The Washington herald., 1909-05-09
AN EMPRESS BIRTHDAY
Doubts Which Prevail With Regard to the Cor
nectneSS of It's Date, and TO Her Origin.

Emperor he had had the advantage OF
being reared at court. in a royal palace,
namely. that Of his uncle, the King Of
Wurtemberg. and he had learned there
that whereas iRdiscretion on the part OF
the feminine occupant OF a throne is
Well-nigh objectionable. and regarded as
high treason, princesses Of the blood are
trained from their childhood up to close
their eyes to any laPses on the part Of
their consorts, and TO affect an ignor-
ance thereof, no matter how many times
their patience may be taxed.
Empress Eugenie. Ike Queen Natalie
OF Servia, had no such education. and,
in consequence thereof was not only
extremely unhappy IN her married lift.
but impaired the prestige OF her hus-
bands court by her public manifestations
OF bitter jealousy. These contributed IN
no small degree 10 the species OF boycott
70 which she was subjected throughout
her occupancy OF the French throne by
her sister Expresses and Queens. When
foreign rulers visited Paris during her
husbands reign, :hey invariably left their
eonsOrts at home.
IN fact. the only royal lady Of high
sovereign rank who ever condescended 10
honor Napoleon and Eugene by becOm-
Queen Victoria. who was induced. very
reluctantly. 10 90 TO Paris BY her minis
ters- They claimed that il was only by
her consenting TO pay state visit 70
the French court that Napoleon II could
be prevented from putting into execution
his extraordinary project Of proceeding
10 the Crimea Tor the purpose OF assum-
ing supreme command OF the allied
French and English armies than besieg-
ing the Russian fortress of Sebastopol
While Queen Victoria never visited
France again during all the fifteen years
that Napoleon remained on The throne.
she developed from thenceforth kindly
interest IN Eugene. largely due 10 the
profound Difference manifested toward her
by the Empress.
Il was this interest that led Queen Vic
toria to intervene quietly some twelve
years later, when a more than ordinarily
violent quarrel with the Emperor had
led Eugene to quit Paris. with fracas
after a semi-public oUtburst of jealous
anger. vowing that she would never re-
turn Fortunately. she directed her steps
to England. The Queen. who had been
warned Of what had occurred, induced
her 10 leave the hotel at which she was
staying in London. and 10 Join her at
where she kept her COR a week
until she had reasoned with Der. sOOthed
her, and after enecting a reconciliation
persuaded her 20 return 90 Paris and 20
her husband. Thus through the kindness
of Queen Victoria what had started a sen
sational quarrel. and what would have
eliminated in separation as complete
and as disastrous as that between King
Milan and Queen Natalie. was removed
from the domain Of public scandal, and
the flight from Paris transformed into a
friendly and private visit 70 the English
sovereign.
AfteTward. when the empire had been
OverJhrown and EUgenie came 70 Eng
and as an exile. with her husband and
son, Queen Victoria showered stiI greater /
marks of kindly interest and good will I
lDOn her. iavishing upon her every con-
iideration and attention. especially after I
5ugenie lost both her husband and her 4
s0n. SO that to-day the woman of uncer- /
ain crigin, who was bOycotted while on 4
ne throne OF France. is an object not 4
merely of Obstruction. but Of sympathetic /
-evercnce on the part OF every reigning T
house in Europe
No one but Eugene herself can ever 4
know how much she really owes 70 good Z
Queen Victoria. and although she was
l5t visible amCng the mourners Of her 4
est friend in the 81. Georges Chapel. /
-er she was present al the funeral serv-
O.. which she viewed from behind the /
.urtain Of what IS known as the royal I
.loset- that Is 10 say. species Of screen
q gallery. Moreover. one Of the most /
sn1rrflF-rT Hn-l7 eTFn-f~sr-e s1z
-Ofin was wreath Of lilies Of the valley
md NeapOlitan viOlets. 10 which was az
iXed a card. with the following express
ion Of grief in the handwriting Of the
Empress: Souvenir dun long passe af-
ectueux- LAME desOlee et devouee -
Eugene. tSouveniT OF long years OF
From the heart-broken and de-
-oted friend.-Eugenie
While the Empress is thus an object Of
generation at every monarchical court
where she is welcomed with far greater
.onors and cordiaIity than she ever was
.ccorded while still in possession OF the
hrone Of France, she has never succeeded
7 virning the favor OF even the synpa-
ny OF the French, either prior or subse-
Iuent 10 her dethronement L was only
ighteen months ago that the Paris Mat;u.
With its immense circulation. attacked her
With articles headed by the words "Au
IOleuT-' (thief): This abuse. which found
IN echo throughout the French press
'eing due 10 her attempt 70 recover .bv
SECHPEC pET EAC