Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-10-10
THE THIRD NAPOLEON.



The Duke of Saxe-Coburg- Gotha,
Queen Victorias brother-in-law, saw the
Emperor Napoleon III. closely. His
Highness was again in Paris and at the
opera on the night of the Orsini attempt.
He went there alone instead of in the
company of their Majesties, and that
probably saved his life. He stood await
ing them in the vestibule, when first
explosion was heard, and then, an in
slant after second. 81 was still stand
ing there" he says in the volume OF his
memoirs just published, "petrifed with
horror, when the Emperor and Empress
rushed in. They seemed about to fall.
The Empress seized me, as it were, me-
chanically by the arm and said pretty
calmly 'Sauvezmoip The Emperor
was like one stunned; he staggered and
| thought he was wounded. His hat
was little knocked in and torn on one
side by bullet" And this was only
the second explosion, for there was still
must have been thrown straight at the
door Of the hall, for fragments Of the
shell and bullets smashed the windows
and rebounded from the ceiling. 81
dragged the Empress, whom had on
my ARM away with me, and recollect
having knocked down some person who
blocked the way, as l was endeavoring
to reach the staircase leading to the
box. The Emperor appeared at loss to
know in what direction to turn. Then
he followed us up the stairs, and at last
we all reached the box"
AS soon as they had composed them
selves the terrified pair stepped to the
front Of the box, but they met with no
reception. Not hand stirred, not a
sound was raised. "The Emperor said
to me in German There you seq the
Parisians-they are never treated harsh
ly enough" Presently the marShals
and the members of the Imperial family
came into the box. Marshal Canrobert
wept like child, and when the Princess
Mathilde arrived there was a scene Of
passionate excitement, for she had lost
all self control 'Quite late in the
evening Prince Napoleon also put in an
appearance When he approached their
Majesties the Empress turned her back
upon him, while the Emperor said to
him coldly, before the Prince had time
to make any fine phrases: Cest bien!
c'est bienp" The Duke was to see this
much tried ruler and man once more,
and this time in his greatest trial of all
1t was at Sedan. A messenger brought
the King of Prussia the famous letter of
surrender from Napoleon III. Listen"
said the King to those who stood about
him, and he read the letter aloud Then,
sitting upon pillow, he wrote his an
swer on the back Of his aid de camp.
The same day the Duke met the EN-
peror driving from Donchery, and bow
ed to him from his horse. "He waved
his hand in friendly way, but did not
speak a word. For the last time in
this life / saw his sad and overshadowed
features" The Duke necessarily passes
most Of his time on what his illustrious
countryman, Auerbach, calls the
Heights. He rarely descends to the
plains, We hear little of peoples, but
very much of those who govern them.
Even his brothers great achievement,
the exhibition of 1851, was, in the
Dukes eyes, 'pre-eminently aristo.
cratic" Some of us have thought that
it was not without popular featutes, but
let that pass. The nobility undertook
the representation of England in man
ner such as it has never done again on
any other occasion. On the opening
day nearly 1000 state equipages appear.
ed, and the royal party drove up almost
daily in full splendor to visit theexhibi.
ton" The Dukes history, however,
must be taken from the Dukes own
point of view, and in that it is not alto
gether without consolation for those
who like to preserve their faith in popu-
lar destinies. Democracies can not pos.
sibly make greater mistakes than have
been made for them by those who oblig.
ingly undertake 50 relieve them Of all
trouble in the management of their own
affairs. London Eews.