Morning journal and courier., 1894-02-27

The Escape OF tho Empress Kugenie.
Miss Anna L. Bicknell, who was for
many years a governess in the family of
one of the ladies of the Empress Eugenis's
household, writes of "The Tuileries under
the Second Empire" In the March Century,
from which we take the following account
of the escaps of the empress after the
downfall of Napoleon in the Franco Ger
man war:
The chamber of deputies had been invs-
ded by the mob; the downfall of the en-
pire had been decreei; the republic had
been proclaimed. The cries of the popu-
lar fury were heard In the very gardens of
the Tuilerlss, and the enraaed populace
va, coming nearer and nearer. The crowd
reached the reserved garden in front of the
palace and tore down the emblematic ea-
giles. 1t WAS then a quarter past three In
the afternoon.
The Austrian and italian ambassadors
now entrestsd the empress to leave the pal
ace. but she warmly rejected the proposal.
The daughter of Q noble race. with the he
roic blood of the Germans flowing In her
veins, she could not but consider aight ss
an act of cowardioe. She was O sentinel
left to defend a post and she would die
thsre. The roar of the mob became loud-
er aud louder; the cries of "Yivs Ia Rs
publiquel" we're distinctly heard.
"Asdsme," then said hsr faithful score
tsry, Pietri, "by remaining here you will
cause a general massacre of your attend
ants" She seemed struck by this, and,
"Csn you defend the palace without blood
ohalau fGkaIapaa OF - stThor al
| is over" said the empress. She turned to
those present Gentlemen. can you besl
witness that have done my duty to the
lsstp They hastily answered, "Yes,
again urging her to leave.
ALI her usual attendants of the service
Pnonneur were assembled 10 the rose COL
ored room, fairy bower, ill-suited ss q
frame for such tragic picture, and which
she was never to see again. She bsde fare
we'll to all. Strange to ssy-and the ipsx
plicable feet has never been denied nor ex
| oused-not one of those present offered to
| follow her; not one asked her where sh,
was seeking refuge. Lst us hasten to
| add that her ever-faithful friend and fol
lower, the Duo de Bssssno, was not thsre
| he was at the senate house vsinly tryips
to stem the food. But there were other
| who could have filled his place. All ver'
bewildered and absorbed by selfish fears
| One lady who filed q secondary though
| confidential post in the household, Mad
| anne Lebreton, sister to General Bourbski
folio wed her unhappy mistress Into exile
| With one faithful attendant, Pietri, apc
| the two ambassadors, the empress thread
ed the galleries communicating with tht
| Louvre, while the mob broke into tn,
ruileries on the other side. There was
| door of Communication which was found
locked, and for one brief momsnt spxiet,
was intense; but tine key was hsppil,
found, and crossing the splendid gallery o
Apollo in the Louvre, the fugitives fourt
their way into the place opposite tn
Church of Saint Germsin PAuxerrois.
| Two colu nns of insurgents were oom
ing In differsnt directions; the DANCE
| was great, and the Austrian ambassador
Prince Metternich, went In haste to seel
his carriage. Meanwhile q strest bo,
called out: "There is the emprsssl
Much alarmed. the Itslisn ambassador
Chevslier Nigrs, hastily thrust the EN-
press and Msdsme Lebreton into a hack
ney carriage and turned to silence the boy
The driver, frightened at the approach
of the mob, drove off in violent haste
and the two ambassadors Immediately les
| sight of the vehicle.
The empress had no money about heI
and when, on reaching q quieter region
the driver asked her where he was &
take her, che knew not whittier 70 &c
Several calls were made at the houses Q
fTiendf; none was at home, and the EN-
prees. utterly exhausted, and not knowing
where to fnd q refuge, suddenly remem
bsred that DIR Evans, the American der
tist, lived near. and to him she went
DR.. Evans was about to 20 to dinner
and at fret refused to see the unknow
lady who came at such an uppropi,iou
time; but as she insisted upon speskin
to him he came out, and was struck Wit
astonishment on finding himself In th
presence of the fugitive empress. To hi
honor be 1t said that never in the day
of imperial prosperity could she have me
with more respect or more devoted zss
in her eervics than was shown on thI
occasion by DR.. and Mrs. Evans. Moth
ing that could be done for her oomfol
was neglected, and DIR Evans never let
his imperial guest TIL he had safel
landed her on the English shore. Herr
at least, there was neither iugrs.itud
nor selfish fear, and the conduct of d.
Evans on this memorable occasion wi
be remembered az q title of honor 10 hl
| mama and hia nounfrvp ~