The Elbert County tribune., 1911-11-10


Napoleon acted toward Eugenie with chival'
rous loyalty. He laid before her all the dsad-
vantages of the brilliant yet uncertain posi-
tion he was offering her. He explained to her
his unpopularity with the old French artistic
Gratis the bad will of certain grea. powers. the
possibility OF his being assassinated by some
secret ociety of which he had become 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 war.
'T would not have It otherwise" she an
swered. 'T will take my risks beside you. So
may be worthy"
As a queen she lacked dignity. She had
not been born to the solemn selfappreciation
of royalty: and she was n mixture OF lightness
and austerity, generosity and sense, kindness
and Indifference, in which the transitions
were abrupt and disconcerting to French order
liness
Alone among the sovereIgns of Europe
Queen Victoria had received her cordially
more, she had taken up Eugenie and imposed
her the courts Of Europe Yet even Mt
Windsor, where the imperial couple were re-
ceived with extraordinary pomp, Eugenie's In
souciance threatened to play her bad turn
that would have illustrated her un-imperial
attitude.
A 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 late, showing
lack Of discipline and serene orderliness, and
on his advice Eugenie had already begun to
pretend headache due to suppressed seasick
when one OF her ladies' dared to offer
her a choice of gowns.
blue dress Of the simplest description
seemed the only one that promised we'll Great
n and ,1lI lIa fa1I 1afkl o.-1 t.
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. It may
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 as yet there
was no heir. When the little princeimperial
was born. one lady only was permitted. to be
present with the doctors and the serving.
women all the time. This was the Countess OF
Ely. Queen victoria's 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
fant be boy. cannon would fire. not twenty
one times. but hundred.
1t happened after midnight, and the Paris
ians, awakening counted the cannon-shots
When they got past twenty-one. the Parisians
rolled over In their beds and yawned: We'll,
she Is luckyi"
The bigamous old Jerome had bitterly per.
secuted her as an interloper. His son, Pion-
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 ClotiIde 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 a scene" suggested Plon-
Plon
Don't think of IT," exclaimed the emperor.
You don't know Eugenie; she would open
window OF the Tuileries and cry Police!'"
To the end women took advantage of this
breezy independence, natural exuberance. and
tneradicable unconventonality of Eugenie to
lay traps for her. Hers was a continuous per
formance OF the Lady walking amid the rout OF
Comus. Among others. Nine. de Metterpich
wife OF the Austrian ambassador. seemed TO
have vowed Eugenie's destruction Once. at
oA.~-'AiSciS"u' 1no aiInobt leo ner 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. real en-
press, while yours. my dear. is Mademoi
selle de Monujo!"
Was she only Mademoselle de Montijo?
Did she not keep her word: so may be
worthy to the Empire and to France?
Twenty years later. in her dealings with
bismarck after the FrancoPrussian war, Eu-
genie had practically concluded treaty while
refusing 70 concede "an inch Of French terri
tory" The Republicans, taking the deal out of
her hands. agreed to the loss Of Alsace and
Lorraine