The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-11-23
the PRINCE IMPERIAL.
How the News of His Death Was Con
veyed to ex-Empress Eugenie.

the Empress Eugene, tells in her
Recollections of the Court of the
Tuilleries how the news of the death
of her only son, who was killed in
Africa by the Zulus, was conveyed
to her.
''It was the Due de Bassano who,
on the 10th of June, 1879, took
upon himself the sad and terrible
duty of acquainting the empress
with the dread news of her sons
death. Since the preceding even
ing the report had been circulated
in London.
"It was s o'clock in the morniug
of the 10Th Lord Sydney, high
chamberlain of the queen, arrived,
having been dispatched by her maj
esty as the bearer of the terrible
tidings. He asked for the Due de
Bassano, and the latter, who loved
the prince devotedly, was complete
ly prostrated with sorrow upon
learning his errand. Lord Sydney
urged him to prepare the empress.
Never replied the duke. My
lips will never find courage to frame
the words
"'But only consider insisted
Lord Sydney, that the empress may
learn the sad truth at any moment
from a newspaper or from chatter
ing tongues
"The duke hesitated no longer.
The empress, surprised at seeing
him present himself at such an un-
usually early hour, caused him to
be at once admitted.
"'You have tidings from Zulu
land?' she asked, before he could
speak.
Louis is i'll? Well, my dear
duke, let us set out at once to find
and take care of him.
"There has been a battle, said
the duke, gravely.
"'He is wounded?'
"The duke bowed.
"'We must 90 at once-to-day.
We can easily procure vessel IN
London to convey us to Suez.
! There we shall have further advices.
People are going every day And
summoning her women, the en-
press gave them hurried orders to
prepare at once for departure. is
the wound serious?' she then de-
manded, scarcely daring to question
or even look at the duke, who still
waited at the door.
"Suddenly she approached and
looked at him fxedly, in a very
agony of apprehension; the tears
| were rolling down his cheeks. The
empress uttered terrible cry-she
comprehended the horrible truth.
During the whole of that sad
day the empress sank from one
swoon into another. Her life was
considered in danger, and the Able
Goddard, cure of the Church of st
Mary at C Chiselhurst, was summoned
to her assistance.
"I can not even die cried the
empress, as she came to herself
and the good God will let me live
to be a hundred.
"Such griefs can not be recounted
"The Marquis de Bassano, the
dukes son, frequently supplied his
fathers place in her majesty's ser
vice. He accompanied her on the
Journey which she made to Zulu
| land after the princes death, for the
purpose of collecting herself all the
painful details Of his lamentablt
experience, in order that no doubt
might ever be raised concerning the
manner in which the tragic catas
trophe was accomplished-and &C
tual Calvary in which the suffering
mother was sustained and support
ed by the will of the sovereign.
son arriving at the deserted place
where all that she loved on eartf
had met with such dreadful fate
Nature made a supreme revolt
against the burden laid upon her
and the empress tainted on the very
spot where, in the midst of desc
late and barbarous solitude, he
child had been done to death.
THE young Marquis de Bassanf
proffered her the only consolation
which can be applied to such al
awful afliction. With the utmost
delicacv of devotion and intuitiv'
sympathy, he aided the strickel
mother lin fulfilling this superhu
man task.o