The Washington herald., 1910-07-31
PRINCESS BONAPARTEDEA
She Was Wife of Marquse de Vileneue and Had Romantic
Career

The recent death Of Nine. De Vile
neuve, who was Princess Jeanne Bona
parte. sister Of Prince Roland Bonaparte.
recalls some incidents in the life OF the
third republic. and her relations with the
royal house made her a figure Of impor-
lance until the break in the happy rela-
tionship
Princess Jeanne Bonaparte was born
September Is. 1861. at the Abbaye d'Orval.
Her father was Prince Pierre Bonaparte,
nephew OF Napoleon ] and son OF Lucien
Bonaparte. Prince Pierre was never well
received at the court of Napoleon III.
because his father had displeased Napo-
leon 1 by his marriage with Mile. Alex
andrine de Bleschampe. Because Of this
marriage. Lucien Bonaparte was ex-
Guided from the imperial inheritance and
treated by Napoleon I as later Pierre
Bonaparte was treated by Napoleon III.
In 1879 Prince Pierre was despOiled OF his
paternal Inheritance. and IN exchange he
received only modest income from the
Emperor's private purse. Even then
there was a great GOODNESS between the
Emperor and Prince Pierre, but this cool
ness became an open rupture when Pierre
signifed his intention Of marrying Mile.
Clemence Ruflin. daughter of a contrac-
tor and granddaughter Of an officer Of
the First Empire. Mile. Ruhin was beau
tiful and good: to her beauty was united
great intelligence. and her influence over
Pierre was sufficient TO make him decide
that II he could not obtain the Emperor's
consent he could at least be married
secretly by a Corsican priest. In a chapel
OF the Church OF Saint-G ermain-TAux
rois. opposite the Louvre, the same
church from the spire Of which rang
the bells for the St. Bartholomew mus
sacre. the marriage took place. Later it
was regularized in Belgium and still
later IN France.
A Hard Struggle.
Five children were born. and Of these
only two lived-Prince Roland and Prin-
cess Jeanne. When they were young
their parents lived in Auteuil, a quarter
of Paris near Passy. There the Prince
had vast garden, and this he filed
with animals some of them ferocious.
Among them was a uoness, which was
the terror OF the neighborhood, and at
last Prince Pierre was obliged to give it
to the Geological Gardens Of MarseilIes.
When the troubles OF 1870 arrived the
Prince and his family were obliged TO
take refuge in Belgium. There he had a
property called Epioux situated in a
forest far from habitation. One day the
house was destroyed by fire, and Prince
Pierre, old. discouraged. and ruined,
would have then abandoned everything
had it not ben for the superhurnan
courage of his admirable wife. Princess
Pierre thought only Of her chiidren's
welfare, and went 20 London. where she
opened a millinery establishment The
Princess had no assistance. and. in spite
Of her courage In spite Of her determina-
ton, she did not succeed.
She returned to Paris. because there
she thought that she would find those
who owe all they have to the empire.
Surely" she said. zone of these crate
full ones will assist US" Yes; some aid
offer aid. but on condition that the Prin-
cess leave France with her children.
'My children are French. replied the
mother: and then she began the struggle
that was TO make her son a brave off,
Ger. Of her daughter a distinguished art
ist But the struggle was hard and the
Princess was too proud to ask assistance
from those who had turned away at her
first appeal Only one among those who
had once been ministers Of Napoleon III
remembered, and that one was Daruy.