Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-07-08

by time, a queenly figure, possessed
Of every grace and charm. She wal
the mistress Of the fetes Of Compiegne
of which all Europe was talking; sht
was the friend of Queen Victoria and
of the Empress Elizabeth Of Austria
of both she had been the hostess dur
ing their stay in France, while at the
Paris exhibition in 1867 she had re.
ceived the Emperors of Austria and
Russia, the King Of Prussia, and the
Prince Of Wales. In 1869 the En-.
press Eugenie was the most brilliant
lady in Europe, whose slightest will
was law. At Constantinople the Sui
tan himself embarked on shipboard to
greet her in the Bosphorus and conduct
her to his palace of Boyle Bey; at
Port Said it was the French imperial
yacht that all eyes strained to see.
There were rumors at the last moment
that she was not coming, that the
Empress had taken offense at some.
thing, that some hitch had occurred.
From first to last peoples thoughts
were of Napoleon and Eugenie. Poor
Ismail, who hoped to show the world
that a new power had been born in
Egypt, had built a palace for her com
ing on the shores of Lake Timsah-
real Aladdin's palace, where for
three days open tables were kept for
10000 people feasted with the best and
rarest that luxury could supply, and
surrounded by a great city Of tents,
where the Khedive's guests were
housed. Some one told him that the
Empress was sure to desire to visit
the Pyramids. At once he ordered
broad road TO be made, seven miles
long, to be finished in six weeks. And
finished it was by the labor of 10000
fellaheen working under the heavy
lash. Tho Empress of the French must
be able to travel smoothly
The Empress came and saw and con-
quered anew, though her conquest was
already secure. Her yacht arrived last,
and sailed slowly down the canal
from Port Said, greeted with salvos of
cannon. The procession of yachts was
too slow to be impressive, and the real
triumph Of the Empress took place in
n scene more suited 20 her sex and
~ her eharms-in the ballroom Of the
palace, where the state ball was held
TO celebrate the opening Of the new
route between East and West. Her
was the queen Of the ball
she and France triumphed. With her
own hands she decorated M. de Lesseps
In the name Of the Emperor with the
Grand Gordon Of the Legion Of Honor.
Il can see her still in my mind's eye"
Edward Dicey has written in re-
cent book, Gas covered with diamonds
she moved like a goddess amid the
,rowds who stood up to give her pas
,age to the dais, on which, surrounded
by crowned heads and the heirs to
'oyal thrones, she took her seat as, If |
may use the phrase, the patroness
If the ball. can still hear the strains
" 'Partant pour la Syrie, which the
)ands played in her honor as she EN-.
parked on the imperial yacht, or leav-
ng the ball, and the salutes by which
Ter departure was proclaimed" 1t
vas her eliminating triumph
or all was bitterness and disaster.
rho height she climbed was dizzy; the
all was terrible.
II is said that while the Empress Eu-
-enie was in Egypt she wrote TO the
Emperor, urging him TO inaugurate
nore liberal regime. 81 do not like
she wrote, and I am per-
uaded that a coup d'etat cannot be
made twice in one reign" Seven
ionths later she said goodbye to her
usband and son, as they left Paris for
he frontier. A few more weeks and
be was fugitive hastily fleeing from
'aris in a hackney coach, deserted by
or friends and almost alone. II was
he prelude to Chislehurst, Farnbor-
ugh, lthe tragedy of Zululand-a sue
ession Of sorrows and shattered hopes.
Such were the circumstances under
yhieh the Empress of the French sail
in her imperial beauty and power
or the Orient. Now it was an aged
ldy who, all unobserved, took passage
Ike an ordinary traveller for Port Said.
ne journey challenged memories as
I'd as ever oppressed a queen de-
ironed. Times are changed, indeed,
nd the Empress with them, and
gypt, toO-ehanged beyond all rec
gnition save for tue Pyramids and
10 Nile,
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