The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-19

The cables from France announce most
extraordinary scene in the Paris theaters.
The word Empire" was mentioned upon
the stage and the audience rose to its feet
with bound yelling and clapping hands.
When the ex- Empress Eugene heard of
it she exclaimed:
"Oh, my son!'
The Lday of France, as she has been
called, saw before her dimmed eyes pic
ture of what might have been.
Scotch nobility, the fame and fortunes
or msfortunes of the Stuarts, the romantic
ancestry of an exiled family gaining hon
crs and position in Spain; the rush to the
dizzy heights of the first throne of con-
tiuenta Europe; period of dazzling pros
penny and iuiiuence, and then disaster,
night and exile, bereaved of husband and
son, as well as of all claims to position;
these. in brief, are the life facts of the
Empress Eugene.
Where are the vicissitudes of fortune
moro eXempiifed than in the story of the
ex- Empress Eugene, wife of Napoleon Ill
and mother of the hapless scion of the
NapOleons who lost his life at the hands OF
an African savage?
In the blood of the eX-empress. were
mingled those of the Scotch and Spanish
races. She was the daughter Of Donna
Maria Manuela Kirkpatrick of Closeblrn,
countess dowager of Montijos. Eugenie's
grandfather was the English consul at
Malaga. and her mothers marriage to
the Count De Montijo, an officer in the
Spanish army connected her with the
house OF the Duke De Foyas, represent
alive OF the ancient admirals of CASTLE
and those OF highest rank, including the
descendants of the kings of Aragon. From
a Spanish standpoint, therefore, her origin
was Of the highest.
On tho death of the Count De Montiio,
Eugenie's mother was LEFT with fortune
adequate TO the maintenance OF her high
position and her Oldest daughter married
to the duke of Alive and Berwick This
noble was the lineal descendant of the
duke of Berwick, natural son OF James III
of England by Miss Churchill, sister of
the first duke of Marlborough.
For Eugene however, still higher
destiny was reserved. In 1851 the countess
oi Teba, as she was called accompanied
her mother on heightened visit to Paris.
where the entertainments OF the Countess
De Montijo were or the highest character.
made possible by her great wealth, and
the beauty OF Eugene no less than her
mental gifts added greatly to the attrac-
tiveness OF the Montijo salon
Eugenic had been educated in England
and the greatest care had been taken to
endow her with all the gifts that could en-
rich her mind
Among the visitors to the salon of the
Countess De Montijo was the Prince Fred
erick Napoleon, who had secured the front
place in the republic after q series of adj
ventures. and whose career was closely
watched by those who saw in him a wary
intrguer
I
picions were verified. Scarcely had the
famous or infamous coup d'etat of 1852 Sc
cured to Napoleon III the imperial power
than he looked around for a partner for
his throne. His choice fell on the Princess
Garcia Wasa OF Sweden, but the northern
powers and especially Nicholas ! of Rus
STA, interposed veto on this marriage ana
he was forced to look elsewhere.
Tho French council was soon after no.
titled that the choice of the emperor had
fallen on the daughter Of the Countess DE
and this time the council under
took TO express some dissatisfaction at
raising the daughter of Spanish noble
10 the imperial throne
But tho man OF destiny" who had lust
overturned The republic, was not in the
humor to bo influenced by the council who
We're only what Victor Hugo would call his
acoomplioes- Some of them resigned. pos
sibly saving themselves the trouble of
being turned out Of office and the unusual
'peotacle Was presented the Parisians of
,he coming empress and her mother taking
possession OF the palace of the Elvsee in
the brief interval between the public an
nouncement OF the engagement aud the
marriage which took place January 20
1853, at Notre pame
There we're not wanting many et tbe
time who dealt freely with the charactrr
Of the young empress and this kind of
talk continued up TO the time of her flight
from Paris ON the fall of the empire II
was mol only in France. but in England.
In the following year, 1854. when ihe
French and English alliance against rms
sic was consummated and Queen Victoria
visited France. there vera not wanting
outsDoken condemnation Of the oueen's
recognition OF the parvenue adventure
and his Spanish vile.
Others. however. accepted Queen Vie.
.oria's recognition as proof positive thot
Eugenie's character was irreproachuh,c
and the close friendship that has existed
between England's queen and The cx.em-
press has long since had the eject OF
'elegating such talk to its proper place,
The prince imperial was born on March
y, 1855 at time when peace plenipoten-
tsrtet were Rittius in Paris IN a,r.,-x