The record-union., 1898-01-17
BAZAINES MARRIAGES.
The Two Romantic Courtships~ Of
the Marshal Of France.

In the January Century" there is an
article on "Maximilian's Empire" by
Mrs. Sara Y. Stevenson, who was in
Mexico during the entire period Of the
French Intervention. Mrs. Stevenson
says of a romantic character in French
history:
General Bazaine was at this time the
most popular man in the army. Hith-
erto eminently successful in all his mil
itary undertakings, he had risen from
the ranks, having won his honors step
by step upon the battlefield, at first
by his courage, later by his remarkable
military ability.
He was a plain-looking man, short
and thick set, whose plebeian features
one might search in vain for spark
of genius or a ray of imagination; and
yet under the commonplace exterior
dwelt a kindly spirit, an intelligence Of
no mean order, and, despite a certain
coarseness of thought and expression,
too common among Frenchmen, soul
upon which the romance of life had
impressed it's mark in lines of fire.
The story went that when a Colonel,
he had in Spain come across a little
girl of great beauty and personal at
fractions, who seemed to him out of
place amid her surroundings. He pick
ed up the little wild rose as it grew on
the roadside, and conceived the notion
Of transplanting it into good, rich soil,
and of giving it it's share of sunshine
He took the child to Paris, where he
left her In a convent to be educated
The soldier continued his brilliant ca
reer in the Crimea, Italy, Syria and
Africa; and when, after some years.
he returned to Paris, he found the lit
tie girl had grown into a beautiful and
attractive woman, whose heart was
full Of warm gratitude for her benefac-
tor He fell in love with her, and,
breaking through ali rules of French
matrimonial usage, married her.
Her charm won for her many friends
in the circle which his position entitled
her to enter, and her death. which oc-
Cured under peculiarly distressing cir
cumstances soon after his promotion
to the command of the army in Mexico,
was a cruel blow.
The news Of her death reached the
General while away from the capital
on the brilliant campaign which added
the greater part of the country to the
projected Empire (November, 1868. At
ter "a " llCH Hedtu
with his officers, he retired to his tent,
and, alone, fought that hardest of all
battles, and conquered his own heart
In few days he returned to his duty,
and no one ever knew what had pass
ed in his innermost soul.
Two years later a ball was given at
the Quarter General. Bazaine, who
had lately been promoted to the rank
of Marshal QS64) had stopped for a
moment to say a few words, when one
of his guests. young Mexican girl,
who was Waiting by, suddenly stop
ped near US. having torn her dress. Pins
were produced, the damaged ruffie was
repaired, and the girl passed on. who
is it?" asked the Marshal. evidently
much struck with her appearance. 1T
is extraordinary, he muttered; "how
much she reminds me of my wife" He
looked distract. and shortly after ex-
cused himself. and wandered off in the
direction Mile. de la Pena had taken.
The courtship was short one Max
inilian. in order TO facilitate union,
which he deemed to be in the interest
of his Government. gave the young girl
as a dowry the palace of San Cosme,
valued at 100000; and thus May
united to December. Two children
were born to the Marshal, one of them
In Mexico, and never was father proud
er of his young wife and of her of
spring than was the Marshal.