Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-12-05
EMPRESS EU GENES TRIALS.
Incidents of Her Life Related by "a Lady in
Waiting"

Waiting"
After her betrothal to the Prince Re
gent, the Countess du Montijo quilted
France. She wore plain golden ring on
her finger. and a pin mounted with bril-
liants and emeralds. She had won it in q
lottery organized by the Emperor at Com
plege, and ever afterward, until the death
of the Emperor, she used to wear it every
evening along with her other Jewels what
ever her attire might be. 1t will be inter,
esting just to say here that few years
after the Emperor's death the Empress
put off some of her mourning, lest she
should sadden her son S youth. She wore
no colored jewelry, having looked upon this
first present of the Emperor as pledge of
their future happiness, superstitious IL
fusion in regard to it becoming firmly fixed
in her mind. On the departure of the
Prince Imperial for Zululand the Empress
wore the ''trefoil of emeralds' until June
49, But after the death of her son she
lost all faith in human hope, and on one
occasion, when the Duchess de Mouchy
was paying the Empress visit, the latter
gave her this jewel.
Il have regarded it for long time as
6. fortunate talisman, said she. sit is
my dearest relic | do not wish it to be
cast aside! Look upon it every evening as
a souvenir of US, and may it be to you a
token of happiness and of loving friend
ship"
No provision has been made in this
splendid palace of the Tulleries, which was
so vast and so magnificent, to give it the
appearance of a home. When Louis XIV.
and Marie Antoinette had occupied it In
1889 a few hasty provisions of this kind
had been made, but they had always re-
manned imperfect.
With the exception of the large rooms
all the interior communications were In
darkness, and it was necessary, in summer
and winter alike, to have lighted lamps
on the small staircases and In the corridors.
As soon as spring came the heat and want
OF ventilation became very painful and,
notwithstanding the beautiful display of
the chestnut trees in the garden, we all
hailed with Joy the time Of our departure
to ST. Cloud of Fontainebleau.
On one occasion the Empress received
from young girl three turtle doves in a
cage, and she was more willing to accept
this singular present because of the touch
ing simplicity with which it was offered.
Six months after letter was sent to the
Empress asking that the writer might
be placed in her service. 1t was to the
following effect sit is |, Madame, who
made you present of the turtle doves and
which you have accepted. As you love
the birds, you may require a guardian for
them. | would take great care of them. y
The Empress always quilted the grand
balls at the Tulleries rather tired, and
very often did not even take time to call
her maids. Before entering her cabinet
she would remove her crown and jewels,
the weight of which fatigued her, and put
them pell-mell into my dress, which ! held
out in front of me for the purpose. was
always afraid lest l should lose some of
these precious stones by conveying them in
this manner, for many of them represented
a fortune
The Empress ordered some of the crown
diamonds to be mounted for her ordinary
wear Many OF them had a history attach
ed to them Among others yellow dia-
mond, big as a small nut mounted in a
comb with other whittier stones, was swal-
lowed by an insurgent in 1040, during the
pillage of the Tulleries. The cut facets of
the diamond produced internal disorders,
and the unfortunate man died In great
pain, confessing his larceny. At the post
mortem examination the diamond was
found. 1t was the largest of the crown
diamonds, and when the Empress became
acquainted with this fact later it caused
her to remove it.