The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-19


such occasions were not numerous when
compared with State receptions, for they |
were rarely Composed of more than aI
hundred persons. Such an assembiage
never took, place in the great salonsue-
voted to pageants. These required a
thousand people to make them look AMI
mated There were four rooms over
looking the Seine, which were especially
reserved for these somewhat informal
gatherings. In one room people talked
and chatted; the second was card-room,
(short whist was only allowed for a mod
crate stake, in the third they danced, and
in the fourth room there was a buffet,
constantly renewed with tea, coffee, choc-
olate, and the most delicate viands. A
crush of servants was not thought to be
in good taste, as likely to deprive the
guests of that freedom which the En-
press SO much liked. Fairly familiar
with England, Eugene often used the
word "cozy" to express the characteristic
she desired at these reunions. People
played even childish games there, with
forfeits, where preposterous penalties
we're occasionally, in vogue. Let 1t De
said to-day'in honor of this unfortunate
lady, that there never was more deco
rous woman than the Empress, nor one
who strove harder tolrepress the profilgate
tendencies Of the Empire. These private
parties had the decorum of the English
drawing-room, with just that delightful
spice of elegant freedom which well-bred
French men and women possess, and
which is irrepressible. Titled people
made up the majority Of the guests, but
there was always present the literary and
artistic elements. You would not lind
there the last novelist, who had just
awakened to find himself famous, or the
artist whose picture was just then the
talk of Paris; certain discrimination
was necessary. If the Princes Of Bohe-
mia had pleasant manners, and we're not
too independent, and had shown the
slightest sympathy for the Imperial con-
dition Of things, invitations to these
private receptions were not withheld.
There we're no cliques or coteries. Those
questions of politics which are ever kept
up at burning heat in, Paris were es-
chewed. The Empress had requested
that such topics should be excluded. It
was to be neutral ground. People then
talked of books, pictures, and gossiped.
There never was preponderance OF any
foreign element, save the Spanish one
and that gave gravity. 1t has been told
, with an attempt at naturalness, that on
one special evening, in order to try what
would be the effect Of it, the guests were
requested to drop titles. Dukes ant
Princes came there without their orders
and were addressed, as were the ladies
by their simple family names, withou
= the adjuncts Of M. le Due or M. le Prince
. 1t has been reported that the evenin
|, was delightful one, but the Emperor
o heard Of it, was Mortified, and had fol
9 hidden its repetition, remarking tina
''France must not the repeat the mar
n ners of Queen Anne's time, and tha
e a Mrs. Morley and Mrs. Freeman woul
t not be in keeping with the exigencies {
r the Imperial Court or its traditions.
If, at about half-past nine, the Empre'
l. made her appearance, her coming ws
u announced by the most silvery-toned {
It ushers. AS to the Emperor, h
visits to the private reunion OF h
|. wife were exceptional. If he came, /
,e might stay half hour. Of course, whe
the Empress entered there was silen'
,e for a moment, but after that all was hu
bub again. She made it point to 6
If from group to group, and throw off a
,r appearance of formality. At the tin
is described - in 1864 - the Prince
W Mathilde was often present at these r
is unions, as was Madame De Metternicl
Il If the Princess Mathilde was the han'
somer of the two women, Princess Me
"a ternich was the more elegant, and WI
h decidedly the more spirituelle. The
a. was, however, somewhat Of an assum
or ton Of bonhommie about the Austris
le lady, which was not to be too much r
,e lied upon. For singing reply, uttert
in an apparently good-natured way, 81
ar had no equal. 1t was a woman's swo
D she welded. 1t never slashed, but h
e wit had sharp point, with cold glitt
about it. Usually, however, she W
e. good natured, and occasions to snub we
IS. only INDUCED in at the expense Of the
who assumed too much on their ran
"a With her equals she was pleasant, thou
rarely wandering much beyond t
ad beaten path Of conventional talk. !
re- people liked her better than did t
French artists. She had the keenest 6
ad probation Of talent, and to talk wi
sss authors or painters was her special
ch light. By many of the frivolous, s
was thought nothing more than gre
us lady, with those cool and distant ms
ss' ners which, in their Chinese exclusi'
= ness, are peculiar to the Austrian not
Ter ity. With the worldly she could mou
on another globe, and, apparently
volving in a higher sphere, treat them
if she belonged to distant planet. E
,to those who accused her Of futility alo
an made a grievous mistake. She was