The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-08-15
WAS YOUNG NAPOLEON MARRIED ?-l
QUEER STORY.

A London letter says : Is II not enough
that the Prince Imperial should have been
killed Why must he be married too Are
there no limits to political hatred When
the Prince set out for Zululand there was
some talk about betrothsl to the Princess
Beatrice, and now lie Petit Lyonnais pub
fishes an extremely circumstantial and in
genious story to this effect. Act 1. Last
year about the close of the bathing season a
couple took lodgings at Bath (where nobody
ever goes to bathe be it observed) in Eng
land. The gentleman was young and look
ing like Frenchman whose vivacity had
been extinguished by an enfeebled consti-
tuition : the lady was tall, of light complex
ion, and spoke English with slight Ger
man accent. They had a nurse and child
three or four months old After week the
husband left Bath. He returned several
times to see his wife, on some occasions
wearing the uniform of an officer Of artil-
lery. They lived in strict secluson having
but one visitor, the priest of neihgboring
church. Act III. When the Zulus war
broke out the husband went to this priest
and said he was ordered to Africa family
reasons did not permit him to reveal his
name or avow his marriage would the
priest during his absence act as protector OF
his wife and child ? The good Father con.
sented, and when the news of the Prince I'M
perial's death was received, sent the paper
to the lady to cheer her up, as it were. She
read a few lines and promptly swooned
Act III. That same afternoon blonde
woman in deep mourning arrived at Chisel-
hurst (of course by specia! train from the
far west of England) and begged with tears
an audience Of the Empress. 1t was refus-
ed, but she had long interview with Faith.
er Goddard. Next day she came back, but
was still not admitted. Act w. Her dis.
appearance being noticed at Bath the priest
at that place was surprised, and, with the
well-known discretion of his order imme-
diately went into the public place and told all
he knew about this woman. But, said by
stander who must have come up by express
from Kent, chats precisely the description
VI tho NY otciious Woiudu ~ Ouisciuuts'. GU
both of them ran and brought photograph
of the Prince Imperial. The priest, immedi-
ately on seeing it cried: "That is the hus-
band Of this young woman" Could any.
thing be more interesting? 1t is reproach
to the Paris papers and to London CORES
pondent of our own Erening Post that it
should first have seen the light in penny
journal at Lyons. There are some facts, it
will have been observed, however, which it
is not easy to reconcile with its strict accu-
racy. Thus, people do not go to Bath to
take sea baths as we have hinted, among
other reasons, because the city of King
Bladud and Beau Nash is not on the sea.
Again, the Prince Imperial at the particular
season was making very extended tour on
the Continent. Thirdly, nobody ever saw
an Englishman in the uniform of an artil.
lery officer FIVE minutes after be was released
from duty. Fourthly, what earthly blonde
not an American could recover from swoou
get suit of mourning and travel from
Wiltshire into Kent by the same afternoonf
Filthy, how did the mixed company at
Bath hear all about her visit which WASH t
in the papers On the whole, the author o.
this tale deserves to be recognized as the
Lynn King of Gallo journalism.