The times., 1899-01-08
JEANNE BoNAPARTE.
Romantic History of n Grnndnicce
of NAPOLEON.


There has probably been no female mem-
ber~ OF the famous "Bonaparte" family
whose life has proved more romantic than
that of Princess Jeanne. daughter OF
Pierre and granddaughter OF Lucien Bona
parte.
Princess Jeanne, who is figure to-
day in Paris society and is as handsome
and charming as she is clever. has known
in her younger days the struggles, eeono-
my and seIf-diseipline of extreme povery.
Many and trying were the ups and downs.
and Ticici tudeo, which assaiIed her, and
her brother Roland. up till the time OF the
latter's wealthy marriage. for which
coup de strategy" Princess Jeanne's
clever tactics are mainly responsible.
The daughter of an evil. reckless man.
the early years OF the little princess life
were passed in exile in Belgium. At the
time Of the Franco German war OF 1870.
Pierre Bonapartes Auteiul residence was
one Of those which suffered at the hands
Of the infuriated mob. The house was
burned to the ground, and he and his fam
lily were again exiles; only this time they
lost all they had ever possessed. and were
forced to seek in England shelter and Il
livelihood. 1t then that Jeanne's
mother opened n milliner's store in Re
gent Street west. and there carried on
business even after her children. in com
pany with their father. had returned to
France.
Prince Pierre. impoverished in hea tn AMI
IN pocket took up his residence IN a cheap
apartment at Versailles. Interest hal pro-
cured for Roland the son, an entree to St
Cyr, where he was to prepare for the
army. and Jeanne, then young girl of
fifteen or sixteen. became daily attendant
at the free art school in Paris where she
studied engraving so successively that she
was enabled to take at the Paris salon. as
she herself assured me. after ten years of
close striving and hard work, a much -priz-
ed gold medal.
During this time she lived with her faith
eT in good enough rooms, going backward
and forward daily to her studies a Journey
of sixteen miles. studying hard to perfect
herself in her art and working hard at odd
hours upon pot boilers" for the support
OF the little menage rested almost entirely
upon the slender shoulders of the brave
young girl. all the outside assistance thew
could depend upon being an occasional re-
mittance from some sympathetic and gen
erous Bonapartist.
1t is said that during those poverty
stricken days Mademoiselle Bonaparte as
she was then called. found herself often
in parlance with the authorities of Monte
Riete.' One Of the sweetest features OF
this charming woman is that the friends
and neighbors OF those wretched times are
her friends today: she visits among them
from time 20 time. and they visit her
1t was at the art school that Mile Bona
parte met Nile. Marie Blanc. The young
girls were of about the same age. and both
talented beyond many of their fellow stu
dents. \ friendship sprang Up between the
enormously wealthy daughter of the man
whose name is insepaTable from the notorf-
Gus gaming tables at Monaco, of which he
was owner, and the hard-working daughter
OF the poverty-stricken and broken-town
Prince Pierre. Nor was il long before this
friendship bore fruit which must have
tasted particularly sweet in the mouths of
this branch of the Bonaparte family.
Young Roland. who was but two years
his sisters senior. lost little time in win
ming his way into the affections of his sis
ter's wealthy though plebeian friend. who.
with her 30.0OO,000 francs, was the angel
sent uHawares to rescue the Bonapartes
from life of penurious misery.
All Paris was agog over the marriage
which took place between the daughter Of
f, 'old Blanc, the Monaco man" as he was
called, and Prince Roland Bona.ecte and
some eighteen months later it was agog
again, when three weeks after the birth OF
her baby girl, the new princess expired
suddenly and mysteriously. Immediately
after leaving the dinner table where she
mad appeared that evening for the first
, time since her ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Had this young lady died childless a
good portion of her fortune would have
reverted to her brothers. in accordance
with her fathers will; as it was her hus-
band became absolute pcssessor of two
thirds of the thirty millions, while the
last third devolved upon her child Prince
Roland having entire control of the money
until the child becomes of age or mar
1 ries.
Thus, in less than two years. Prince Ro-
| land. from a state of almost abject pow
| erty, found himself raised TO the enjoy
ment of enormous wealth and-a widow
err The fact that he has remained SO is
sufficient proof to most people that he ap-
! preeiates in the fullest sense OF the worth
/ the freedom he enjoys.
When Princess Jeanne married. her
/ brother gave her from his wifes fortune
/ two million francs as dot. Prince Roland
/ detested his proposed brother in-law and
I barely tOlerates him TO this day: but he
/ had strong affection for his sister and
! perhaps a feeling OF gratitude, since it
| was largely her influence which succeeded
( in securing to him the wife with the
| wealth which was necessary TO him
| Princess Jeanne's salon may not be the
/ most exclusive to be found in Paris for
| she is an artist and moves in a mixed So
| ciety; but she is certainly a delightful hos
| tess and most charming woman. as well
| as true wife and devoted mother And
| 1t is perhaps in this last capacity that she
shines most. Her children are as hand
! some and intelligent as any fond mother
could wish. Moreover. two of them are
| miniatures of Napoleon |. a source OF in
tense qualification to their mother. whose
home is filled with portraits and relics OF
| the great general.