The morning call., 1893-06-18

carried by the force of a new principle to
the height of ancient dynasties, IL is not in
making the blason older and in trying to
Introduce oneself at any price into the
family of kings that one is accepted. 1t is
rather in remembering ones origin, in
taking frankly the position of parvenu,
glorious title, when one succeeds by the
free suffrage of a great people.
TIE Ceremony took place at Notre Dame.
January 80. 1856. and the honeymoon was
passed at st. Cloud.
Says Countess Stephanie: "These few
days, passed in retreat. have no history.
Her father had just been named grand
master of the household of the Empress
and her brother first chamberlain.
The family Tascher de la Pagerie had
been installed ut Munich, because of Count
de Tascher's intimacy with his cousin,
Prince Eugene de Beauharnais, ana be-
cause of the popularity OF all Its members !:
now, they came to live at the Tnileries,
where an apartment was prepared Tor
them.
In speaking of the Empress. Countess
Stephanie says: "Her Majesty is OF me-
dium height and the delicate harmony of
her proportions is incontestable. She
could have been scnlptor's model for
Hebe or Psyche, so pure and correct are
all the lines. The long oval head seems to
have slight defect. because the lower por-
ti0n of the cheeks is rather too full, but,
by this. the regularity of line loses moth
ing. and the profile resembles cameo
The forehead is high, and delicately pro-
jects; the skin is so transparent that one
can follow blue lines on the temples. This
forehead surmountS almOnd-sh aped eyes,
divine by their changing expression. The
nose is classical as statue, and that beau
tiful face is finished by deliciously pro-
pOrtioned mouth.
This ravishingly modelled face is
crowned with golden tinted hair, and all
reposes on claSsically beautiful neck and
shoulders.
"Sght, graceful in her movements. /
found her most eXquisitely distinguished.
What pleased Inc still more was a kind of
timidity, doubt of herself, with this tri-
um phant beauty. this new, high situation"
Princess Mathilde was present the first
time Countess Stephanie dined at the
Tuileries. OF her she says:
Il found her handsome and affable, in
spite of her sad marriage with the rich
Countess de Montijo. l saw the fine fea-
lures OF the daughter repeated in the
mothers face. The grand marriage of her
daughter had neither made her naughty
nor proud. but her position at court is very
difficult, and she t. as never had the situa-
tiun she might have demanded.
THAT ga me evening saw jerome Bona
parte, gallant old man, who remembere
the past. His son. Napoleon, bears won
derful resemblance to the busts of his
uncle-without the genius. The express
sion is that of a discontented proud man."
Of the Duke de Morny, the Countess
writes: The king of elegance and fine
manners. His resemblance to the EN-
per0r was marked, and he lked-to my
mind too much-t0 show himself the son
of Queen Hortense. By his seductive wit
and manners he exercised power until
his death. 1t can be said that by his se-
duction he succeeded wherever he
wished"
The author relates the sentiments of the
imperial court during the Crimean War,
then the journey of the Emperor and En-
press to England in 1855, and the visit of
Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort to
France.
The Queen was not pretty; she had at
one moment the beauty of youth, but she
gained great prestige By the dignity of her
attitude. As for Prince Albert. he was
very handsome, very distinguished, but
his manner was formal, perhaps because
of his difficult position"
'March It. 1856, the little Prince came
into the world; it was family fete and a
national fete. The crowd around the
palace cheered the Emperor.
81 still see this handsome child in a splen-
did cradle, covered with lace and blue
ornaments. How lovely he was! Bis
birth cost much suffering to his mother,
and her Majesty regatned health only after
a long time"
imperial fetes succeed imperial fetes :;
the winter is spent at the Tuileries, the
spring at Saint Cloud, the autumn at Com
piegne and Fontainebleau.
The author delicately traces the silhou-
cites of persons present at the feieS whose
names are cited in history; she adds many
interesting details about the fetes; many
pages are c0Dsecrated to the two beauties
Countess de Castiglione and Countess Wa
lewska.
The Duchess of Manchester, invited to
Compiegne with her sister-in-law. Lady
Ohelston, is cited for the regularity OF her
features and for her nullity. She finds
Lord Cowley, the British ambassador,
dry, strictly polite, with great diplomatic
sklll, but not ornamental in q salon. Quite
another type is Lord Hertford. the English
millionaire, who possesses castles the
other side of the channel. but prefers his
little entresol in Paris. His politeness is
exquisite"
Countess Stephanie dwells at length on
Douglass Hume, the sprituaIist, who
turned tue tables aud heads at the
TullerieS.
One evening. during seanre. Hume
sent the Emperor a paper signed 'Hor-
tense and in this paper was predicted the
Franco Austrian war of 1859. The seance
occurred IN 1857 AID the writing seemed to
be that of Hortense."
Let US believe and speak of something
eIse. The author passed the summer of
1853 at Baden, with the Grand Duchess
Stephanie. In the recital of this visit she
makes delightful portrait of Queen
Sophie of the Netherlands. another of the
Princess of Prussia 0he late Empress
Augusta) and very amusing description
OF society at Mannheim.
Countess Stephanie closes her first VOL
ume by giving an account of the dinner of
December 81. 1858. at the Tuieries.
The Empress. always beautiful, al
ways elegant; the Emperor, always calm.
The guests are: Marechal Valiant,
Marechal Magnars. MonSgnor Morlet,
Archbishop of Paris, Duke and Duchess
de Bhssano, Duke and Duchess de Cam
6aeeres, Count de Nieuwerkerke, General
Fleury. Prince Ney de la Moskowa. Count
Baccioch, DR.. Conneau. Princess d'Ess-
Ling. Countess de Montebello and Countess
de Menneval. l must acknowledge that
this court had a stamp of elegance not
easy to find elsewhere
The salons of the TuiIeries are de-
scrbed in detail; here is the Sale des
Marechaux, there the Salon of Apollo. the
Salon Louis XIV, the Gallerie de Diane'
she speaks of the furniture and ornaments
OF each room and of the toilette OIL eacn
grande dame present at the dinner
These details are all the more Interesting
because the scene of these wonderful fetes
Is no longer in existence, because the most
beautiful among a crowd of beautliu III
women, the Empress Eugene. is to-day
bent and crushed with innrmlty, whlle
Countess Stephanie, who in 1S5e had
passed her first youth. is to-day the same