New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-13
POLIGNAC THE PETROLEUM.
TALE OF PRINCELY INFAMY.

clearly tlat lie afO MS lleluel were lt Nlttldio ~
Prince Camilles scoundrelsm. Tie Princes con-
duet toward them was even more Odious than thato
De Morny toward the ili-.taued julie Feyghne
According 10 the documents 70 which l alude
Nile. Blanchard de la Br6tesche Of
noble family Of Touraine. The branch e
which she belonged emigra.ed in The eioLte.utl
century to Louisiana, and became wealthy there
Toward 1850 Nine Blanchard de L. bretcsche
the wife Of a planter came to Europe for the edu-
cation OF her children, one Of whom was daughter
10 whom She had given the odd but soft-soundns
name OF Leda The young lsdy was sent TO the
Grand conventual school of Les Oi>ea x. There
size struck up an intimate giIlish friendship with
Mademoi ellie ChOiseul, WHO was niece ny
marriage to tie second vile Of Charles AthS
fatal Minister, Prince jules de foH9nac'
The Princess jules was Of the ParN rs bootAoy
family and daughter Of the IaS' LoIu
Rauciiie. In her visits 10 Nile Chol.eui' VINO was
- some extent under her charge, she saw 'ii C.
IeCa. whom she at oncs took . warm interest III
and called "the dark Evangeline' MIS-. o'o"o
famous name was then fresh TO Europe IL Is h"iu
90 conceive Eva anything else than blue-eycd
blonde. and the New-Orieans girl was so very u@IA
not sbe might have passed in her native country
for a 0uadroon. however. she was wonderfully
heautifl and paragon Of grace The eyes were lus-
,ors laryeapd though of a soft expression. capable
- 80 ,ripafiou. Whenever Nile. CholSeul was
oIlo,ccd 70 dine with the old Princess o. folgnac,
Ida de Ia Br6tesche was invited to accompany
her and allowed to do with her mctbeIs per
mission. She was an accomplished musician ana
had a voice winch would have been fortune to
professional singer.
AT the Hotel de Pohgnac she used to NEE, the
four sons OF the Princess. Three OF them were
artillery officers and the yOunest. Edmond born
musician TIE eldest Prince Jules, fell in ioYe
with Nile Ia But she pre- erred the second son.
PIirce Camille, who was a better dancer ana
more graceful cavalier After she left school he
was allowed to ride out with her ard some other
Young ladies IN the Bots. Camille then pr posed
marriage. The Young lady and her mother referred
hun to N. Blanchard de la Br6tesche who resided
IN Now Orleans. and to whom the following letter
was written:
HOTEL DE PoIIGNAC RUE DE YARENNEs.
PARIS, Nov. 1S.lS55.S
MONSIEUR: am about TO JOIN with Nine
Blanchafd de Ia BretescHe in forwarding 10 you
pctuon which Iust you Will taYoraOly consider
Size has already communicated 10 you my ,ut>i'
that she may altogether estabiisN llelseL - ISCc
aud nv reason for wishing her always 10 remain
here Nav he myself allowed 10 >av o you F4at
aspire 70 the hand OF Mile. Leda ana mat sIai DE
the bapplest man ID the world II ycu accord IL 70
NET II Is impossible for me to express tie oVe ana
affection which have conceived Tor your Cila-uIi'S
and beautiful daughter-senilments NLicE MAJ re
a lowed 10 4 entertain IN Il ho7'I IL. N-tN ~
doubt for The other members of her family WIN
whom | have the honor 10 De acquainted;
Should this avoWA BE- iavoran!T icccNt|' ana
should YOU grant to Mme. Blanchard oe IA
Prffescbe a prolonged leave # absence IN Europe,
shall be deeply grateful. Accept, Monsieur te 's-
surance of my very distinguished consiCeI"''on'
and believe me ever yours, OeyGtedIr
PIdNCE CAMILLE DE POLCNAC.
NJ. de la B16teSche came over TO Paris lie was
very unfavorably impressed by toe srlior. Ihe
Newt Orleans gentleman was very wealthy. But 70
discourage the Prince he told HIM tia, Americans
did not give fortunes to their daughters, and that
when Ieda was married she would receive
her trousseau but nothing more. On max
nc in qulres NJ. de la Br6tesche ascertained that
Prince Camille did not stand well IN tie
eyes OF his brother officers, and that lie
had not high character for honor. hat the
father heard on this led him to be almost rude
10 the sutton. whom finally he asked to discon-
tinue his visits 10 the house where the Bretesche
family resided Leda, however, corresponded with
her Camille. who thought that if lie ran away with
her. Nine. de Ia BT6tesche would intcrcede with
tbe father and obtain from him a handsome
dowry.
In 1856 the unfortunate young girl eloped
with him. She and her family were gong
10 Brussels and were to stay Tor
a day at Lille. The Prince met
Leda by appointment, and they went with her maid
in pos-chaise to Nalenclennes where an ADbe had
agreed to marry them. He ran great risk III cong
70. To insure himself against evil consequences he
refused to ofciate unless the sum Of 5000 francs
was pad down. No certificate to be given. / he
ceremony was performed in the cathedral at
o'clock in the evening. sister Of the priest was
waiting at the door TO bring the runaway pair to
the altar of Mary and Joseph, where the
Able in his vestments awaited them.
-T,.r r-,.Ifo iair I'm.
mass at which they were both present As this
marriage was not legal in France it was not valid
in any other country NJ. de la Br6teSche, on learn
ing Of the elopement. ceased to hold any commune
cation with his daughter. Nine. de n BrGtesche
visited her secretly, and after she went back TO
New-Orleaus often wrote to her. The old Princess
de- Polignac remained 10 the last a1fectionate
and generous But Prince Camille when be
began to feel the pinch of poverty
and 10 understand that 10 dOwry was to be hoped
for. became surly and even cruel lie registered
the two children which were born in the early years
of the false marriage the lIg tlmate offs ring OF
Cecile Leda Marie de la Br6tesche, and an unknown
father and often beat the poor wife. She was not
for long time aware of the former Infamy, and
fancied that her two Were princes am heirs 10
q great old name. IL the first crusade Pohgnac
carried the standard Of the Church. The family
residence III the Haufe Loire Of create antiquity
than Warwick Castle. 1t stands OF rocky emil
hence and overlooks the town Of Polignac
Nine de la Br6tesche was Catholic. Bat when
she learned how utterly miserable her daughter
was she wrote TO the Able de Fourcand to know
whether the ceremony which had been gone
through in the Cathedral valid in the Churchs
eyes lie replied vague and evasive terms The fol-
lowing passage shows that Leda was in good faith
In gong before the priest:
On the young couple who flying from the
paternal roof TO 20, Heaven knows wteTe), / had
Iitv | gave them the benedctiOn. praying God TO
and watch over them. l. was to obtain |
His protection for them that / celebrated the Holy
Mass Time ls The best remedy for everv form of