The Washington herald., 1911-05-08
PRINCE VICTOR AND
THE THRONE OF FRANCE


ready at her husbands lack of vigor In
prosecuting his cause as imperial pre-
tender to the throne of France. Her
hope now Is that she may have a son
who will be more like Napoleon the Great.
The Bonapartist party daily Is sending
up prayers that she may; for Empress
Eugenie promise to leave Prince Victor
Napoleon her fortune was made with
proviso that he should have son by
his marriage with Princess Clementine.
In his .morganatic" family there are sew
eral sons.
1t seems to be the fate of two of King
Leopold's daughters to spend their days
trying to regain the status of royalty
which they sacrificed by marriage. Count
Lonyay's struggle Is too well known to
need recapitulation here. Both she and
her younger sister, Clementine, the wife
of Prince Victor Napoleon. have been en-
tertaining in sumptuous style, one in
Orosvar Hungary, the other in Brussels,
in the hope of having the ban lifted
sooner or later from their names. Ex-
Princess Stephanie, the widow of the
unfortunate Crown Prince Rudolf Of
Austria Hungary whose escapades with
a Bohemian baroness cost him his life,
now Countess Lonyay, insists that all
with whom she may come In contact
shall henceforward address her as
"countess-princess." and she has had her
property thoroughly renovated out Of the
bequest of her father, King Leopold.
Princess Napoleon is demanding of her
cousin, King Albert Of the Belgians. that
the military shall present arms to her as
of old when she appears in public. She
has gone with her husband to the Italian
Lakes to recuperate from a severe attack
of influenza. Every one remarks that
Prince Napoleon is paler than usual and
looks haggard. He did not meet his
granduncle at a splendid ball given in
Brussels recently. Perhaps he thought
the nephew of the Little Corporai' would
ask him too many searching questions as
to what was being done to regain the
throne of France Neither he nor his
wife was there. The affair was given by
the most important city club in Brussels.
the Cercle de la Grande Harmonic, an
annual fancy ball of much magnifcence.
This year 1t was decided to mark the
clubs centenary by reproducing the
grand ball given by Brussels to Emperor
Napoleon and the Empress In ISL.
But IL Prince Victor shirked meeting a
Napoleon, King Albert of Belgium did
not. Indeed, he travelled all the way from
the Riviera to be present. The idea was
to represent a ball within a ball. raised
platform at one end being reserved for
King Albert, the club president. NJ.
Poelart, a well-known Brussels notary;
Nine. Poelart. and NJ. Max. the burgo-
master of Brussels. Behind these sat
the diplomatic corps and other distin-
guished guests. Opposite the Kings
throne, and at the other end, were the
thrones for the pair impersonating the
great Emperor and Empress under a
baIdauin. guarded by two splendid rep
resentatives of the Old Guard.
For months. the organizers OF this fete
searched every museum, every private
collection, containing souvenirs OF 1sll,
so that everything down to the last but
ton on a uniform should be exact. The
staircase was lined with soldiers Of the
empire in uniforms of the period. hold
ing aloft the flags of those regiments
which had been actually in garrison at
the time; while the pale green and yell
low empire reception room also was lined
with Napoleon's soldiers. As soon as King
Albert arrived the ball within the ball
began by a march (promenade) Of the
soldiers, accompanied by very smart
vivandiere, to the music of the time.
ball. and, as a list of these had been
preserved in the Brussels archives, all
the distinguished Belgians OF 1911 were
represented, the quaint dress of the men
being very amusing. AS the women of
1911 are all wearing empire styles, the
costumes of a century ago seemed quite
up to date.
Presently there was a roll Of drums.
The costumed guests formed into two
long lines, there were cries of "Vive
rEmpereurr and to the strains of the
Emperor's hymn. Napoleon and Empress
Maria Louisa (the Austrian archduchess)
advanced into the ballroom at the head OF
a long cortege.
Care had been taken to find a man with
Napoleonic cast of countenance, and
NJ Baudoux, who impersonated the EN-
peror. filed his role perfectly. AS he
advanced slowly up the polished floor
of the great salon beside the Empress,
his head slightly bent. his hand thrust
into his breast, his brows knit, his pale
face stern, the resemblance was so as
tonishing that King Albert led of a
rousing burst of applause. The Empress,
Mile. Hauben, a tall. stately girl, wore
magnificent white brocade gown en-
broidered in gold, with a regal court
mantle edged with ermine and embroid-
cred with emblematic bees. Then, two
and two, followed the members Of Ma
poleon's court who accompanied him to
Brussels 100 years ago.
Perhaps the most charming was Mime.
Recamier who. in her white satin frock
and band of black velvet in her hair.
aroused admiration. After the procession
had made the tour of the ballroom, the
Emperor and Empress mounted their
thrones, and the ball of 1911 began. The
cid dances were so fascinating that one
wished modern dancing were as graceful
and pretty. King Albert applauded
heartily. Then the cortegc formed again,
the costumed guests Joined in, and, led
by Napoleon and his consort, advanced
to salute King Albert.
NJ. Baudoux had worked so hard tC
study his part that he became quite
possessed with the idea that he really
was the great Emperor. When he came
in front of the King he stopped and con-
| tinued gazing at him sternly and solemn
ly as II in q hypnotic trance. The King
| bit his lips to keep from laughing at the
Emperor's desperate expression, while
the spectators marveled and poor Maria
Louisa nervously tried to drag him pas
the King. Presently an usher reused
Napoleon from his reverie and drew hin
on.
When later King Albert made toul
Of those in costume, saying compliment
tary word to each, he paused In from
| of the Emperor. who by this time hat
come to himself, and was making ex
cuses. "You looked at me very sternly
SIR" said the King. Perhaps the EN-