Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-07-27
The Empress Eugene.

~HS EAiPlSSS EuSSule'
One beautiful spring day several
years ago, while walking along the rue
de Rivoli in Paris, an American tourist
noticed an old white-haired lady who
carried herself with an air of distinction
and whose face wore a curiously familiar
expression. Suddenly some one near at
hand whispered, "Voila rImperatrice Eu-
genie!"
The Empress Eugene! The tourist
held his breath and looked again. The
gentle figure was moving slowly, appar-
emily unconscious of recognition. Yes,
it was Enthusiastically the Empress. She
was easily recognizable from her photo
graph.
For moment the tourist was tempted
to follow her. Then the discourtesy
seemed too cruel. He could not even
run the risk of seeming to be watching
her. Her only companion was a lady
somewhat younger than herself, to whom
she occasionally addressed few words.
Suddenly he realized that she was pass
ing the very spot where the Tulleries had
stood, and where she had spent the most
memorable years of her life. The
thought of it all gave him a thrill The
whlte-haired figure seemed like u ghost
out Of history.
Every year now the Empress Eugene
is seen in Paris during the spring, on the
way to the Riviera where she likes to
pass a few weeks. When she arrives
the newspapers make a brief mention
of her presence; but little notice is taken
of her. She goes to a quiet hotel, makes
few visits, receives a few friends, and
walks and drives about Paris. Then
she goes on. What she feels and thinks
during these times may be imagined.
min xE
Paris, an incident occurred which called
the attention of American newspaper
readers to the former mistress of France.
and the leader of the fashionable world
1t happened that Eugene was staying
at the hotel where the American peace
commissioners and their wives were
quartered. The wife of one of the com
missoners, as a mark of respect, sent the
Empress her card. Somewhat TO her
surprise, she received word that the EN-
press would like to see her. Then fol-
lowed touching interview in which
Eugene expressed her gratitude for the
courtesy offered her, and her grief over
the condition of her poor country, Spain.
Her words quoted at the time, in the
press, must have surprised those readers
who had always associated the widow CT
Napoleon with the history of France
only. And yet, among her many enc
mics in France during the days of her
glory, Eugene was often known by the
contemptuous title of "the Spanish
woman" Though born in Granada,
about eighty years ago, she was
taken while very young to France by
her impoverished and fortune hunting
mother. who knew that in her beautiful
daughter she had a rare matrimonial
prize When Napoleon married her, it
was thought that he had thrown away
his chance of making a strong political
alliance. Moreover there are those who
still declare that his fall was due to his
wifes political Vaccinations. Whatever
may be the truth in this regard. Eugene
has certainly expiated to the full any
mistakes she may have made AT pres
ent she stands before the world as the
woman Of Sorrows The death of her
son in South Africa was a crushing blow
which won for her the profound sympa-
thy of all nations. She is now living
very quietly in Chiselhurst, in the county
of Kent. surrounded by few faithful
followers. If you will compare
them you will see that, in spite Of
the changes of time. the features and
the expression are the same. Even in
her DAYS of beauty the face of Eugene
had in repose an expression of sadness,
which the years have deepened. That
she was a divine creature in appearance,
even her enemies attest. The Empress
Eugene is now more than eighty years
old