The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-02-20
THE FLIGHT OF
AN EMPRESS


den Of the Tuileries. Then the crowd
broke into the reserved garden before
the palace and tore down the imperial
eagles. Now comes the cry of "yivc
Ia republique"'
Let me entreat your majesty" said
Prince Metternich, the Austrian am
bassador, "to leave the palace"
81 add my entreatics,' said Chevalier
Nigra. the Italian ambassador, Ito
those of his eXcellency."
II was critical moment. The en-
press was in the rose colored room
among her attendants of the service of
honor, who were trembling to be re-
lieved from duty and to save them
selves The empress declined to leave
Madame" said her secretary, Pietri
your refusal to depart will cause a
general massacre of those whose duty
it is to remain with you
General Millinet," said the empress.
can you defend the palace without
bloodshcdW
II fear not, madame"
"Thcn all is over"
When those in attendance perceived
that her majesty had yielded, there
was a quick sigh of relief. though re-
ncWCd yells at the front of tie palace
brought terror lest the fight had
been delayed too long. All remembered
the breaking into the palace at Yer
saillcs of the mob from which Marie
AntOinctte had fled and the massacre
of the Swiss guard that defended her.
Brcathlcssly the service of honor wait
ed Eugenie's departure. First she must
bid farewell to them. When this had
been finished. she left the room with
Pietri, Nine. Lebreton and the, two am
bassadors and passed through the gal
leries leading to the Louvre. At the
same moment the mob was breaking
into the front of the palace. Suddenly
Pictri found the way blocked by
locked door. Pale as ghost. he cried:
The key! The key!'
For moment it seemed that they
were lost, but suddenly one of the at
tendants ran forward with the key
and unlocked the door. HU"ryilg past
pictures that the rulers of France had
been centuries in collecting. Tie party
made an exit at the end of the palace
farthest from the mob and entered the
place on which stood the Church OF
st. German PAuXerrois. The whole
city was in an uproar. A mob was
passing down Rue Kivoli; another was
coming from an opposite direction.
Mctternich who had left his carriage
on the Rue Rivoli VIXEN ne entered the
Tuileries, went to seek it. A street
boy, recognizing Eugcnic, shouted,
There's the empressr' Fortunately
cab was driven past Nigra stopped ii
and, opening the door, put in the en-
press and Nine. Le1reton, then turned
to the boy and cndeavored to stop his
mouth The driver of the cab. seeing
the terrible wave OF revolution pouring
down the street, belabored his horse
with the stump of whip and drove
no one knew where. When Metternich
returned, the empress had gone. She
was deprived of the two ambassadors
protection, but she was safer where
she was.
On went the cab with the woman
who for years had been the first lady
of France. now fugitive from Il
crowd of her Infatuated subjects. Far
Their and farther their hid2ous yells
were left behind till at last they had
become n confused murmur Then the
cabman drew rein and asked where
he should drive the occupants.
Where? The question was the most
serious Eugene had ever been called
unon to answer in all her romantic
life. Where? To the home OF one or
the favorites of her late court? Should
she seek those of the diplomatic corps?
Would ii lie safe to rely upon one
prominent in the corps legislatif. the
commander Of the arnyf All Of these
were passed in review and dismissed.
Some old friend must temporarily hide
her. Deciding upon one, she told the
cabman TO drive to her home. The
friend was not there. The fugitive
was driven to the house. of another
and another. None was at home. They
were either mingling in the exciting
events or were hiding from those VINO
had known them for court favorites.
Then IL happy thought struck the EN-.
press. In trying to remember one she
could trust who did not live far from
where size was ut the time it occurred
10 her that the house of an American
dentist, Dr. Evans, was but a short
distance away. She gave the coach
man an order 10 drive there.
Arriving at the house. she sent In
word that Il lady wished 10 see the doc.
tor.
Tell the lady that I am about to sit
down TO dinner"
THE lady says she must see YOU"