The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-11-23
DIDLOUIS USE PAINT?
zoLA's CHARGE THAT NAPOLEON
PAINTED HIS FACE.

PAINTED HIS FACE
The Novelist Says the Emperor Made Use
Of Rouge at the Battle Of sedan-rhe
Statement ContradIeted by Eminent Au-
thority-Did He Turn Greens
On the declaration Of war against
Prussia. both Mn de Cassagnac and
Mitchell threw down their pens for the
sword. and enrolled themselves as vol
unteers in the First zouaves- Both
were personally known 10 the Emperor
Napoleon III, who saw them almost
every day, and now these two distin-
euished authorities have come forward
TO traverse the inference suggested by
N. Emile ZOla IL ia Debacle' that
Napoleon III at Sedan had resorted 70 a
cosmetic to ilnpart unnatural rosiness 10
his complexion. NJ. Zola describes the
emperor IS having glowing cheeks, and
adds. "Assurelly he had his face paint
ed" N. dc Cassagnac has emphatically
stated that during his close association
with Napoleon before the battle he
never noticed a trace Of paint on the
imperial cOuntenance, and IN this denial
he is corrobOrated by II. Robert Mitch
eli, who declares his certainty that the
then ruler Of the French people used no
pigment whatsoever during the opera
tions leading 20 the capitulation Of
Sedan.
The question, although intrinsically
unimp0rtant, Is very curious, inasmuch
as this is not the first time that the
change Of complexion of the son Of
Queen Hortense has been made mat
ter Of public discussion. The anony-
nous writer Of that most entertaining
medley, "The Englishman in Paris,
who first met Prince Louis Napoleon at
the Hotel du Rhin. Paris, in 1s4S, has
plenty to say about the personal appear
ance of the then pretender 10 the French
throne. He describes lis heavy brown
mustache, his thin lank hair, his aqui-
line nose and grayish blue eyes and the
general impression which the features
of the prince gave him Of being ha-
bitual opium eater; and opium eaters are
assuredly not IS q rule persons Of a rud-
dy tint. Proyokingly enough the Eng
lishInan has nothing to say touching the
princes complexion at this stage Of his
career.
The late Mr.. Kin-lake has, on the
other hand. a great deal to state touch
ing the facial hue of the third Napoleon.
In his prologue 10 the history Of the
Crimean war the writer describes the
emperor as apt. ON days Of great peril,
10 turn facially green, and on this cir
cumstance he founded the opinion that
the emperor, either at the period Of the
comp d'etat or on subsequent occasions
as n0mentous, did not, so far as could
be judged from his appearance, suggest
the conclusion that he was a man Of ex-
ceptiOnal courage. 1t is said, indeed,
that when Napoleon III read the first
volume Of Mr.. Kinglal1es history he
observed with a smile to one Of his con-
idants, This" pointing to the sea green
passage, must have been written by a
woman" and ani-English French jour
nalists Of the period did not scruple to
insinuate that Mr. KiDglake's structures
on the personal appearance Of the en-
peror were due to The inspiration of an
Egeria well known in Partisan society.
who hated the third emperor as bitterly
as the first one had been detested by
Nine. De Stael-
The authority, however, Of the histo-
rian Of the Crimean war was naturally
so highly valued in England that the
story Of the emperor turning green On
days Of battle or revolution obtained
universal credenee, and 10 some extent
i was used 10 bolster uD the absurd &C
cusation Of personal cowardice which
the ultra republicans constantly brought
against their imperial foe. Il remained
for an illustriOus English surgeon. not
long deceased, to point out the indubita-
bic verify that a man has no command
over his blood, although 10y the exercise
Of his viii he has every command over
his muscles. Meanwhile ii must be
frankly admitted that in circumstances
Of emergency the features Of Napoleon
III did assume peculiar hue.
The color was certainly not ruddy.
nor was it swarthy or sallow; it was a
curious leaden gray. But that such
leaden gray had nothing to do with the
emperors capacity for mourning danger
without wayering there is on record first
the observation OF the distinguished Eng
hsh medical man 70 whom allusion has
been made, and next 20 the personal tes-
timOny-nOt by any means exclusively
that Of NM. de Cassagnac and Mitchell
of people who had constantly been
close TO the emperor, and who had OBJ
served his physical mieE from the early
stages Of his career to its mouruful and
inglorious close. He was undoubtedly
as brave Us his uncle, the Great Napo-
leon, who. by the way, was frequently
accused IN the English press Of being an
abject coward.
The harum scarum adventure Of Stras-
burg and tho madcap escapade at Bou-
logne showed that pOltrOcnery was not
among his shortcomings. and although
Mr. KinglaAe would have Us believe
Napoleon III turned green at Solferino
and Magenta, there Is plenty Of evidence
from eye witnesses who were near to
the emperor throughout those moment /
Gus battles 10 show that whatever tint
the face Of the emperor took, it was GER
tainiy not a verdant one. As 10 Sedan
there Is the further testimony Of Princess
Mathilde, VINO declares that she never
told any one that the emperor was in
the habit Of using cosmetics. Since the
appearance Of NJ. Zola's statement she
has questioned persons who were at tie
battle and they all assert that ''the leg
END Is absolutely false" The princess
adds, Il cannot believe that, even with
a good intention, ne could have en-
ployed that actors trick under such
grave circumstances. London Tele-
eranh
Close Observers of Nature.
The most successful beast tanners are
Qenerallr small u.irr- fello-r-, ,.-ial. l..