Louisiana capitolian., 1881-11-12
4 Story Of Empress Elgelie.

always managed to keep the different
members Of the Bonaparte family en-
broiled. Their chief effort was to
keep the Empress embittered against
Plon-Plon and Plon Plon against her.
1t isonly fair to admit that the orlean-
lists never made any mistake about
Napoleon III and his cousin Plon-
Plon. 1t is only fair to admit that the
orleanist never made any mistake
about Napoleon III and bis cousin
PlonPlon. He always rated as the
more brilliant of the two men. His
speeches jn the senate proved this
long after the Orleanists had given it
as their opinion. 1t was to keep the
empire from having the hearty sup
port of a man so strong that every
means was taken to SOW disseDtions
between the Empress and her hus-
bands kinsman. Between the EN-
press Eugene and Plon-Plon there has
always been a mortal hatred. AL
most from the first the prince strove
to ALLEVIATE the Emperor's' affections
from the lovely Spaniard. But her
rigid virtue, her matchless cleverness.
her boundless dominion over her hus-
band, made this next to impossible.
Once, however, he succeeded in shak-
ing the emperor's confidence. All
feminine Paris, or rather court circles,
was in a tumult about u supurb young
Italian member ofthe embassy in Par
is. This young man was observed to
be indifferent to all the alluring Of the
married female rakes of court. He
appeared at the festivities pensiye,
moody, languishing. His dark liquid
eyes followed the vision of lovellness
that Eugenie then presented. 1t was
at once whispered that he was amor
Gus Of the Empress. Plon-Plon soon
heard the story. He was powerful in
the Italian embassy. He set one of
the young Counts comrades on the
watch. This comrade soon discover
I'd letter written to the Empress beg
ging for an interview. From that
moment the youth was Dever lost
from sight a moment. Relays Of spies
kept him in sight by day and night.
AT last the schemers were rewarded.
One of Engenie's lackeys visited the
young man. He frightened up as if
a new man. The Empress had given
him a rendezvous. Plon-Plon went
Immediately to the Emperor. Napo-
leon, incrednlous but agitate1. con-
sented to visit the Empress wing of
the palace.
The Tnileries were in those days q ]
network of secret passages. The
Prince and his cousin were in a few
moments behind the in Eugenie's
boudoir. They had not long to wait
when the farther door was opened.
One of the Empress pages announced
the Count de Villetri. The young
man came forward, radiant. Falling
on his knees before the sovereign he
kissed her hand. He then trembling
ly proceeded to tell her that she had
restored him TO life, for be had made |
up his mind to commit suicide # she |
had refused his request The En-
press, in tone denoting anything
but passion or agitation, proceeded |
to inform the youth that he was bold |
and imprudent: that he should have |
bowed to a decision which she feared |
must be final that the Emperor lad |
set his heart upon the matter, and
that she feared that she could not i
change the affair. The youth pre-
tested that word from her would
give him the object OF his life. The
fact was that the young man was in !
love with q beautiful Spaniard, who
was, in certain sense, a ward of
and a relative of the Em-
press. A great marriage, upon which
Napoleon had set his heart, had been
arranged for her, and the young Ital-
ian's suit had been treated as roman
tic and absurd. But Eugene, who
had an irresistible weakness for love-
matches, had let the glrl see or sus-
pect that she didn'toppose the youths
pretensions, and it was to see the