The daily sentinel., 1911-11-28
The Tragedy of
Age


sSsFSss iss ssas ritSsu, aaSs lnia ssr,ns a9Tn rs
fiected with sadness on the
mighty changes that age is likely 10
bring, especially TO the once brilliant
and admired who in old age, alas,
appear faded. worn and well-nigh for
gotten.
Contrast the picture of the beautiful
Eugene in the front of the book with
the one on the last pages. and one
can read with an approach 10 ac-
curacy the intervening events, stamp
ing their impress on the altered coun.
tenance and whole general appear
ance
The charming woman in evening
dress. gay. courted. the cynosure of all
eyes permitted to behold her lowell
ness. with dropping eyes and queenly
mien. shoulders that slope perfectly
and possessed withal of regal aspect
this picture. We say, bears but little
likeness to the pathetic one of later
years, with its sad features. STOPPING
shoulders and sable-clad figure.
Reading the eventful story of the
life. one cannot but feel profound pity
for this woman Of SC checkered a ca.
reer. Once at the head of a brilliant
court, admired. flattered. sought and
followed, she reveled in the pomp and
luxury, the homage and adulation OF
the buoyant. vivaclous throng. Then
came the terrible disaster that left
her a stricken. childless mother. In
ternal disturbance, wrecked position
and ultimate expulsion from court cir
cles, the death of the emperor and
downfall of all earthly prospects of
success or fame brought poignnnt and
abiding sense of sorrow and defeat.
With youth departed, title gone and
erectness of figure vanished one of
her earlier friends. after meeting her,
wrote in his diary:
AT once recognized the Countess de
Pierrefonds. With the help of her
long ebony stick she walked over to
a parapet overhanging the sea. She
leaned upon 1t and steadily gazed to-
ward a point where the con
tours of Corsica could be discerned
Her mind apparently travelled back to
the origin and downfall of the family
with which fate had so strangely
linked her
AS the cumbersome barouche drove
away, | recalled the whole past-the
Tuileries, the Louvre. Notre Dame,
Saint-Cioud, Compiegne, Fontaine
bleau, the Imperial Chaise. the Hun
dred Guards, and. above all, the su-
preme power and the dazzling beauty
of this woman-of all this nothing re-
mained!"
Early Vanity Without Profit.
And this melancholy chronicle Is
but one that might be told of count
less cases, not so prominent or wide
ly known. but where ambition. pride
of place and brightly alluring pros
poets have, by some sad irony of fate.
been dashed to the ground, leaving
disappointment. desolation and ruined
prospects to eat like cruel canker
into heart and soul.
The pensive eyes, with their mourn
ful droop, giving one, as it were.
heartbroken gaze, the heavily draped
figure, shrouded midst unrelieved falls
and folds of somber Grape, tell all too
plainly the story of lonely and DESC
late old age.
It is said she sits about in some of
the beautiful. picturesque gardens
brooding, silent and secluded, dream
ing, apparently, all by herself, on Joys
and triumphs forever past.
There sit in lonely places today men
and women who have seen each
earthly hope decay; poor and weak
and old. they yet have laid hold on
eternal riches, and despite the de-
vastating trials and sorrows of life,
they are looking forward instead of
backward 1t is true that it is given
to but few to have so illustrious a
past to dwell upon as the ex-empress
of France can recall. but the grandeur
of the past only emphasizes for her
the quiet and the d,rth of her waning
days.
The Need of ALL