Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1911-11-09

acted
rous loyalty. He laid before her all the disad-
vantages Of the brilliant yet uncertain posi-
ton he was offering her. He explained TO her
his unpopularity with the old French aristo
Gratis the bad will of certain great powers. the
possibility of his being assassnated by some
secret ociety of which he had become a mem
Der in his adventurous youth. There were hos
tilities even in the army, in his opinion the
most serious danger; but he could cut them
short by declaring a war.
Il would not have II otherwise" she an
swered 81 will take my risks beside you. So
may | be worthy"
AS queen she lacked dignity. She had
not been born to the solemn sef-appreciation
OF royalty; and she mixture OF lightness
and austerity generosity and sense Kindness
and indifference. in which the transitions
were abrupt and disconcerting to French order
illness
Alone among the sovereigns OF Europe
Queen Victoria had received her cordially;
more. she had taken up Eugenie and imposed
her on the courts OF Europe. Yet even at
Windsor. where the imperial couple were re-
ceived with extraordinary pomp Eugenie's in
souciance threatened to play her a bad turn
that would have Illustrated her un-imperal
attitude
quarter OF an hour before they were to be
received by Victoria and her beloved consort
In the throne room. Eugenie discovered that.
among the hundred trunks of the French visi-
tors hers alone had not arrived. The en-
peror was deeply mortified that the discovery
should have been made so late. showing
lack OF discipline and serene orderliness, and
on his advice Eugene had already begun to
pretend headache due to suppressed seasick-
ness when one Of her ladies dared to offer
her choice of gowns
blue dress Of the simplest description
seemed the only one that promised well Great
ladies' and maids fell upon 1t deftly. and in a
few minutes the blue gown was readjusted to
the empress So Eugenie-without jewels.
flowers at her corsage and flowers in her hair
appeared before the British court in her own
dazzling beauty She made an immense sue
cess
What most touched victoria's heart. II NAV
be told. was the pathetic and pretty way In
which the young couple spontaneously confded
certain doubts and fears to her as an expe-
rienced matron and mother of eight They
had been married two years. and yet there
was no heir. When the little prnce-imperial
was born. enc lady only was permitted to be
present with the doctors and the serving
women all the time This was the Countess of
Ely. Queen Victorias intimate friend. sent over
from England to help along
As had been done for the King OF Rome II
was announced in advance that should the In
FAINT be boy, cannon woulc fire not twenty
one times but hundred
It happened after midnight. and the Paris
iars. awakening counted the cannon-shots.
When they got past twenty-one the Parisians
rolled over in their beds and yawned; well.
she is lucky!"
The bigamous old Jerome had bitterly per
secuted her as an interloper His son. Plon.
Plon. her hater and detractor by Inheritance.
was not persona grata with Eugenie So Ma
poleon. who enjoyed smoking cigarettes with
the reprobate father Of the present pretender.
Victor. was forced to visit him secretly One
day some time after the marriage. he came.
sat down. and said:
Prince. does your wife make you scenes ?"
NO." replied the husband of Clotilde the
daughter Of Victor Emmanuel
There Is no living with Eugenie." sighed
Napoleon THE moment give audience with
another woman risk violent quarrel"
Crack her on the side OF the face the next
time she makes you scene" suggested Plon-
Plon
Don't think Of It." exclaimed the emperor
you don't know Eugene. she would open a
window Of the Tuileries and cry 'Police!"
To the end women took advantage OF this
breezy independence. natural exubersnce. and
ineradicable unconventionality of Eugene to
lay traps for her Hers was a continuous per.
Torrance OF the Lady walking amid the rout OF
Comus Among others. Nine de Metternich
wife Of the Austrian ambassador seemed to
have vowed Eugenie's destruction Once at
Fontainebleau. she almost led her into going
to the races In short skirts
My dear Pauline" someone asked her.
would you counsel your own sovereign to
get herself up In short skirts.
That is different" replied the Metternich.
my empress is royal princess. a real en-
press. while yours. my dear. is Mademoi-
selle de Montijo!"
Was she only Mademoiselle de Montijo?
Did she not keep her word: $50 may be
worthy" to the Empire and to France?
Twenty years later. in her dealings with
Bismarck after the Franco-Prussian war Eu-
genie had practically concluded a treaty while
refusing to concede "an inch of French terri
tory" The Republicans. taking the deal out of
her hands. agreed to the loss of Alsace and
lorraine,