The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1911-11-10

vi wv HEN kings love is mentioned,
=: :: :: 3: !:
~ al - the mind flies to the morgan
AE In America the word has
Fl Va As been misused for seemliness in
= HFZ mentioning the usual heart af-
!: !: : 6: =: !: y: !: !:
l. ~ ME fairs of royalty, but it is an ex-
E9EI rid YONF act term Of purely German
Tiki HNN l1G genealogical law, and means
INW ulg III legal and binding marriage that
w does not raise an un-royal wife
ND to royal rank.
Now, if q false morganatic
marriage is the easiest thing imaginable and
rue one disadvantageous but quite possible,
how shall we sufficiently admire an emperor
who lifts little countess to be empress beside
him? Add an unstable throne new in itself,
newly mounted, in sore need of royal alliances;
add the bitter opposition of his family, the
laugh of the world, the contempt of statesmen,
and the estrangement of partisans; make the
beloved one foreigner completely unpopular
with his people, and you will have the ele-
ments of Napoleon HIS heroism in loving
Eugene.
Few kings since Cophetua have loved like
this.
Among so many royal loves that lacked de-
yotion, it shines like star.
1t begins with gypsy at Madrid. Eugenie's
mother, widow, camarera mayor to the
Angel.
One day-Eugene being thirteen and a tom
boy-they refused to take her in the Prado
carriage promenade, which, with the opera
still remains the common ground where poor
proud families meet the great ones of Madrid
as equals. The Countess de Montijo chung to
her carriage and her opera box.
Alone Tomboy Eugene was sliding down
the banister. She slid too strong, banged
~.
mate. gypsy woman, passing, took the girls
head in her lap and brought her to. Then she
looked attentively at her and said: t
"The senorita was born under the open sky,
the night of a battle"
What" exclaimed the countess, returned
with the carriage. She was struck by the
truth of the words. Thirteen years ago, at
Granada, an earthquake had forced them to
camp a night in the garden, and Eugene was
there prematurely born.
What will be her future?" asked the super
stitious mother.
"She will be queen" said the gypsy.
The prediction was bold, and beauty only
could lift the thirteen-year-old girl to its
realization; but beauty had already done much
for that family.
So dreamed the mother. She herself had
been really poor girl, daughter of a British
subject who had failed in business in Malaga.
been American vice-consul. He had married
one of two beautiful sisters. yet still poorer
see how hereditary beauty will force its way,
through four generations, from its unadorned
self to throne!
The first was a poor Spanish girl, Gallegros,
whose sole possession was her beauty. Gre
vigne French wine merchant of Malaga, mar
ried her and had two lovely daughters; and
two foreign consuls, French de Lesseps and
Nv, orr;o IN
the first rounds of the social ladder. From the
De Lesseps alliance came the grand Fr2scais"
of Suez and Panama; but Kirkpatrick's wife
gave him a daughter of such rare charms that
Spanish grandee, with place at court
and of considerable family, married her for
love.
He was duke. a marquis, viscount and
baron, but the title by which he had been
known to the world was Count de Montijo
He had two daughters fairer yet than mother
grandmother or greatgrandmother and he
died. Eugene was one her sister Pacca was
the other.
On the thirteen-year-old girl the gypsy's pre-
diction made formative impression. Con-
frming 1t, as she grew up she saw her elder
sister Pacca maria Francisca) make an I'M
precedented match even in that family. Pacca
caught the rich and mighty Duke of Alva
Higher than the Duke of Alva could only be a
king.
Eugene, growing up refused brilliant Span
| ish offers; first the Duke of Ossuna, then the
rich and handsome young Duke of Sesto.
| Sesto in truth inspired her with "a certain
| sympathy and admiration. He was so attrac-
| tive!" But 1t was not love. Deep in her heart
she loved dream prince, the unknown of the
gypsy, endowed by her girls fancy with thou
| sand charming attributes She smiled at the
absurdity of it. Where could such prince be2
| Yet she held off from all other suitors
| When her mother took her to Paris her
| heart leaped at an unexpected premonition.
The handsome, dark-browed, careworn man.
| still young, who as French president received
| at the Elysee, became romantic figure in her
| eyes, Eugene wished to attend a presidential
| reception. Her mother hesitated. 1t would
make them ridiculous with the widowed smart
| set
"But my father was an officer of the great
Napoleon" said Eugene, and she had her way.
| The priace-president. weighed down with the