Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-03-31
"Reminiscences of Louis Napoleon.

In lS4S there lived in Charlotte street,
Portland-place, a subrarlstocratic quar-
ter of London, Mrs. Some:ville Wood
an old friend of our family. She had
once been fashionable beauty Herself
and was the mother OF another great
London beauty, the Honorable Mrs.
Stanhope, some relation by marriage,
presume, of the still more famous Lady
Hester Stanhope. At the time | remem-
Der Mrs. somerville Wood, she was the
queerest-looking old lady | ever saw.
Her face made one think of the Yellow
stone region, the Yosemite, the moon,
or any locality where the forces of ma
ture have been particularly active; but
more ofthe Yellowstone on account of
the color. She was not 80 much CORFU
gated as dew-lap all over. She wore
false front of curious black curls, which
came down over one eye, cap which
seemed to be lwithout form and void,
but perYaded her whole head ,.while her
face and chin were swathed in gauZe,
or net, or lace. or something it would
signate. Her house was as dowdy as
herself, being filled with curious and
valuable ornaments and knicknacks,
from Burmese gods to Valenciennes IT,
dies, or as they were then called, auti
macassars. But she gave most excellent
dinDers and delightful receptions, and
in spite of her odd appearance, was
women of strong and bright converse
tional ability. She was great hunter OF
celebrities, and like all her class dragged
some queer cephlapoda and stickebats IN
her net along with the big fish.
She once invited me specially to meet
Prince Louis Napoleon at dinner, but
actually did not think a mere exiled
Frenchmau of title of sufficient import
ance to put myself out of the way for,
and accepted more congenial invita-
ton. Had known that he was after.
wards to be Emperor of France, l
doubt whether l should have
treated the invitation SO eavalierly.
[ met him afterward, however, several
times at receptions and children's part
les, and we struck up quite Lit lie go-as-
you please acquaintance, / remember
his most amiably playing all one even
ing on the piano for the children to
dance. Afterwards, as we stood side by
side, he indicated one of the dancers by
a slight mot ion of the head, most ex.
ousitely beautiful child OF about four
teen, with iet-black ringlets and large
dark eyes, half Spanish, half peri, and
said
"How would you like that for your
little wife, eh?"
stammered something about her be-
ing Il mere child and myself little more,
etc.
ooh, in time, in time, of course; in
two, three years she will be Juno, =
indicating about six feet in height with
his hand-"and you will be older than
fifty. But'-and he dropped his eyesfo
the carpet and his hand to his side
''she will be Countess some day"
She was the daughter, | believe, of a
musician of much talent and some re-
putation at that time. Many years
afterward I heard that she actually had
attained a considerable position and
rank under the Second Empire. Perhaps
the Emperor took care to fulfil his own
prophecy.
After the party we walked down Port
land-place together, smoking cigars. As
we passed policeman the prince said:
e"Ihose are very useful fellows, those;
and very civil, too. think they would
fight, too, little; but what is the use2
You will never have any fighting in Eng
land, not for two thousand years. Bill
Smith gives Tom Jones whack! bangl on
the nose; black eye: Doliceman; Bow