The citizen., 1913-12-05
EUCEN|E'S END NEAR
Some Features in Life of Former
French Empress.
How the Daughter of Spanish
Grandee Captured the Heart and
Throne of Napoleon Ill.-At-
tempted Suicide Once.

London.-Empress Eugene lies ill
in Marlborough. Press reports say
she is dying. The woman, once the
rope and the most beautiful woman of
her day, is now plunged in the most
profound melancholy. She has re-
tired completely from society and re-
fuses to permit any one to talk to
her about the time when, as empress
of the French, she shone with regal
splendor. And the end is drawing
near for one of the most tragic fig
ures in France. Hers is only the
shadow of name.
The tragedy of my life" she says
to friends, lis almost ended. My Wis
itors come to witness the last act"
Eugene was not born to the purple.
Her mother was the daughter OF an
Irish adventurer; her father was the
count of Montijo, grandee of Spain.
The mother was light, frivolous
woman, but Eugenie and her sister
Francesca grew up to be adorable lit
tie girls. Their father having died
after inheriting the title of his broth
er, they were sent to a convent in
Paris and came back to Madrid, where
their mother was living as maid of
honor to Queen Isabella. Suitors
fiocked around them. The countess
encouraged the attention of the dash
ing young duke of Alba and bade him
chose between the sisters. The duke
chose Francesca.
When the young girl, beaming with
joy, hastened to tell the news to her
younger sister, she found Eugene ly-
ing in bed At first she believed her
sister asleep, but on approaching
closely she saw that Eugenie's eyes
were staring wide, her cheeks were
wet with perspiration, her features
contorted by commissions. Eugene
had heard the dukes proposal to
Francesca and had taken poison in
her sorrow. Slowly she regained her
health, but the incident changed her
character. The convent bred girl be-
came determined to dazzle the world.
She rode through the streets Of Mad
rid on an unsaddled horse She led
the applause at bull fights, f1irted with
toreadors, and embroidered caps for
them in gold.
She received attentions from none
except serene highnesses and dukes.
The queen, angry at being outshone
dismissed mother and daughter from
court. Eugenie tossed her beautiful
head and vowed that if she ever came
back to Madrid it should be as a
queen There was at this time in
France an interesting young man who
had just been elected president Of
the second republic of France And
he was destined to fulfill the young
girls ambition to be a queen.
Shortly after he met the charming
madcap girl, the prince-president,
Louis Napoleon. had brought about
the famous coup d'etat by which he
caused himself to be reelected for a
term of ten years, and in 1852 to be
proclaimed emperor with the title of
Napoleon III. He was fascinated by
the young girls beauty and her happy
so lucky sort of existence appealed to
one who had so long led an adventur-
Gus hand to mouth life. So he at once
made love to her in an easy going
way. She and her mother were in
vited to the Elysee.
But Napoleon had no notion of mar
rying this fascinating Spanish girl.
He realized that the best way to
strengthen his throne was by an al
lance with some woman of royal
blood. He begged Prince Hohenlohe
for the hand of Prince Adelaide Of
Prussia. He appealed to the dowager
duchess of Baden to help him find
princess for his wife. Queen Victoria