St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-14
Renaissance of the Former
Greatness Of a Distin-
gaished Woman.
The Most Pathetic Re hinder
OF the Trying Times of
Louis Napoleon.
Only Occasionally She Glides
Like a Ghost Through the
City Of Paris.
A Curious Sketch of Her
Which Was Written by
Her Husband.

There is place where the Tuileries
once stood. There are yet standing
many buildings inseparably associated
with the Second Empire; so me in ruins.
some intact. Some of the memorials of
that gilded and patchouli- perfumed era
still command respect, so me only excite
contempt. And what is said of stone
and mortar also may be said of flesh and
blood. MacManon, for example, still
lives, and others less noble and less
known. Twenty-one years of sestab-
liShed republicanism have not DESTROYED
all relics of the imperial regime. but
they have made them only relics, not
vital forces.
Among all things that still exist to
tell OF Louls-Napoleonic days, by far the
most impressive. most touching, most
pathetic, is the figure of Eugene de
Montiio, ex-empress OF the French
She is seldom seen on the continent
now. scarcely ever in late years in Paris.
And when she has now and then glided
like ghost through the city she once
ruled and always loved. there have been
few to recognize her. But those who
have done so. Of whatever party, have
been able to look upon her only with
sympathy and respect. Scarcely in
Belleyille or on Montmartre has she an
evll-WlSher. She stands in every mind
apart from all memories of the coup
d'etat and of Sedan. separated from
them by the two sepulchers of Farm
borough. And should she wish TO live
once more in Paris she would find here
only kindness and esteem.
She will, however, never again make
her home upon French soil. She has
cast her lot for the rest of her mournful
lifein the island kingdom of the widowed
queen, who, only less soreiy smitten
than herself, can so we'll sympathize
with her woe. She is now at her beau
tlful seat at Farnborough-"i good
degrees of health. The eX-Empress is,
in fact, much of an invalid. She suffers
intensely and constantly from rheuma-
tlsm and is SO severely affected by that
disease that she is scarcely able to walk
dozen PAGES unless leaning upon a
staff or upon the arm of an attendant.
To those who remember her thirty
years ago, beautiful, yivacious, active,
it is pitiable sight to see her bowed,
with snow-white hair, slowly and pain
ully making her way along the paths
/ her private park.
1t is true that not many do thus see
her. for now the public cannot frequent
those grounds as of old. At the gate
way there is conspicuous sign:
These grounds are private. Tres
paSsers will be prosecuted" This is
not, however, a mark OF inhospitality or
of morbid desire for seclusion 1t is
simply a measure of Seif-defense. and
il reflects little credit upon those who
have hitherto visited the place. Time
was when all were freely admitted.
The eX-empress then found her foot
steps at all times logged by intrusive
and lnquiSltiye strangers so that she
could not have an hours or q moments
privacy. Not contented with gazing at
her from a courteous distance, they
would press close up to her and stare
rudeiy in her face. Nor. bad rs this was,
was it all. Vandalism of all kinds was
practiced. Flowers and plants were
stolen and shrubbery broken and de- |
faced. Even the wreaths placed by the |
Widows own hands upon the late en-
peror'S SarcophaguS were ruthlessly |!
Sp0liated and stolen. One day the eX-
empress left her rosary lying on her |
prayer desk in the chapel while she wen |
for moment to the tomb, and returned |
to find it stolen. Such state of affairs |
became intolerable, and she was COM
PEELED to put up the sign excluding the |
public. However. any one may obtain |
admission to the grounds now, at GER !
tain hours, upon application for the |
privilege; and at certain hours, also. the :
mauSoleum and the road leading TO it |
are opened free to all.
Many years ago, in the best days ot
the empire, Louis Napoleon paid a
singular bit of homage to his wife, He
wrote a sketch OF her and had it pub
lished in a leading Paris paper. 1t was
extraordinary for all emperor to write
newspaper article; still more so when
his empress was the theme of it. But
he did so and this is what he wrote:
Tomorrow is the fete day of the en-
press, SO it will not be out of place to
dedicate few lines to her. Spanish by
birth, and the daughter OF great patri-
clan house, some public organs would
seem to take every pains to represent
her as being imbued with the most i'll
tolerant religion, fanaticism, and. in
fact, with ali the prejudices of nobility;
what good is it to occupy one of the first
thrones in the universe if one is mis-
understood in this way? i short sketch
OF her life will be put before the public
in her true colors. The father Of En-
press Eugene was theComte de Montijo,
one OF the few Spaniards who. being
inspired with passionate devotion
to the emperor, followed him through
all his campaigns. Taking part as
he did in our triumphs as in our re-
verses, and, crippled with wounds. he
was one of the last to combat the enc
mics of France OH the heights of the