The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-11-23

O to royal rank.
Now, if false, morganatic
marriage is the easiest thing imaginable and
true one disadvantageous but quite possible,
now shall we sufficiently admire an emperor
who lifts a 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 nave the ele-
ments of Napoleon Ills heroism in loving
Eugene
Few kings since Cophetua have loved like
this
Among SO many royal loves that lacked de
votion it shines like star.
1t begins with gypsy at Madrid. Eugenie's
mother, widow, camarera mayor to the
queen, lived in her own house in the Plaza del
Angel.
One day-Eugenie being thirteen and 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
against the fy-screen front door, and fell mani
mate. A gypsy woman, passing, took the girls
head in her lap and brought her to. Then she
looked attentively at her and said:
'"The senorita was born under the open sky,
the night of battle"
WHAT exclaimed the countess, returned
with the carriage She was struck by the
truth of the words Thirteen years ago, at
camp night in the garden, and Eugene was
there nrematurelv 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 thirteenyear-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.
His name was Kirkpatrick, and he had long
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 poor Spanish girl, Gallegros
whose sole possession was her beauty. Gre
vigne. French wine merchant of Malaga. mar
led her and had two lovely daughters; and
Two foreign consuls, French de Lesseps and
Scotch Kirkpatrick lifted them by marriage to
the first rounds of the social ladder. From the
De Lesseps alliance came the grand Francois
of Suez and Panama; but Kirkpatrick's wife
gave him daughter OF such rare charms that
a Spanish grandee, with a place at court
and Of considerable family, married her for
love.
He was duke 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 great-grandmother and ne
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 IN
precedented match even in that family. Pacca
caught the rich and mighty Duke of Ava
Higher than the Duke of Alva could only be
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
eympathy and admiration. He was so attrac-
tiye!" But it 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 be?
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 a romantic figure in her
eyes Eugene wished to attend presidential
reception Her mother hesitated. 1t would
make them ridiculous with the widowed smart
set.
But my father was an officer of the grea.
4 Is nd oh had harw
The prince-president weighed down with the