Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-07-23
so that the inmates of both could visit
each other in all kinds of weather.
His Hospitality Unlimited.


can home was unlimited. The gates
of the park were open throughout the
year and no visitors of decent appear
ance were denied admission by the
keepers. Even the house itself was
open to visitors, and it's appointments
appeared to the New Jersey farmers
| the height of royal splendor. Servants
were always ready to show visitors
through the apartments, which con-
tanned many costly articles of value
from the Luxembourg. OF prominence
was a well-stocked library. 1t is said
that Joseph himself was an author and
that he wrote a novel, Moina. His
daughter was well known in literary
circles as Translator of Schiller's
dramatic works. His nephew and SON
in-law was real scientific character,
who had travelled much and made
natural science a speciality. During
his sojourn near Bordentown, Charles
Lucien Bonaparte continued Wilson's
ornithology, which had been left in
complete by the death of the author.
Other geological works made the
kings nephew famous all over the
world
Art had liberal home in the Bon
aparte house. In it's picture gallery
such masters as Rubens, Snyders,
Rembrandt, Joseph Vernet, Teniers
and other masters were we'll repre-
scented, and the art treasures were open
to all corners. These visitors were
numerous and included not only all
the prominent French exiles, but many
famous Americans of the period Web
ster, Adams, Clay, Commodore Stewart
and General Scott visited the royal
exile.
In the domestic circle of the Bona
parte mansion the wife of Joseph,
Julie Marie, was missing. She had
remained in Europe on account of her
health. The other members of the
family were beside Charles Lucian and
Zenaide, Charlotte, the younger daugh-
ter Of Joseph, subsequently married
to Napoleon Louis, the brother of Ma
poleon I'LL; Prince Lucien Murat,
Francois Lacoske, subsequently consul
general of France in New York; Gull
laume Thibaud, subsequently curator
of the French gallerie in Rome, and
Louis Maillard.
Lucien Muret, also nephew of
Joseph Bonaparte, was a source of
never-ending trouble for the exiled
king. The royal purse had to be
brought into requisition time and
again to get the scapegrace out of
tight places. Finally Prince Lucien
eloped with Miss Fraser, and Joseph
declared that his aid could not be
counted upon and that whoever mar
ried his nephew would have to sup
port him. This did really come to
pass, for after Prince Lucien had spent
the little property of his wife the lat
ter was forced to earn a livelihood for
the two. This she did by opening a
boarding school for girls in Trenton.
There Nine Murat and her sisters pre-
sided in the classrooms and Prince
Lucien in the dining-room. But the
society of the shy girls, who scarcely
understood his polite phrases, could
length of time. When the means for
expensive sport gave out he killed time
by playing cards in saloons, Viii
lage gossip had it that he frequently
played for the drinks and that he was
just as ready to tip the boy who held
to borrow a quarter from a negro
porter When Louis Philippe permit
ted this prof1igate in 1S4S to return to
France friends advanced the travelling
expenses and the two boys of the
prince wore suits which had been made
out of an old coachman's livery.
Resembled Napoleon.
Of all the members of the Bona
parte family Joseph resembled his
great brother most in outward appear
ance. The characters of the two
we're widely different. During one Of
the revolutions in Mexico delegation
of Mexican citizen visited Joseph and
offered him the imperial crown. He
refused with the remark that he had
worn two crowns and that nothing in
Lu6 WO11Q NOu1u AlIA W 1SSOpS
third.
Despite his long sojourn in America
and despite the fact that he had ac-
quired citizenship Joseph spoke only
broken English. But he was univer-
sal favorite in Bordentown. When he
left the place for England in 1882 the
entire village population accompanied
him to Trenton. Without the exiled
king, whose generosity and kindness
had won every heart, the village
seemed desolate, and great was the
JOY when he returned after an absence
of five years But he did not return
to stay. After settling the affairs Of
his estate he returned to Europe in
1889. He died in Florence in 1874, hav-
ing been reunited to his wife.