River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-09-28
NINE. ROLAND B0SAPARTE.
The BRIEF but Happy Life OF tn,
Daughter of Bianc of Monseo.

The death of Nine. Roland Bona
parte, nee Blanc, startled by its sudden
ness all her friends and relatives. BI,t
it was the nature of things that a fear
| full catastrophe should have come IN.
on her. The fates have only q verv
limited amount of happiness to dole
out to the human race and they do
their best to divide It equitably. If
they accord ideal bliss to any indiyidu-
al or family group it is only for a short
time, and on condition that some great
disaster is to be experienced at the end
of the halcyon period. Dives did not
go to the place of punishment because
he was neglectful of the beggar, but be-
cause ht Jared sumptuously every day
and was clad in purple and fine linen.
Ladies who have beauty, heart, head,
and enjoy fortunes gifts to the end are
either married to fearful ugly husbands
or have conditioned children who
are an eyesore to them, or have none
at all when they feel themselves COM
| petent to bring up any number.
Nine. Roland Bonaparte set up as a
householder with %. 100000 francs and
the sure and certain hope of far
| larger sum at her mothers death. She
| has since come into the fortune that
she expected, and had the interest of
about two millions sterling to live upon.
| The husband of her choice was young,
| well educated, was said to be the hand
soonest man in the French army, and
| had endured bitter poverty, which en-
| abled him to appreciate his wife's gen
crosby to himself, his mother, and his
| ID III ,,,1
not paragon of feminine loveliness,
but she was very pretty and charming
ly n,ignonne. Her hair was of silken
texture, and of unusual length and
thickness. 1t was source of great
| plrasure to her to arrange it. ard to
| Roland to see it when they dined en-
| fan,ille, after it had been braided the
whole day to make it wavy, falling
| back loose over the shoulders. In dress
her taste was naturally bad. As a girl
she overdressed; but as soon as she was
married her mother-in Jaw the Princess
Pierre Bonapart, nee Rifflard, took her
in good hand, and set off to the
| best advantage her good points
Princess Pierre was originally man.
tua-maker, and understands we'll her
old trade. Nine Roland found happi
ness in making liberal use of her
money. She was brought up among
publicans and sinners, whom st. Pet
ter will not judge, perhaps, with az
great severity as some, respectable Phar-
isses who make virtue of not SHINING
when there is no temptation. At Monte
Cairo and Hamburg she was used to
seeing things done in liberal way, and
to an intelligent form ofselGshness. All
the millions that she inherited were,
therefore, a source of great and contin-
ual enjoyment. Her status of uperial
princess, which was usurped, afforded
her as much qualification as if it were
legitimate. Nobody about her ever
let her feel that she had no part or lot
in the imperial dignities which the first
Emperor conferred upon his family.
Pierre was only of the civil family. He
was Bonaparte, but not Napoleon.
Nevertheless his son and danghter-iu-
law ornamented their plate and the
panels of their carriages with the Nap
oleonic eagle and bees. Roland's col
onel was cap in hand to him, and adj
dressed him as mon prince, and
the beautiful young wife as Nine
la Princease. Her maitred' hotel was
instructed to call out, in announcing
dinner" Nine la Princess est servie."
Nothing could be more charming
than the dinners of this really happy
company. Roland was glad to see his
military chuEls about him, and all his
friends were cordially welcomed by his
wife. Edmond Blame was at all their
little parties. They never gave large
spreads, because, since their marriage,
they have always been in deep mourn
ing. There were the entrdia and gayety
of youth. For some months Lieut..
Roland and Nine. Bonaparte resided
in a small villa near St. Cloud, where
his regiment was garrisoned. They had
been quartered at Falaise and
Palaiseau. Assiduous attention to mill
tary duties and the excitement of
moving from one garrison town to
another gave Zest to opulence. Nine.
Roland was under the impression that
she was ''roughing it, bee ause she had
to live in country hotels with tiled
floors. The handsome lieutenant was
her beau ideal, and he never felt that
he was prince consort.
The day on which Nine. Roland was
called away, apparently to her, she
wrote to her sister, the most sunshiny |
she had ever experienced. Every one |
said that the infant-another Marie
in the cradle would have the beauty |
which distinguished her fathers branch |
of the Napoleonic family. The Sister |
of Charity who had been in attendance |
hung over the little thing. and was half |
jealous of the nurse. The writer of |
this letter described toilet in which |
she had been just dressed 10 be layed |
on a couch and wheeled into the dining |
room. 1t was of pale blue silk, of a
soft texture, made in en- peigaoir and |
trimmed all around with cascade"
ruffle of Mechlin lace. The Princess
Pierre had ordered it. The greater
part of the hair was allowed to fall |
down. But portion of it at the back |
was made into braid, and a small /
bunch of flowers from the garden was
tied to the end, which was thrown for
ward to brighten up the front Of the
toilet. Later in the evening row of
pearls which Edmond Blanc bought |
for present were strung into this braid.
Quantities of flowers had been put in
vases. The little villa appeared an
Eden.
The dinner was very gay. Roland's
colonel had obtained for him a five
weeks. leave of absence. An excursion
to the Pyrenees was talked of. The
Radzivils were at Luchon, and Edward
Blanc thought of doing stroke of bus
mess there. He is one of tn Sc insati
able spectators to whom l'dppetit Bient
en- n,angeant. Nine Ratazzi was to be
visited at BIarritz. 1t was she who put
Roland up to go and escort his sister
Jeanne from The studio where she and
Mile Blanc learned drawing together.
At about nine o'clock Nine. Roland
expressed fear that she had laughed
more than was good for her. M. Blanc
glanced at her, and observed strange |
expression in her face. hurried away.
The couch was wheeled to her bedroom
When she was there Nine. Bonaparte
cried out. "Quickl confessorl | feel
suffocated." Her husband came in
and ran to her. "Adieup she said He
thought she wished to sleep, and an
swered: "Aurevoir." "No," she cried
''Ad-." In trying to utter the fare
well she died. An embolie or clot had
stopped the circulation in one of the
lungs. The infant daughter is heiress
of all the millions. During her minor
ity the widower will be entitled to the
usufruct, and when she is of age to an
annuity nroportiopota tn har wealth - |