Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1910-12-16
QUEENS
in
EXILE

lWNG one to the little group OF
IN w wretched women who once
were queens and now ex
- lies, without country
without home. They are a pathetic
group and we'll are they called Queens
of Sorrow: The mad Carlotta, once
empress of Mexico; the wandering
Eugene, once empress Of the French
and now the beautiful Amelie, until
few weeks ago queen of Portugal.
II would be difficult to say which OF
the three is the most miserable. In
the case Of poor Carlotta insanity has
kindly cast a curtain over her mind.
So she at least may not know how
full is the cup of her wretchedness.
While the gay breezes played In the
bunting festooned from the govern
ment buildings and troops in bright
uniforms swung with spirit along the
broad avenues and under triumphal
arches that proclaimed the greatness
of the Mexico of today on the occasion
of that country's one hGndredth year
of freedom from the rule OF Spain. the
vacant mind of Carlotta gave signs OF
a temporary awakening.
1t was the great Hidalgo that lib
Grated Mexico; 1t was the Hidalgos OF
q later day that bore Macmillan to
the plains of Queretaro. looped the
kerchief over his eyes and gave the
signal to the file of soldiers to fire.
Men. aim at my heart" was Maxi
milian's only request. Easily granted.
He fell dead upon his own shadow
and became q monarchial memory.
And with his passing contemporaneous
history came to know the first OF
these three Queens of Sorrow.
Beginning Of LIES Eclipse.
When the half score rifles flashed
the fire which robbed Carlotta of her
emperor she was standing in the audi
ence-room of the Vatican appealing
for aid that the pope was powerless
to grant. Mexico had repudiated EN-
peror Macmillan. The French troops
that had held his monarchy together.
following the Civil war in our own
country. had been withdrawn. The
empress had gone abroad with a
prayer on her lips to save the throne
Tor him she loved. First she went to
Louis Napoleon, who had bestowed
the bauble of kinship. He could do
nothing. Then she turned to the pope.
Again the Inevitable negative shake
OF tho head. Passing from the audi
ence-r0om. her attendants saw q smile
oerspread the face of the empress.
Then she laughed-a low and cultural
laugh. The beginning of the end had
come.
The birds in the Borda gardens
how sweetly they sing! Do you not
hear them. my Maximilian?" she
asked. looking far OF. The attend.
ants made answer as best they could
IN soothing phrase and bore her away
away to the north, where a court
was formed. with its chamberlains, Ia
dies-in-waiting and others of whatever
name and title satellites of a crown
are known. And here they sat her
an empress gone mad-upon the
throne Of rnake-believe.
Ions years she. has reigned In
empty fancy. For a time the formali.
ties Of court life were followed with
q punctiliousness almost real: for q
time a jeweled crown rested upon her
fast whitening hair and she wore the
ermines and purple velvets of royalty:
Tor time she bestowed phantom hon
ors upon those who knelt, as do char.
acters in Shakespearian play. before
her. But not now. Fifty and odd
years have about done for the feeble
body the work that the tragic episode
OF early womanhood did for the brain.
Awaiting the End.
The palace wherein they ara wait.
ing for the end is remote and forest
hidden. It is near Brussels and has
the name Chateau de Bouchard. OF
money to maintain 1t In magnificence
there is plenty-Leopold /. was Car.
lotta's father. He left to her and her
sister the bulk Of his great fortune.
King Leopold. the ruler Of Belgium
and the Congo and the royal spender
of Paris. who died recently. was her
brother.
Macmillan lived to know that his
empress had been bereft Of her rea.
son. but Carlotta to this day doesn't
know her emperor died at the hands
OF military executioners.
When her lusterless eyes seemed to
CLEAN with returning intelligence. as
the cable told a few weeks ago. she
grasped the arms Of her chair and.
rising. felt her way across the cham.
Der as II in search Of something. She
smiled at figure on a vase and her
lips moved. She passed to a table
wherein stood 1ardiniere of fragrant
roses. Again the lips seemed about TO
give coherent utterance. A lady-in.
waiting took the feeble arm and fol.