Evening star., 1909-09-04
ing, amusing friend and. vaguely, tutor
of bright. pretty Paca and Eugenie.

ing, amusing friend and. vaguely, TUTOR
of bright, pretty Paca and Eugenie
To Eugene, Merimee put on no airs OF
successful literary man. He laughingiy
took up the place of tutor to the groWn-up
beauty: and she listened with delight ana
profit to his discreet counsels masked by
witty skepticism. The friendship took up
a lot of her time. 1t scandai1zed tne
French arstocrats, but it gave Eugene
new, far-seeing views of life.
From Merimee, newspaper man ana
friend of editors Eugene came to have
an idea of the plotting second empire
The handsome, dark-browed, care-Worh
man, still young. who. as French nresl-
dent. received at the Eiysee, became
romantic figure in her eyes.
Eugene wished to attend presidential
reception. Her mother hesitated. 1t would
make them ridiculous with the milldeWed
smart set. But my father was an officer
OF the great Napoleon said Eugene; and
she had her way
Merimee got them the invitation. The
prince president. weighed down with the
dangerous and complicated details of his
plot, was struck by the girls beauty That
evening he sought her out a second time.
He was touched and fiattered by the ro-
mantle interest she showed in his person
and his cause. Then he seemed To forget
her.
1t was enough to make Eugene dream.
''Oh. would that l could help him." she
thought of the lonely ..rince and his
risky ambitions that were being laughed
about in Paris as an open secret.
At the moment of the Coup d Etat she
fairly burned with anxiety. She dashed
about the little fiat like ugress. What
can l do?" she asked herself What can
/ do to aid hm?''
That night Napoleon received letter.
1t was from romantic. inexperienced
girl, but ardent and sincere. 1t gave him
her good wishes and audaciously, offered
him all she possessed should his projects
need ready money
Il had actually 1900 francs in bank. the
proceeds of a legacy" Eugene told the
ladies of La Granja. fifty years later. Il
was bitterly sorry that he did not need
them. Afterward l learned that on that
same night newspaper girl, proprietor
Of Boulevard kiosque, had also written
10 Napoleon, offering him LOCO francs,
her savings. Napoleon offered her good
place at St Cloud, which she refused; but
I always kept her in view. There was a
bond Of sympathy between us.
After December , 1t was the empire, In
fact, if not in name Napoleon gave
hunts, like a sovereign, at Fontainebleau
and Compiegne. At these he met again
the beautiful Spanish girl fearless horse
= woman. tireless dancer.
He remembered, above all. her letter,
written in that dark hour of his wa
genie was soon noticed On Napoleon
side it has always been called love
at first sight. The incident of the pres
idential reception. followed by Eugene
extraordinary letter, has caused much
surprise.
In any case Napoleon's love now show
ed itself, full-glown, in the most open
attentions. The girl and her mother
had continual invitations to Compiegne
and the Tuileries. Already the courtiers
were gossiping. 1t was told that Mile
de Montijo. walking with Napoleon. found
a four-leaf clover; four days later she
was wearing q magnificent jewel In
the form of that clover Once she slip
ped on the waxed floor at Compiegne
Napoleon. quitting his partner, ran te
lift Eugene.
Napoleon, as prince adventurer. had
loved and been loved by his cousin, the
Princess Mathilde, and by the Duchess OF
Hamilton. When he became president the
Prince of Wagram offered him his daugh.
ter. Even at this moment, when about
to proclaim himself emperor. the Prus-
SLAMS were proposing him a sister OF
the famous Hohenzollern prince. whose
candidacy to the Spanish throne was
later on to be opposed by Napoleon, cause
the Franco-Prussian war, and his owr
downfall.
From the start, l was to cost him his
empire" said the aged lady, at La
Granja why accuse me of having los
it for him later?"
Napoleon soon found the uselessnes: