The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-27
CURSE Of 4 QUEEN
EugenieS Anathema Aga.nS.
Three FavoriteS.
ONE WAS AN AMERICAN
And She Is Coming Home
to Die.
ONE WAS AN AMERICAN

whole Of France, Marion Morris, once
the most respiendent OF the favorites Of
Napoleon III has decided to leave Paris
and go home TO die.
She was born in Maryland, left America
when she was mere girl Of sixteen,
and three or four .years later was al
ready known all over the world as the
most fascinating young woman in the
most brilliant Of European courts.
Marion Norris never returned to the
land Of her birth. All her past, all the
souvenirs Of her glory were in Paris.
But now that old age ana disease have
taken such firm hold Of her THAT she
can entertain little nope Of seeing the
bloom Of another spring, she is going
10 say her last prayer on the tomb OF
the mother that She killed with grief
There never VIII be stranger coin
cidence than the almost simultaneous
ending Of the three women who had such
influence on the fate Of the unfortunate
Emperor Napoleon, III
Helene Esclande, Esther Beaulieu and
Marion Norris To think that once upon
. time Paris and the whole of civiliza-
ton was ringing with their names; what
a mere whim or gesture of either Of
them meant favor or ruini Depths Of
objection where these stars fell and re-
manned.
Bismarck. who knew the three favor
ties when he was the ambassador OF
Prussia to the imperial court of France,
once called them a dazzling. fantastic
trio of muses.. who would lead any man
and any country to pardition"
He had judged them rightly. That dij
not prevent him from falling desperately
Sn love with two Of the trio But Bis
marck was a stronger man than "Napo-
ieon the Little and could better NAP
leon the Little"
Helene EzcIande, Esther Beaulieu and
Marion Morris! Two were French and
of low extraction. and the third was
American and Of the finest Southern blue
blood.
They contrasted finely.
Helene was adorably blond: Esther
had a wealth of red hair and a more
resplendent complexion than Titan ever
dreamed Of; Marion was dangerously
dark and her eyes flashed like black
diamonds
Look at the most glorious women
that were ever gathered together for the
almlration Of MANI cried Napoleon to
the Due de Morny one night at the opera /
when the three beauties of his choice /
sat together fla a box opposite to the one +
occupied by the imperial party
.'Sire." whispered the prime minister. |
''IIer majesty the empress has heard you. !
7 think"
Duke I love the empress also re-
Joined Napoleon. "Can you explain
that2'
Can any one explain it? can any one
disentanele the Psychological reasons (
which made it possible for that fated
man. as Victor Hugo called him. to give
himself sincerely and wholly to every
beautiful women that he loved.
Many men whom he has honored and
overwhelmed with favors hold him IN
contempt and detest him" said Mornv
once, 'but no woman ever loved by him
has ceased to worship the emperor. even 1
when most cruelty forsaken by his tickle
heart"
The Empress Eugene, like other wo-
men to whom he had once spoken ten I
DERBY always retained the most ardent
love for Napoleon She could not help
knowing Of his devotion to others and
was terribly wounded by every new adj /
venture Tor him. however she had I'M
firing forgiveness. for his favorites. all /
though she had. of course. to bow to the
imperial viii and tolerate their presence I
at court She fot hatred that 1T often
carried her to hint at assassination The (
empress was a Spauiard aud hated wei (
once meeting the Marquis de Castig- /
Ilone. who had VIGOROUSLY encouraged /
Napolooa's attentions. Eugene lost con- !
troll cf herself ANA before the whole COURT F.
called Die curse Of God upon the head of /
her pretty rival
Another time when She discovered that /
Marion Morris. the demure American T
brunette She had held so close to her
heart had also betrayed her trust. She
drove her from her presence with these
words. almost sacrameutal in the sol +
emnity Of the original French:
.'Nay you drink deep of the hitterest
sorrow which The Almishty gives May
YOU feel upon az the misery which the
earth contains. And that everlastingly.
without rest tll you die"~
Is ii the awful curse of The IN
ured wife that has shattered the
lives Of these suilty women Every
one ~ Naoeieon's favorites WAS
dashed from Tie pinnacle where her
beauty and his fancy had placed her to
THE most miserable life They have au
known want They have all died. for
gotten ana staferine In some howell II
the same erat Paris thst once heid them
uD iovinsly - the admiration Of the uni-