she rejoined, lin that year
| you will be driven from France into exile.
He put no other questions. but pledxed. my
mother to the most rigorous secrecy in re
gard to the matter. The royal family Of
Louis Philippe patronize,l Ler, and that mon
arch frequently turned my mothers predc-
lions to account. But Guzot pooh poohed
| my mothers prophecies and used his whole
influence to ruin her. He caused several
abandoned women to assume my mother 5
| name. and to set up as fortune-tellers. He
also hired Il scribbler to get up a book, pub
| lished annually, and entitled, 'rhe Proplie-
| nj. ~ nj
! piled to the Counts for relief, but, through
the influence Of the Government. she lost
| her suit. The modification in cons quence
of all this affected her so deeply that sh.
died early in 1924, having previously pre-
dicted the death of the Duke Of Orleans. l
! succeeded her. Months before Louis PHI
lippe fell, knew it. When Louis Napoleon
came to Paris he came to me. | told him
he would be Emperor. He acknowledged
that he thought was right. He sent all his
atherents, especially the female relatives Of
| the latter, to me for ADVICE"
SLOW do you have these visions Of the
future, Mile. Lenormand?" "Ah, monsieur,
would to God had never had one - she re-
piled, in sombre tone. sometimes ii
seerus to me to lie IN the air, it begins to OPP
press ME; sink into sort Of letharsy, ant
then the strangest visions rise up before me
/ see the carnage Of hostile armies OH the
battlc-feld>; see deatIl.beds Of illustriou,
persons, councils OF state engaged in the SO
luton of momentous diplomatic problems;
see crowned ladies clasped in the arms Of
their guilty paranours. and everything i'm.
pressed itself SO wildly upon my mind that
when awake l can write down the most in
significant details OF what saw. But re-
main otherwise Frustrated for days, and Of
ten for weeks. You must bear in mind thai
it is no triding thing for poor, weak wo
man like me to witness the horrible scenes
Of a field OF battle. shall never forget the
death Of poor Espinasse at Solferino. Hi
wife had frequently consulted me. She was
one Of the ladies Of honor of the Empress
Eugenie. While the battle Of Solfelino wa.
in progress, Nine. ESpinasse, accompanie,
by a deeply lied lady, came to my house
| was IN 4 state Of lethargy. l witnessed thu
whole battle in my tral.ce. Suddenly saw
a general fall from his horse, and wr;the il
ln,lcscribable agony on the ground. l ha.
seen that man before. I recognized Gen
Espinasse! Two inmates afterwarl he wa,
dead. Shocked beyond measure awoke
My maid usllered in Nine. Espinasse and h-l
vailed companion. could not help utter
e cry of horror as caught sight of the
former lady. She became at once dreadful
ly alarmed. "What do you know about the
warp" she asked anXiously. SIS my h,s
band, the General, safe 20 shook my head
''Hcayens," she shrieked, sis he dead 2" :.
am afraid he Is lreplied. With Il cry o.
despair she threw herself into the arms O
the vailed lady. "Ah. your Majesty" sin
moaned, II thought 500 The vailed lad,
was the Empress. had sect her before
but never met her face to face. She drew
her vail back, and wanted to know MOI,
about the battle. told her all knew. Ii
her excitement she tainted away. Next da,
the telegraph fully confirmed my vision.
often met the Empress afterwards. SIN