The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-16
THE EMPRESS EUGENE.
The True story OF How Eugenie Became
Empress of France.

Paris Correspondence New York Tribune.l
Talking of the Empress Eugene reminds
me OF some errors which / found a short time
ago In a biographical sketch which appeared
of her in a London society journal. She used
not to go before her marriage to the parties
at st. Cloud, and Prosper Merlin e, the Sena-
tor alluded to by the biographer, never wooed
her to make her his spouse. He had been a
rival of Lord Clarendon at the card parties OF
the Countess de Montiio, at Madrid and Bay
onne, previous to the birth Of Mile. Eugene.
M. Prosper Merimee fiattered himself that
he stood in q very close blood relation to the
young lady, who, he thought, resembled him,
and was not in the least like the English
diplomatist. A stormy adventure at Bay
onne vas the indirect road by which Mile. de
Montijo reached the imperial throne. She
was In love with the Duke of Sesto, who loved
her sister, the Duchess of Alba, better, but
pretended to reciprocate the passion OF
Eugene, not to compromise the other
in her husbands eyes. The adventure
took place at Bayonne. When the be-
fooled girl discovered the Duo de Ses-
to's design, she determined to end her life
tragically. 80 she asked him on a hot day to
take a walk with her over the sand hills near
Bayonne. They returned to the mean lodging
inhabited by the Montijo family, thirsty and
fatigued. The future empress, anticipating
this, had prepared a bottle OF water and a
poisonous liquid used for securing copper
saucepans. She poured out a tumblerful OF it
and drank it rapidly. The duke did likewise.
Silence was kept by her for some moments.
and she then cried out, "We are undOnep
He suspected, from the taste Of the beverage,
it's corrosive qualities, and ran for a doctor:
The stomach pump was administered, and
doses of milk and melted butter. Both were
very ILL, but neither died. However, the au-
thorities getting wind Of the drama, ordered
an inves legation. The Judge OF instruction
entered by the front door. Mademoist lie
escaped by the court behind the house, got
into a ves el commanded by a distant relative
OF her n" Their, who hid her n took her to
England She went, TO remain until the scan
dai blew o or, in a school near Bath. Prince
Napoleon y. Is visiting his cousin Louis there,
and was int oduced to the pretty Spaniard.
The revolt ion of 1848 then happened. Eu-
genie went y ith her mother to Paris. The
Prince was { ut to Madrid as Ambassador.
Eugene follow 1 him. She also followed him
back to France when he was recalled. He In
troduced her H. the Prince-President in the
hope that by heI pretty face and lively man
ners she might tt,tain a degree OF influence
over him suffice It to prevent him looking
further for a spot 9 Of royal birth. When the
Princess Masa vas obliged by the Gar
Nicholas to refuse The ELECT Of the millions"
Prince Napoleon WIS more eager than ever 10
advance the fortunes OF Mile. Eugene, but
not to the extent that she, her mother and
Prosper Merimee hoped he would. The
Countess aud her daughter were invited to
som hunting parties at Compiegne. Per-
signy, Mocquard and Madame Hortense
Cornu penetrated their designs. 1t was agreed
| among them to thwart them. Prince Napoleon
was warned by them. He resolved to put his
foot down upon the Spanish ladies, and one
evening at dinner called out to Mile. de Mon
tito, 'Dis done, Eugene, to souviens-tu de la
joyeusete de notre vie q Madrid?" To address
a lady in France in the second person singu-
lar is a terrible affront. 1t was taken as a
| studied insult In this instance. The offended
beauty burst into tears and rose and LETT the
| room, followed by her mother. The Emperor
| fastened to join them, and unfortunately for
him and for France he was on terms sufti-
GENTLY familiar with them for them to VEN
ture upon making a scene, and reproaching
him with having by his attentions compro.
missed Eugene. Next morning he entered
the breakfast room where the %courtiers and
visitors awaited him. The young lady was
on his arm. He made q bow TO the company
took her by the hand, led her forward and
said: Gentlemen, salute your future EN-.
| pres" My authority is Hortense Cornu. ]
also had this version OF how Mime. de Monti
JOS daughter came to be Empress OF the
French from Gen. Mieroslawski, who had II
from Prince Napoleon.