Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-06-08
ESCAPE OF EUGENE.
HOW 1T WAS ACCOMPLISHED AFTER
NAPOLEON FELL.

NAPOLEON FELL.
Sent From the Palace Practically Afcno
and Penn;1ess-Kcr attendants Thought
Only of Their Own safety-sheltered and
Saved by an American.
Miss Anna L. Bicknell, who was for
many years a governess i'll the family of
one Of the ladies of the Empress Euge-
MES household, writes of ''The Tuiie-
ries Under the Second Empire in The
Century, from which we take the fol
lowing account Of the escape of the EN-
press after the downfall of Napoleon in
the Franco German war:
The chamber of deputies had been in
vaded by the mob; the downfall Of the
empire had been decreed; the republic
had been proclaimed. The cries Of the
popular fury were heard in the very
gardens of the Tuileries, and the enrag-
ed populace was coming nearer and near
er. The crowd reached the reserved gar
den in front Of the palace and tore down
the emblematic imperial eagles. 1t was
then a quarter past in the afternoon.
The Austrian and Italian embassa-
doris now entreated the empress to leave
the palace, but she warmly rejected the
proposal. The daughter of a noble race,
with the heroic blood Of the Germans
flowing in her veins, she could not but
consider flight as an act Of cowardice.
She was sentinel left to defend the
nd CD Il Tho
of the mob became louder and louder;
the cries Of ''Vive la republique!'' were
distinctly heard.
Madame" then said her faithful
secretary, Pietri, ''by remaining here
you will cause a general massacre of
your attendants. -
She seemed struck by this, and turn
ing to General Mellinet she said:
''Can you defend the palace without
bloodshed?''
Madame, fear not"
''Then all is over, said the empress.
She turned to those present. "Gentle-
men, can you bear witness that have
done my duty to the last?'
They hastily answered eyes, again
urging n6r 10 leave.
All her usual attendants of the serv-
ice d'honneur were assembled i'll the
rose colored room-a fairy bower, ill
suited as a frame for such tragic pic
ture, and which she was never to see
again. She babe farewell to all. Strange
to say-and the inexplioable fact has
never been denied nor excused-not one
of those present offered to follow her,
not one asked her where she was seek
ing refuge. Let us hasten to add that
her ever faithful friend and follower,
the Duo de Bassano, was not there. He
was at the senate house vainly trying
to stem the flood. But there were 9TH
ers who could have filed his place.
All We're bewildered and absorbed by
selfish fears. One lady who filled q Sec
ondary though confidential post in the
household, Mime. Lebreton, sister to
General Bourbaki, followed her unhap-
by mistress into exile With one faith
full attendant, Pietri, and the two en-
bassadors, the empress threaded the gal
leries communicating with the Louvre
while the mob broke into the Tuileries
on the other SIDE There was door of
communication which was found lock-
ed, and for one brief moment anxiety
was intense, but the key was happily
found, and crossing the splendid gallery
of Apollo in the Louvre the fugitives
found their way into the place opposite
the Church of Saint German PAuxer-
rois.
Two columns of insurgents were COM
ing in different directions. The danger
was great, and the Austrian ambassador,
Prince Metternich, went in haste to seek
his carriage. Meantime street boy
called out, ''There is the empress!"
Much alarmed, the Italian ambassador,
Chevalier Nigra, hastily thrust the enl-
press and Nine. Lebreton into a hackney
carriage and turned to silence the boy.
The driver, frightened at the approach
of the mob, drove off in violent haste,
lost sight Of the vehicle.
The empress had no money about her,
and when, Oh reaching quieter region,
the driver asked her where he was to
take her she knew not whittier to go.
Several calls were made at the houses
of friends None was at home, and the
empress, utterly exhausted, and not
knowing where to find a refuge, sud
denly remembered that Dr. Evans, the
American dentist, lived near, and to
him she went. DR.. Evans was about to
go to dinner and at first refused to see
the unknown lady who came at such an
unpropitious time, but as she insisted
upon speaking to him he came out and
was struck with establishment on finding
himself in the presence of the fugitive
empress. To his honor be it said that
never in the days Of imperial prosperity
could she have met with more respect
or more devoted zeal in her service than
was now shown by DR.. and Mrs Evans.
Nothing that could be done for her com
fort was neglected, and DR.. Evans never
left his imperial guest until he had
safely landed her Oh the English shore.
Here at least there was neither ingrati-
tude nor selfish fear, and the conduct Of
DR.. Evans on this memorable occasion
will be remembered as q title of honor
to his name and to his country.