Evening star., 1909-09-04

by the words. True. thirteen years ago,
at Granada. an earthquake had forced
them all to camp at night i'm the garden,
and Eugene was there born.
What will be her future?'' asked the
supersttiouS mother
She will be queen" said the gypsy.
1t was bold prophecy, and beauty only
could lift the thirteen-year-old girl to it's
realization but beauty had already done
much for that family. So dreamed the
mother. She. herself, had been a really
poor girl, daughter of British subject
who had failed in business in Malaga
His name was Kirkpatrick: and he had
long been American vice consul. He had
married one of two beautiful sisters, yet
still poorer-listen to how hereditary
beauty will force its way, through four
generations, from it's unadorned self to q
throne.
There was a poor Spanish girl whose
sole possession was her beauty. Griveg-
nee, French wine merchant of Malaga,
married her and had two lovely daugh-
ters, and two foreign consuis, French de
Lesseps and Scotch Kirkpatrick. lifted
them by marriage to the first rounds of
the social ladder. From the de Lesseps
alliance came the grand Francais'' of
Suez and Panama: but Kirkpatrick wife
gave him a daughter of such rare charms
that Spanish grandee. with place at
court and of considerable family, married
her for love.
He was a duke a marquis, a viscount
and baron but the title by which he has
been known to the world was Count de
Montijo.
He had two daughters fairer yet than
mother, grandmother or great grand
mother, and he died. Eugene was one,
her sister Paca was the other.
The gypSyS prophecy made great I'M
preston on the thirteen-year-oid girl. AS
she grew up, she saw her. elder sister,
Paca Maria Francisca), make an un-
fn1 v.
Paca caught the rich and mighty Duke
of Alva Higher than the Duke of Alva
could only be a king.
Eugene. growing up, refused brilliant
Spanish offers, first the Duke of OWsuna,
then the rich and handsome young Duke
of Sesto. Sesto, in truth, inspired her
with "a certain sympathy and admiration
He was SO attractive. But IL was not
love Deep in her heart she loved a
dream-prince the unknown of the gypsy,
endowed by her young girls fancy with
a thousand charming attributes She
smiled at the absurdity of 1t. Where
could such a prince be? Yet she held
off from all other Su1tors
When her mother took her to Paris her
heart leaped at an unexpected Fremont
ton Here are details never before print,
ed They belong to the souvenirs of the
pale, sweet, feeble aged lady who con-
fessed them to the noble girls and ma
irons round her goddaughter-like herself
lifted to a throne by love and beauty.
Eugene new-arrived Spanish girl. had
no idea of French politics. France was
still under the republic of 1S4S. There
was a new president. of the NaDoleonie
family That he called himself prince
president made the republicans smile un-
easily: but the smile of the aristocrats
was mockins and disdainful. And it was
among these French aristocrats that livee
Eugene and her mother. none too richly
in fiat of the Place Vendome.
Mother and daughter, camping in the
little fiat of an aristocratic neghborhood
received good invitations from the sulk
ing smart set. very much because of the
connection with The house of Alva. Bu
from the start Eugene all but nullfhee
such aristocratic social opportunities bJ
her enthusiastic friendship for a mere
newspaper man.
1t was the feature writer and art critic
Merimee. True. Merimee was becoming
famous The author of Carmen was a.
the threshold of his magnificent career
But Eugene and her mother did no
know it. !.
To, girl and mother Merimee was only
now again what he had been twelve year:
ago in Paris before the Count de MontiJt
died, the easy-going, cultured, time-kill