Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1879-04-22
The Late Madame Bonaparte.

DIR. Mackenzie, whose "reminiscences
Of Madame Bonaparte are very interest
ing, and who spent an hour or more
with her each evening for many years
prior to her death, visited her remains
Sunday night, In accordance with
promise he had made her that she should
not be buried alive, of which she had
nervous dread. Some time ago she
asked the late Prof. Nathan X. Smith If
he would not use his surgeons knife Oh
her before burial, that it might be made
an absolute certainty she was not alive
when committed to the grave. In reply
to an inquiry DIR. Mackenzie told her a
few days before her. death that Prof.
Smith was dead, but that he would see
that she was not buried before life was
extinct. .........
Madame Bonaparte frequently spoke
of her hard lot, being the wife ola King
and going about like II clark from bank
to bank and from brokers' otllcetO bro
ker's Office, making her Investments and
attending to her spec,llations, She said
she never put her eggs all In one BASKET,
bit made, only such adventures as woltsd
not cntangle her II they failed. She
spoke frequently of her association with
bady Morgan, Gortsehakoif, llaniartine,
and other distinguished contemporaries.
She said her petite figure and appear
ance had gained her many friends in her
European travels, and that had she been
of larger statue she would not so readily
have excited the sympathies OF those
with whom sllc,came in. Jcojhact. Gort-
schakotf, she said, dad tohp her OH one
occasion that she wns possessed of more
fincssc than any woman he had ever
met. I o. 'Luri 'I1 ..I
Madame Bonapartc often spoke of say
ing her prayers nightly. She always
prayed, she said, for grace to forgive her
enemies, but added that 1t never came to
her. She said she considered herself Il
Presbyterian, but that, like the rest of
world, she knew nothing of the hcreaf-
ter, and that II was all u great mystery.
After the fall of the Emperor Napolc-
on and the dethronemcnt of jerome
Madame Bonaparte thought 1t possible
that her husband might, in the event OF
his coming to this country, set up a
claim TO her property, and ms IN those
days u woman's right to hold property
was not 80 well protected ms now, she
applied to the Legislature of Maryland
for u divorce, which was granted
Since that time she used only the name
of Patterson, and all her business was
done under the name of Elizabeth Pat
terson. She stated few days before
her death that she hated the name OF
jerome.
She was u woman of the closest eco
nomical habits, but what she bought
was always of the best quality. She
used candles IN preference to gas, be-
cause they were cheaper and because
she was afraid Of the gas on account oil
accidents that might occur and from
any possible injurious effect upon her
complexion and health. There was
never any carpet upon her chamber
floor, because they were not healththy.
She had a dread of being robbed, and
kept nothing about her or In her apart
mcnts to attract robbers. Shewas cold
calculating, aud all she did was with a
motive, and done automatically.
She had onyafev minutes talk with
her grandson, Col. jerome Bonaparte,
and TINT on the morning Of his first visit
TO her. She told him that rank and roy
atty were at rpn egli tbat, IN twenty
years there wouldbe 10 kings or king
toms IN Europc; that the masses were
tired Of being taxed to support courts
etc. and advised him TO keep clear Of
any .entanglcments- to put the Prince
Imperial OH the throne. suttn