The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-06-23

prince of Sweden. His wife received TN
news with perfect Indifference; she ha'
never interested herself about foreigl
countries except Italy and Spain, ant
would probably have been puzzled TO tel
where Sweden was situated. "Ithought,
she said. that II was like Pontecorvo-
some place Of which we were merel,
going TO take the title" She was in de
spair when she found that she was TO g
and live there and be separated from he
family and friends. Nevertheless, slit
resigned herself. and arrived at Stock
holm soon after her husband.
Although she was touched by the OLD
kings reception of her, yet she could no
resist the temptation Of returning t
Paris; especially as none Of her Frencl
ladies were willing 10 stay in Sweden
Bernadotte did not oppose her departure
We do not know his exact reasons; h'
may not have felt sure Of his position il
Sweden so long as the disposscssed Prince
Of Vcsa was alive and the political rela
tions Of the continent were unsettled
but wo know that Inc felt sure that TN,
empire OF Napoleon would not endure
for long lie may have had some ambi
ton 10 be Napoleon's successor; at al
events, Bourriennc says that the Emperor
Alexander gave him TO understand Of
tho interview at Ado. in 1872, that the
fall of Napoleon would not necessitate
tho return of the BourbOns, and that if
Frenchmen should offer him supreme
bower he could count on tho assistance
Of Russia. -
Tho crown princess, under tho name
Of countess of Gotland. returned to her
old hotel in Paris, which she continued
to occupy for thirteen years. She re-
ccived not only her old friends but all
tho Swedcs Of distinction who passes
through Paris. She was in constant cor
respondence with her husband. informed
him Of what was going on. and was on
several occasions intermediary between
him and French political men. Her po-
sition in 1871, after BernadOtte had
alienated French sympathy by taking
part against Napoleon. was q difficult
one. The person whom she saw with
most pleasure, outside Of her intimate
circle. was the queen Of Westphalia.
"who was she used TO say, "a good
hearted woman, always ready TO sacrifice
herself to duty. Although our husbands
were in opposite camps, she never ceased
showing to me her sympathy and friend
ship"
When, after the restoration, Louis the
Eighteenth had expressed desire to be
agreeable to her, she thought she might
interfere in favor of her sister, the OK
queen OF Spain. But the king was mex
orable
The old king Of Sweden died in 1918;
but the rev queen constantly saw roa-
sons for adjouuing her departure for
Paris She said. one day, speaking Of
music: 81 was playing the overture TO
the 'Caliph of Bagdad, when the death
of the king was announced to me; since
then, have never touched my piano,
thinking that when one is queen one
ought not to play badly In 1922 she
Oscar. who was then travelling on the
continent, it not having been considered
best for him to enter France. She had
not seen him for twelve years, and found
him handsome young man. The few
days they passed together probably has
tened her departure for Sweden. She
then went 10 brussels TO meet her sister,
Julie Bonapartc, who had obtained cs.
pccial permission TO come there for the
marriage Of her daughter Zenaidc with
her cousin Charles.
As she wished to prolong hor stay
thclc, the queen OF sweden wrote TO
Nine. dc Rocamicr To- Use her influence
TO that end with her friend, Matthew do
Montmorency. then minister of foreign
affairs. Before returning TO Paris, she
went to Switzerland and stayed some
time at Prangins. While there she re-
ccivod the news Of the betrothal Of her
son with the Princess Josephine de
Leuchtenberg, the eldest daughter Of
Eugene Beauhanais. The marriage by
proxy took place at Munich; and, at the
same time, Queen Desircc left Paris so
as to meet her daughter-in-law at Lu-
beck and arrive at Stockholm with her
Josephine was at that time barely lG
years of age, and took with her her
favorite doll
The queen had had every intention Of
returning to Paris. but the king would
not allow it. Although they had been
separated from each other during nearly
the whole twenty-five years of their
welded life, the king had a great respect
and affection for her. lie was, however,
unaccustomcd to family life, and al
though Prince Oscar and his wife in
habited the same palace, they all had
separate suites of apartments. Gradu-
ally she accustomed herself 10 this life Of
isolation. which she felt all the more on
account of her ignorance of Swedish and
of the lack of French society. y south
erner of southorners, she could not find
the persons who surrounded her suih-
ciently sympathetic, and her great re-
source was to think and talk Of her dear
Paris, where her hotel stood ready to re-
ceive her at any moment
The birth of numerous grandchil-
dren gradually filed the void Of her
life; but once, after the death Of her nus
band, she actually started to return 70
Paris on a frigaie commanded 10y her
grandson. the Duke of Ostragothia, the
present King Oscar But, after getting
a few leagues from Carlscrona. she felt
herself unable L. leave her land of adop-
ton and returned She afterward pre-
tended that this was only due to sra sick
ness. Although she knew that she never
should see Paris again, she became much
alarmed 10y the plans of Baron Hauss-
mann for the establishment Of the city.
She could not bear the thought that the /
house where she had spent the pleasant /
est years Of her life should be demolished /
The Emperor Napoleon, hearing of her
anxiety from his minister al Stockholm, F
gave orders that her hslse should be
respected until her death. This occurred .
peacefully and quietly on Dec. Il, 1860, .
after she had already seen her grandson .
crowned king of Sweden. The Nation.