, 1884-09-04
EY-EMPRESS EUGENE.
Olive Harper's R~ecollections OF .
Visit AT ChisIehurst.
Appearance OF the Prince ImpertAi-
Firing the monerien Gun-Eu-
eenie Mt IIome-Iin.I .s
tho Prince


New York Worid1
When / saw the Empress Engenie IL was
somewhere near "A year after her ~widowhepd.
and she was living at Camden HOUSE, chisle-
hurst Her young son, then n bright, frank
looking boy Of about 20, went TO Shoebury-
ness to complete his military studies at the
school OF gunncry, and during his stay Of two
weeks h- mother came down and remained
-four d.ys, sleeping at II hotel at
Southland and passing her days at the
colonels hou-e at the school. / was visiting
there at the time and in Consequence met her
daily, and when she left she invited ma 10
visi. her at Chislehurst. She was accom-
paniud by her suite Of several gentlemen, In
Guiding DR. Filoi. and she had Mile Marie de
Larminat and the duchess II Malakoir a la.
dies OF honor. The duchess OF MnlakoiT was
an immensely fat woman and very ssth-
matte, and | think her chief value was her
utter devotion to the ex-empressa and the fact
thai she had a very pretty and gay young
daughter who always amused the empress
with her wit and fun. Mile. de larminat
was not pretty nor ugly, but WAS highly nc
eomplished and spoke every language Of Eu-
rope, it SEEMED 10 me, have heard her CON
verse in thirteen different tongues. Theru
was also and old maid and a young one who
erve then all
The * empress had not been. lost all her
benuty, and even seemed more attractive
than over. Her face, through sorrow and
trials, had taken on a new beauty. that OF
high resolve. as if she had now done with the
world and its frivolities, and had devoted the
rest Of her life to IA grand duty. Her hair
was still abundant, and as glossy as ever. and
this delicate complexion was unchanged, OK
cept that the cheeks were paler and her feat
nrae fafafnaA THAR natrfaff1 nnfIfu.. H.
figure was the perfection of grace and beauty,
and it was all softened and rendered more
touching by her widows weeds. She was
cheerful aud pleasant In manner, and enter
ing apparently into the spirit OF all the
athletic sports with the soldiers OF
the garrison sought to amuse her.
and as n last act there, she tired
the the huge Moncrieff gun. which had never
yet been tested. The great mass Of iron,
looking from beside it like u house almost, at
a touch OF her little white hand on the lever
slowly rose and described its half circle In the
air TO It's position above the edge OF the fort,
and thon aiming at a target stationed two
milesaway, by tho aid of cunningly-arrangel
mirrors, she lifted the tiny lever. and in an
instant the whole place trembled and shook
under the heavy conclusion. / felt hurt by
the noise and could scarcely stand. but she re-
manned at her post, Took up the third lever,
and in another moment the huge gun was
swinging outward and then down again by
her side, like a monstrous animal, tame and
~crouching. Then everybody cheerel, and the
soldiers OF the garrison acted Ike mad, but
sho remained cool and calm and acted a. if
she had done the most natural thing in the
world, and as far as my own year, would per
nit me TO observe she never even changed
color.
At other times, when little English chill.
dren would crowd around her, she would be
all softness and tenderness, and in another in
slant, II some one else approached, she would
be again reserved, dignihed, but gracious,
and never unnpproachable. While at Shoe
buryness ! saw her as often as six OF seven
times a day, but had little opportunity for
speech, so that when was invited to visit
her at Camden house l was surprised as well
as pleased, and In November | went. Mile.
de Larminat had kept up Il correspondence,
and informed ME when my visit would be
opportune- / reached there at shutdown. and
did not see the ex-empress that night, US she
was indisposed, but The next morn
ing at about II l was taken into
her room where she was still In bed
with a little stand with chocolate and bread
upon II. The ex-empress wore "a little night
cap that was really pretty, and not unlike the
children wear for bonnets here. Her night
dIess was richly trimmed with Valenciennes
lace, and she looked younger and much
p~rettier than In her heavy weeds. We had IA
long chat, and then I went out to stroll
around the grounds and look at the quaint
old house that has been n royal home for 50
many generations. Mile. dc Larmina had
gone to Paris for a short time, and the count
ess Of Clery was in her place, and the duchess
Of Malakoh sat around eating mArrons glaces
and dropping of into dozes every few min.
utes. But she was a good old soul, and took
snuff by times.
Camden house is a low, gloomy structure
standing under and surrounded by immense
trees which have been there since mountains,
and on this chill day the leaves rustled TO
the ground, sending little shivsn all over me
me with their desolate sound. The windows
open on a low porch, and this Is almost flush
with the ground. The hall is wide, of wood
so dark with age it looks almost black, and in
one corner Is II high-carved cupboard, and
near it II great chest also richly carved.
There was a big open fireplace on which Il
few sticks Of wood were gmoldering. The
footmen and servants were all dressed in
mourning, and that added to the somber
colors, made the whole place seem like n
tomb.
The drawing-room was a large square
room with several windows opening 10 the
porch, apd with a large open fireplace in
which a good wood fire was kept up. The
walls were paneled, and each panel held a
picture PAINTED on the wood. The scenes
were mostly in Vatican style. with sylvan
scenes and shepherds and shepherlesses, but
each one was a portrait of someone Of the
high nobility OF the period. a very faded
carpet covered the floor, and the comfortable
was covered by IA large embroidered cloth
which once must have been too glaring, but
which nov is melowed into ~softness. On
this was one great ink spot. The chairs are
all OF carved wood and upholstered in Ia
pestry, aud the whole room has IA look as
II belonging to the past For genera
tons nothing has been changed in this
room, nor indeed in any part OF Camden
house, except in the bedroom where the ex-
impress sleeps. a few modern improve
ments have been placed there. The dining
room is still the same, and the great kitchen
Is Just as 1t used to be when the house was
built 1t is all Of a past age, and | should
feel like a ghost il / had TO live there. After
our visit Of inspection we dressed for dinner,
and after a rather silent repast, considering
the nationality of the people, we all went to
the drawing-room. where the ex-empress en-
broidered a little on a splendid red velvet
altar-cloth, with gold thread. She offered to
play IA game OF checkers with me. / won
one game, she one, and the TIA I'd WA a tic,
so we gave itup, and everybody went To bed.
have seen the ex-cmpress at table perhspi
a dozen times, and l never saw any one eat 50
little That seemed TO be in as good health al
ahe did. Her son poor boyD however mad
Little Joker IL the best smoking to-