Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-08-01
PRINCE MuRAr.
"Reminiscences OF the Royal scion ana Hls
American Wife.

cdpltdl Oh tlOrlud, side oy side beneath
the shade of the trees, rests all that
was mortal of once well-known
prince of royal blood and his American
bride. their graves turfed over aud
marked by plain marble shafts. One
of these stones bears the following in
scrlption:
Departed this life April is, 1877.
Charles Louis Napoleon Achille Murat
aged AZ. This monument is dedicated
by his wife Catherine in perpetual
memory of her love-
Upon the other shaft is cut these
words:
Sacred to the memory of Princess
c. A. Murat widow of Col. Charles
Louis Napoleon Achille Murat and
daughter of the late Col. Bird c.
Willis, of Virginia. She departed this
life on the 9th day Of August, 1867. in
the 64th year of her age. A kind and
atfectionate wife and sister. A sincere
and devoted friend. None knew her
but 10 love her; none named her but 10
praise. This monument is erected To
her memory by her bereaved brother
and sisters.
The Prince and Princess AIurat re-
sided upon their plantation in Jeffer-
SON county. east of Tallahassee. and
owned numerous slaves. They lived
in grand style, and pictures of their
royal-robes and magnificent Jewels are
yet fresh in the memories of old resi-
dents.
Prince Murat was an eccentric char
acter and old citizens who knew him
well delight to tell anecdotes and rem
iniscences of his peculiar doings. Sew
eral OF his former slaves are vet living
In and about Tallahassee. and they. too.
are proud to have one listen to their
marvellous tales OF ..Maus Nuhraw. y
The prince had three favorite slaves
Mingo, Jerry and William-who took
part in all his hunting. fishing and ex-
ploring expeditions.
Prince Murat was very fond of the
study of botany. and there was not a
root or herb in the country round about
that he was not familiar with. He
compounded natures remedies out of
them and himself treated the slaves
when they complained of being unwell.
In his experiments with roots he dis
covered some brilliant-hued dve-stuffs.
and was anxious to test them.
One day the princess drove to Tall
lahassee to visit friends and the prince
had the field to himself He called up
his three black leutenants and thew
Went into the woods and gathered a
lot Of the dye-stuff roots. The bio
wash pot was called into service and
was soon full andbubbling over with a
carmine mess. Then came the oues-
ton OF fabric to test the dye with. He
invaded his wife's wardrobe and
brought out a half dozen of her most
handsome dresses. dipped them into
the pot two or three times, then hung
them on line to dry.
When the princess returned from the
city he met her with a smiling coun-
tenance and at once told her that he
had made her some grandly beautiful
dresses. She followed him 70 see the
new treasures, and then-but pryinp
eyes should not look upon domestic
Inscriptions. Suffice it to saw that the
prince promised to renew the ward
robe direct from Paris and he did.
Among the dresses was one. a verita-
bic fairies dream, made of pearl white
gauze silk and embroidered in rich
horal designs Of pure threads of gold.
1t cost thousands of dollars and every
lady in three adjoining counties talked
about its beauty for years. Old ladies
told their fair granddaughter about
that wonderful dress, but never has its
equal been seen in this country since.
The prince was a great sportsman.
and he always shot any bird or beast
that came within reach of his cum.
He never shot anything but once that
he did not eat; in fact, he was often
heard to say that before he STONED he
intended knowing the flavor OF every
animal, fish or fowl to be found in
Florida.
One day he brought in bird and
delivered it to William with instruc-
tons to cook it.
Good Gawd, mausa, yuh amt rwan
tub eat dat ting. is yuh?n asked VIII
liam.
Il viii eat Eat crow, William; you
cook eet!"
But mausa, dat's uh buzzard!r
''You cook eeti'
The buzzard was pIucked and put in
the pot to parboil, but soon the atmos-
phere became so dense with such. a,
peculiar effluvia that even the prince
had to hunt purer air. He did not eat
that bird.
One day the prince was talking with
tanner trying to sell him lot of
cured COW hides. The tanner wanted
the hides, but he was dickering to get
them at low price. Finally the prince
lost his temper and blurted out:
"You shall not hat zem al zat price.
| carry zem home and make ze ox-tail
soup of zem frstp'