River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-12-19
EUGENIE'S EXIT.
Scene in the Empress Apartments
Previous to her Flight.

Under the title of ''Notes of 1S10,n
Senator Eugene Pelletan publish es in the
Paris Rappel some account of the scenes
in the Palace of the Tulleries at the time
of the Empress Eugenie's flight, which
are worth translating. He says, under
date Paris, September 5, 1870:
We only learned this morning Of the
Empress fight. She was good
enough to be frightened away. There
are in the Tuileries some state papers
and the crown diamonds. The Govern
ment OF the National Defense appointed
Durier and myself to see to their safety.
We found the gate closed and the palace
deserted. A Captain of the National
Guard was in command and was guard
ing it with bis company. He took us to
the Empress apartments. On entering
her dressing room we perceived an odor
of something burning. A heap of burned
paper was smoking still in the chimney
place.
Tins dressing room is quite long. II
would serve SIS 8 wash-room for a board
ing school. A narrow marble table &C
cupies the whole of one side, and sup
ports a whole pharmacy of pots and
phials. Il is a complete museum OF all
that the perfumers' art Las invented Of
pastes, powders, opiates, ereeses, oils,
beef's marrow and perfumed waters, in
termingled with brushes, pencils, pow
ders, pufs. chignons false hair; in word.
of ali the contrivances for woman who
gives the key note to fashion. and teaches
the world the art of rendering beauty
ridiculous. A certain number OF hats lie
all around: so many candidates for the
last head dress, successfully tried and re-
jected.
A guardian of the place, in green
cloak, was kind enough to initiate US III
the mysteries of this sanctuary of the
toilet. He pointed out large rosettein the
middle OF tine ceiling. When her Majesty
dressed or undressed, this opened like a
fan. A railroad in the story above bore
to the opening the mass of veivets or
laces indispensable to the circumference
of an Empress. An elevator respectfully
deposits this august fir cry in the dressing
room, and then removes the old clothes
that her Majesty has just put off.
In this dressing room the Empress
passed her last moments as q sovereign.
suited to the circumstances. Doubtless
she hesitated about the head arrange
ments. judging by the quantity of bonnets
scattered all about the cabinet. The
Empress talked great deal, which saved
her from reflection. She had said: II
shall not fail like Maria intoinettte.
shall be able rather to ride away on
horse back" Indeed she had remarkable
skill as horse-woman. But when the
time came to put her foot in the stirrup,
the blood rushed to her heart. and she
trembied, though no danger threatened
her. The people were moving peaceably
beneath her windows without looking up.
They had already forgotten the Empress
thew saw in her woman, and they passed
by III silence.
At that moment of departure she asked
for a cup of bouiJlon. She had not the
strength to take it. We found the cup
still full with a bit CT bread beside IT.
When she started TO go she could not
walk, and had to be supported. Her
loneliness frightened her. She looked
about Tor her War Minister: absent. Her
Minister of Marine gonel Her Perfect
Of Police: fed Every one for himself
sauce qui p6ltl Everything in disorder
the empire was to end.
The Empress's apartment is quite regal
She had it decorated by Chaplain in
the Boucher style. 1t is not altogether
dazzling: no more it is edifying. The
artist had painted on the frieze of the salon
the portraits of Cochonette, of TuTlurette,
of Dindnnette, and of Brichonette; but
do not assert positively the authenticity
of these They were the pet names OF
| the great ladies of the court, the favorites
of nearest intimacy.
| The room reserved for jewelsis alone d
complete jewelers. museum. There could
be seen all the known or novel speci
mems of pearls, brooches. aigrettes, diamond
necklaces. bracelets, pins, clusters, combs
all labeled aud shut in glass cases. He
Majesty had tho presence of mind to car
Try them of
She had established beside her bed
| room an oratory, a confessional, and,
believe. also an altar adorned with pro
fusion of relics. Beyond the oratory wa
her boudoir. 1t contained bookcase
/ inely carved, bat of small size. In j
i were more than hundred volumes, somi
devotional, and others OF doubtful piety
like the stories Of Boccaecio and tie tale
of Lafontaine. A foreign medical boob
shone among the amorous poems Of tn
| fabulist. We would have supposed tina
the sovereign had borrowed il from
medical specialist, if the imperial eagle
L stamped on the cover, had not told us tina
this suspicious book had the honor ut be
longing TO the Empress. 4 little work
thick a the nand. had attracted our at
gcntlon by the elegance OF IFS style !
d was the manuscript OF novel Of rathe
sprichtly style. The authority hai
signed this indecent thing. Your Mai
esty's Gown. The clown was Praspe
Merimee, senator, and member Of IL
French academy.