Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-26
A MODERN CLEOPATRA.
GREAT AND EVIL FORTUNE OF PAU
LINE BONAPARTE,S NIECE.
Beautiful and Agreeable, She Is Surrounded
by the Wise, the Witty and the Power
fuI-A Great Sorrow That Came Through
Her Love for Her Little Daughter.

witness the close Of his OF her life. You
must have seen in your diplomatic wan
derings in Paris, Turin, Florence, Rome
and Madrid that worthy niece Gn regard
to beauty and SO ON of p uhne Bona
parte, Marie Letitia onaparte-Wyse,
successfully, by her marriages, Comtesse
de Solms, Signora Rattazzi and Dona de
Rute.
Was there ever human being whose
life seemed SO rosy as hers, or whom
nature had made more proof to the veK-
ations and troubles which lie heavy on
most daughters of Eve? In many re-
spects this fair ofshoot of the Bonapartes
afforded a parallel to Cleopatra, who,
Mrs. Jameson says, was bewitching to
Gerry of good nature. Like Cleopatra,
Marie Bonaparte-W yse was sparkling,
genial, magnificent, of happy -go-lucky
temper and Bohemian, if one looks upon
Bohernianism as emancipation from cant
and mind Gripping prejudices, some of
which, own, may have their social
uses.
HER GUESTS AT THE FOLLY"
She had always in her train the most
eminent men of the different capitals, in
which she turned UP periodically to shine
out for short time In splendid belong
ings and surroundings. She also shone
as muse, whose fingers were never
soiled with ink, and who stole from
Venus her girdle and cortege of graces.
Her house, or palace, or chalet, near
AK, was in the daytime given up to
authorship, editorship and preparation
for festivity, and to elegant reveiry in
the evening. The lady OF the house when
she saw company land nobody ever knew
when she was not seeing it) was in raj
ment OF dazzling beauty. But shelooked
in it and in her wondrous jewelry as
pleased as q child in a pretty Sunday
frock, and courted admiration in a way
that enhanced her soroery.
I never saw Lady Blessington, she hav-
ing been long before my time. But I
fancy that there must have been points
of similarity between her Gore house
parties and those of the particular great
niece of the great Napoleon of whom L
speak. A more picturesque or amusing
salon than that of Anne. Rattazzi de Rute
nobody could fancy. She was constant
to old friends, WIS always recruiting new
ones, and was hospitable to all. Old
Dumas used to copy manuscripts and
help TO cook her dinners, which were
served on vernaei plate, with the ilnpe-
rial crown and eagle engraved ON them.
A few winters ago she entertained four
prime ministers, Baron Won Reust, De
Lesseps, Castelar,, and bards from all
parts, at joyous dinner at Trouville-
The most roseate phase of her life was
at the Hotel d'Aquila, which she after
ward sold TO Mrs Iackay's sister. She
was then for three or four years the
widow Of Sig. Rattazzi, and then the
bride of quite young Spanish deputy,
Don Luis de Rute. The Hotel dAquila
was folly" of the ,1nnfe Of the eK-king
of Naples, who ruined himself in build
ing it, and was fitted up by Nine Rat
taxi according to her Cleopatran taste
for elegant magnifcence. The hall was
by marble busts and statues
of the Bonapartc family, and facing the
emperor was one Of herself letting fall
an armful Of roses.
4E SORROW THAT CAME.
Don Luis de Rute was a nephew of
Rosas, the Spanish liberal. q man of
many accomplishments, and the unde-
nialble oountryman OF Don Quixote. If
ever q man was held in willing bondage
by woman, he was by his wife, of
whom he was the devoted, humble ser
want, never seeking to Curtail her Liberty
or objecting to any Of her friends The
glamour she cast upon him when he FIRST
saw her Us q muse at Madrid, surround
ed by court of bardS and statesmen,
never faded from his eyes She valued
his devotion to her and to beautiful
daughter whom she had bad by Rattazzi,
and became deeply in love with him.
Mime. de Rute presented her husband
with twins, one OF whom died at its
birth. The surviving one was called
Dolores or Lola" 1t seemed ridiCu-
lous nlisnoner. All that was Joyous
and rosy In the mothers life appeared
to be incarnate In the child, which was
a paragon of fnfantile beauty and pre-
cocious wit and intellect Dolores be-
came the idol OF the household, and was
as sunshine wherever she went. People
used to say what luck her mother had
70 be SO blessed in her maternity. But
wait bit. The luck was TO bring forth
an eternal blight and sorrow upon sor-
row.
Lola was playing IN be- mothers
grounds at AK. A horse near which she
ran lashed out and kicked her onthe
forehead. The child was taken in dead
TO father and mother, with her brains
ooins out through cash. I could not
have conceived the latter broken hearted
and utterly crushed had not seen her.
Since this calamity she took no interest
in anything bat portraits and basts of
Lola, which she tried TO paint and model
from memory. The unfortunate De
Rute said 20 me: The less1 thing would
now XIII nfe. Since DoloHs was taken
from me feed an old man, though not
Vet forty-fre. The gashed forehezsd of
the little beauty is always present in my
mind. Its q misfortune 70 have ten
der heart. because heart sutferings are
so excruciating." ] see IN the papers
that small thing dad carry of this dis
and anIahle SpaniaFd. He
caught = cold 3. Granada, which de~el
oped into Inflammation of the lungs and
kissed him He died with a cross in his
hand IN which lock OF the child's hair