The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-06
The COurtShipS of a Mar
shall OF France.
FIRST LOVE A SPANIARD.
Had the Girl Educated In Paris and
Then Married Her.
A UNION OF MAY WITH DECEMBER

In the January Century there is an
article on "Maximlian's Empire" by
Mrs. Sara Y. Stevenson who was in Mex
loo during the entire neriod of the Frent h
Int rvention. Mrs. Stevenson says Of "a
romantic character In French history:
Gen. Bazaine was at this time the most
popular man in the army. Hitherto
eminentiy successful in all his military
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 plain looking man, short and
thck-set, whose piebeiau features one
might search in vain for spark OF
genius or ray or imagination; ana yot
under the commonplace exterior dwelt a
kindly spirit an intelligence Of no mean
order, and, despite certain coarseness
of thought and expression, too common
among Frenchmen. soul upon which
the romance Of life bad impressed its
mark In lines of fire.
The story went that, when colonel
he had In Spain come across a little girl
OF great beauty and PERSONAL attractions
who seemed to him out Of place amid her
surroundings. He picFed up the littls
wild rose as IL grew on the road side, and
conceived the notion OF uansplanting IL
into good, rich soil, and of giving II its
share of sunshine. He took the child t.
Paris, VIII ere he left her In a convent to
he educated.
The soldier continued his brilliant
career In the Crimea. Italy. SYRIA and
Africa and when, after some years he
returned to Paris, he found the little girl
Lad grown into II beautiful and attractive
woman. whose heart was full of warm
gratitude for her benefactor. He fell In
love with her, and, breaking through all
rules of French matrimonial usage mar.
ried her.
Her charm won for her many friends in
tie circle which his position entitled her
TO enter and her death, which occurred
under peculiarly distressing circum.
stances, soon after his promotion to the
command of the 6rmy In Mexico was a
cruel blow.
The ne"s OF her death reached the G an.
eral while away from the capital on the
brilliant campisn which added the greater
part OF the country to the protected
empire (Novembsr 1861. After funeral
mass, which he heard with his officers
he retired to his tent. and alone, fought
that hardest Of all batt'eS and conque.
LIS own heart. In IA few days no retu ed
70 his duty. and no one ever knew W.
had pas ed in his lnnermost soul.
Two years later ball was givcn at the
quarter general. Bazaine who had
lately been promoted TO the rank of
marshal (ls6i) had stopped for q moment
10 say few words, when one of h,s
guests. young Mexican girl, who was
waltzing by, suddenly stopped near liz
having torn her dress. Pins were nro-
duced. the damaged runle was repaired
and the girl passed on. who is itg,,
asked the marshal evidently much st-uok
with her appearance. "It is extraord,.
nary, he mnttered; chow much chs re-
minds me OF my WIFE" lie looked dis
trait anu soortiv after excused himself.
ana wsnuereu OH In the direction Mile,
dc la Pona had taken.
The courtshiD was a sbo,, ora Moxi
milan, In order TO faciIitate n union
which DC ueemed To pe in the interest of
his aove, ninon' gave the you ng girl as a
dowry tho uaiace Of San Cosm O, valued at
500, 600; mn, thus was May united to
Decomte,' Awo children were torn to
the marsha, one OF them In Mexico, and
never wa sather prouder OF his young
wife and Vi her offspring than was the
marshal.