The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-04-06
The Last French Emper0r's Death.

The Emperor believed that universal
suffrage would redress his wrongs, con-
found his calumniators, and re erect the
Empire. He was confident that the
millions of the people who had respond
ed to his appeal in the spring of 1870
were still true to him. \ But when the
news of the elections reached him at
Chiselhurst he was overwhelmed with
grief. He uttered not a single complaint
Ii is not on record that he gave wayeven
momentarily to anger but he was struck
to the heart, for he truly loved the peo-
ole from whom the blow proceeded.
For some days he remained in deep
melancholy and then his patient spirit
reasserted itself, and he turned ito his
little study by his bedroom, where he
worked, with the portraits of the En-
press and Prince Imperial on the desk
before him, at his dreams for the good
of the many who had just spurned
him. .uo.s-.aE ~ ~ ,.s.. .,.f. .st -si.l.-7
i His: disease had been aggravated by
the physical exhaustion of the campaign,
and especially by the hours he had spent
In the saddle at Sedan, so that he moved
I li5tle beyond the bounds of the park
about Camden Place. 81 He went in the
summer of 1872 to the Isle of Wight,
but the good gained was only tempora-
ry. ai He would walk by the hour up and
down the long corridor Of Camden Place
with his arm on the young Princes
shoulder, while he talked with him of
men and things, intoxicating those kindly
sentiments and generous ideas which
time has already compelled his enemies
to concede to him. After the midday
breakfast, at which the little Court met
for the first time in the day, he would
sit in the morning room in his arm
chair (the arms supported by eagles) by
the wood fire, and talk cheerfully with
the Empress or with any visitors who
had come. 1t was a small circle in
which the imperial couple moved, but it
was one of steadfast friends.
AT the close of 1872 the Emperor's
medical advisers agreed that an opera
ton had become necessary, and it was
fixed for January 2. Two operations
were successfully carried out, but the
state Of the patient gave rise to serious
doubts as to the ultimate results.
On the evening Of January the EN-
peror's case appeared more hopeful than
on any previous day since the operations
began. He slept peacefully through the
night, watched by turns by MN. Con-
neau, Filou, Clary, and the doctors. He
was able to rise from his bed in the
morning, and felt relieved. Another,
and it was hoped a final, operation was
to take place at noon. The Empress
had visited him as usual. At half-past
ten Sir Henry Thompson approached
him. A sudden change became appa-
rent. The strong, regular pulse fell
rapidly; the action of the heart failed.
The doctors were alarmed, and in few
moments the Empress was at her hus-
bands bedside, but he did not recog-
! nize her. Some stimulants were ad-
ministered, and the patient rallied for q
moment. And then the Able Goddard
administered the last sacraments of the
Church, amid the weeping of the kneel-
ing gentlemen and ladies Of, the house,
hold, who had gathered about the death
bed. When the Empress leant over
him and embraced him, the Emperor's
eyes fell upon his wife; he could not
speak audibly, but he raised his lips to
kiss the devoted and heroic companion
he had taken to his heart at the height
of his glory, and who had comforted his
exile; and then he passed into his long
sleep. He had breathed his last when
his son arrived from Woolwich. It was
q quarter past IL on the 9th day of jan
uary, 1873. -i ir0t .s>,.1-s
The Emperor's last words, family ad-
dressed to DIR. Conneau, were, "Etiez
vous a Sedanp" .p
The poor young Prince arrived from
Woolwich only half an hour after his
father had passed away. The Empress
met him at the door Of the death-c cham
ber, and taking him in her arms, cried
I'll have only you, Louis, left l"-Frsua
Jerro'd's History Of Napoleon III.