The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1898-06-23
MAXIMILIAN'S REIGN.
THE CLOSING DAYS OF MExl-
CAN EMPIRE.
che Emperor Was a Genial and Pleas
ant Man, with More Personal Magnet
Ism Than the Unhappy Carlotta-Thc
Empress Sighted at tho Last. v

Mrs. Sara Y. Stevenson is contribut-
ing to the Century a series of papers on
the French intervention in Mexico. In
the current number of the magazine
Mrs. Stevenson writes of Mexican So
ciety in Meximilian's Time, 1866 She
says of the last days Of the empire:
The pomp and dignity of the court had
vanished, the social life in the capital
no longer centered about the imperial
palace. Even previous to the depar-
ture of the empress, the Monday recep-
tons had been discontinued, without
their loss being seriously felt. AT best
| they had never been other than dull,
| formal affairs. The ball room was a
large hall, always insufficiently lighted,
| and narrowed in the middle by the
| platform where stood the imperial
throne under a canopy of velvet. Here,
| after their new guests had been official
1y presented in an adjoining hall, the
emperor and empress seated them
selves. Before supper they made a
solemn tour of the ball room. The
dancing then ceased, and the crowd
stood in chilled expectancy, and made
way for them, each in turn receiving
as they passed, a smile, a nod, or some
commonplace word of greeting. Max
imilian was happy in his remarks on
such occasions. Naturally affable and
kindly, like most princes trained to
this sort of thing, his memory for
faces and names was remarkable. we
were presented at court on the first Of
the imperial fortnightly Mondays, and
with us, of course, a large number OF
the guests present; and yet,some weeks
| later, when making his tour of the ball
room, the emperor stopped before US,
and inquired about an absent member
of the family, apparently placing us
exactly. Many other instances of his
memory and power of observation in
such small matters were related by
others. He was tall, slight and hand
some, although the whole expression
| of his face revealed weakness and indie
cision. He looked, and was, a gentle
man. His dignity was without haul
teur. His manner was attractive; he
had the faculty of making you feel at
| case; and he possessed far more per-
sonal magnetism than did the empress.
Hers was a strong, intelligent face, the
lines of which were somewhat hard at
| times; and her determined expression
| impressed one with the feeling that she
was the better equipped of the two in
| &o11;oont1u 70 oopo with tho 6ihpultiQS
of practical life. 1t is probable that,
had she been alone, she might have
made a better attempt at solving the
problems than did Maximilian; at
least, such was Marshal B~azaine's opin-
ion, as expressed before me on one &C.
casion, during her brief regency when
she had shown special firmness and
clear judgment in dealing with certain
complicated state affairs. She, how
ever, was reserved, somewhat lacking
in tact and a~daptability; and a certain
haughtiness of manner, a dignity toe
many who were disposed to feel kindly
towards her. 1t is more than likely
that under this proud mien she con-
cealed a suffering spirit, or, at least
the consciousness of a superiority tina
must efface itself. Who will ever know
the travail of her proud heart and the
prolonged strain under which he,
mind finally ~succumbed? For, not
withstanding the prudence and decided
ability with which she had conducted
the difficult affairs of the realm during
the emperor's absence in 1864, it wa
limited that on his return she was al
lowed little say in public affairs, an,
that her advice when given was sci
dom followed. After her departur
even the semblance of a court disap
peared.