The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-04-16
"Prince AIewratt,'' of Bors.entown.

A great many people OF middle age, or
perhaps we should say Of old age, who are
living IN Burlington and Mercer counties,
in New Jersey, may have been interested in
the cable dispatch printed in this paper
yesterday announcing the death Of Prince
Lucien Charles Joseph Francois Napoleon
Murat. He IS remembered by them as
"Prince Mewratt," q follower OF Joseph
Bonaparte, eX-King OF Spain, who. under
the name of the Comte de- Survilliers, estab-
lished a home Just outside the village
Of Bordentown long years ago, and
who is we'll remembered by the survi-
vors, now very few in number, OF Il genera
ton of Philadelphians, each individual OF
which we are apt to distinguish rs "gentle-
man Of the old school," Lucien Murat was
a handsome, Jolly, fat, Falstafian, gossipy
prince, who, when he was young man, had
be near his uncle, Joseph Bonaparte, and to
be ready to go with the family when its old
reliable Destiny should call it to France. But
Destiny called his uncle Joseph away from
America, and then to another world, over
forty years ago, and left the iovial Lucien to
take care of himself at Bordentown. He had
no visible means OF support, and probably
never earned an honest penny in his life.
But be had lovely, brave-hearted Ameri-
can wife, who opened q school for girls in
the village by which to support family Of
pretty girls and boys, and who used to play
the organ in the little Episcopal church OF
the village, for she came OF good old
Protestant family of Scotch descent living
in Charleston, S. c., and has never aban-
doned her old faith, even when recognized
in the court Of the Second Empire OF
France rs her Highness the Princess Murat.
While the good lady was thus struggling
to maintain her family, the Prince, her
husband, was 'EhaYing good time ~ at
Bordentown, or Trenton, or Mount Holly.
or burlington, or somewhere on the road,
and not unfrequently in Philadelphia.
He was an early example Of the Micawber
and Kelley school OF inanciers. He be-
licved in debts, and in paying an account
with due-bill, the due-bill with note OF
hand, the note OF hand with check on a
bank that had no funds, or with asythlng
else-convertible, or inconvert.ble, OF inter-
conyertible-th did not involve cash and
allowed interest to be compounded Until
the accumulation grew to proportions OF
such stupendous dignity as to put payment
out of the question. Antiquaries and auto
rraph.hunters can no doubt find many sou
,,erirs OF this Jolly son Of the eX-king OF
Naples in old ledgers and old files OF out
laWed paper that still exist in old inns, livery
stables, or stores in the parts Of New Jersey
that used to be honored by bis festal visits.
But Destiny served "Prince Mewratt" "
good turn at last, for when Louis Napo-
leon got France into his bands all his
relations flocked thither, his cousin Luclen
NIurat going to him with all his family,
which was not small one. He was made
senator of the Empire, and he and all OF
them became AHeSses Inperiates, with not
only precedence of all the old-fashioned
nobility, but with magnificent allowances
from the Treasury of France. His sons and
daughters made splendid marriages, and
all went we'll with the Prince till the Bona
parte destiny, which is a tickle kind OF
fate, knocked over the second Empire as 1t
had the first, and sent the Murats adrltt
again, but with their pockets well hlled
from the stcalings Of the imperial regime.
Some OF the sketches of the now deceased
Prince Lucen that were made for publlca-
ton during the second empire have tried
to eXalt him rs statesman, diplomat, anu
even as a soldier But those who knew him
best know that he was nothing more than
lazy, Jolly, good fellow, who acted as II the
world owed him living, even If it came
by The labor Of devoted, Woodworking
but neglected wife.-Phitadelphta Bultetan.
DEATH IN THE DISH -CLoTH.-If the dish
oln,h, ,ro hionly ond stiff md smell like, d