Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-08-14
THE SECOND EMPIRE.
,ahe Life of Napoleon and His EN-
Press. the Han dsome Eugene.


Court at Compiegne, The authoress
for the pseudonyme Sylvanecte con
ceals a female pen-was a witness of
the life of Napoleon III and of his
empress, the handsome Eugene. She
relates what she saw and makes US
witness the Matching of some of the
imperial projects, showing to what
trivial causes were due the successes 4
and reverses of that regime
Sylvanecte gives an account of the
hunts, the balls, the theatrical enter
tainments, Of all that wbirl ''of
social life in the midst of which the
history of Solferino and the catas
trophe of Sedan were prepared. "
These contemporary souvenirs give
US, in the first place curious series
of sketches Of the principal personages
who presided over the fetes at Com
piegne, as for example the following
elements for an authentic portrait OF
the Empress Eugenie physically
the mate of Napoleon answers quite
accurately to the portrait Nj. de Bis
marck, ex-ambassador of Prussia to
Paris, has traced of her. Very pref
ty, of average height, magnificent
shoulders, blonde, intellectually, a
good deal of natural wit, but very
little instruction, and taking but little
interest in intellectual matters. "
Sylvanecte denies the accuracy of
| .his last observation. 1.-THE empress,
says she had neither less nor more
instructions than the greater part of
her compatriots; in Spain all that is
required nf women is that they should
be lovable and pretty; on the whole
Mile. MontIlo, Marchioness de Moya
Y Seba, had seen much, read little
and heard a great deal, and she re-
membered what she mad seen and
heard. She was as familiar with the
history or rather with the chronique
galante of Compiegne as she was with
that of Trouvllle and Monte Carlo. +"
The free manners of the empress seem
to have often scandalized some of
those who surrounded her. One even
ing when a charade was BEING played,
the actors and actresses so far forgot
| themselves that young colonel ven
tured to show he was scandaliZed at
such light conduct in the presence of
the empress. "Vous n'etez pas con
tent, colonel? Ell bien ie men fiche,
refiche ct cGntrefiche," was the an
swer of the empress, and the emperor
applauded it. That colonel was the
Marquis de Gallitiit. | have, per-
haps, told this story on a previous oc-
casion; but it is good one all the
same and will bear repetition.
The empress was very fond of play
ing the soldier. 'She took a notion
one day to hold review of the regi-
ments garrisoned at Melun ard Fon-
talnebeau Galloping, in her riding
habit trimmed with white, at the head
of the squadrons, she was seen, in the
absence of the emperor, distributing
decorations and promising promotions
all this to the disgust of the soldiers
and discomfort of the officers. She
had a great prediction for the cere-
monious usage of the monarchy; wish
ed the court hunting parties TO wear
Louis XIV costumes of green and gold,
trimmed with red, instead of the blue
and silver of the Bourbons. She made
a display of her respect for monarch
cal souvenirs, and thought that she
was showing her WIT by repeating on
all occasions 81 am the only legiti-
mist there is here. For long time
she could think Of nothing but the
rules of precedence, of court costumes
of the revival of the amusements
fashionable under the monarchy, and
especially to those dear to Marie An
toinette-mon type as she called her,
and for whom she had an especial
reverence. The chapters about the
imperial hunts contain some interest
ing details. The salaries of the Off
Gals We're something fabulous Mar
shall Magnan, the master of the hunt,
received 1000 francs q year, and
single days hunt would cost from Is,
600 to $4,000 francs. EStravagant as
he was, Napoleon III had fits of econ
omy, one of them on the day when
Prince Jerome came with one Of his
incessant requests for money. The
emperor refused. Jerome got angry,
and exclaimed: Tits easy to see that
you have nothing OF the emperor
about you You are mistaken,
answered Napoleon, calmly, 81 have
his family" Naturally the empress
occupies the first place IN this history
of reign Of which she was the soul.
She was, so to speak, the magnet
around which all this microcosm of
Compiegne moved; she received the
homage Of all the sovereigns of Eu-
rope, and the most assiduous were the
kings Of Prussia and Holland.
On one Of her fete days the 'Diable
a Quatre" was played at Compiegne
in costume, and four ladies of the
court danced in tights and short skirts
on the stage of tie ckeateau At the
ball which followed the danseuses APP
peared in their scaut attire and had
an immense success. The empress
always insisted on the decollete, and
I her reason for this We're similar to
those Of Nine. de Maintenon, who, as is
well known, captured Louis XIV by
charms of her bosom. The thinnest
gauze was not tolerated at court. and
one day noticing an old lady in
high.necked dress, who was trying to
hide herself as best she could ia one
of the rear boxes at Compieene, the