The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-24
ALL FRANCE MOURNS
BEAUTIFUL COUNTESS
Nine. Edmond de POurtales Was
Leading Figure at Napo-
leon ILLS Court.
TOLD OF PRUSSIAN MENACE
Pleaded With Emperor to Pre-
pare for War Of 1870,
but Vainly.
TOLD OF PRUssIAN MENACE
spscta, co--,,rora.res 10 r,nr a.

spscfa! co-ssrordencs 10 TIE sJs
PANS. May 1.-THE death a few days
ago OF the Comtesse Edmond de Pourtales.
the leading figure at the court OF Napoleon
Ill. removes one OF the few remaining
hostesses OF those brilliant days The
countess. who became the protege OF the
Empress Eugene from the day she en-
tered Partisan society. was known and
loved In every salon Of tho Faubourg
Saint German. while her own magnificent
hotel In the Rue Tronchet was con-
tinual scene OF that kind OF Bplendor for
which the Second Empire was famous
Nine. de Pourtales. known at court az
ia Comtesse Nelanl." was the personih-
cation OF the real Partisan society, and Il
Is not exaggeration to say that she was
the reconciliation OF France for In the
celebrated revue OF the Marquis do Massa.
Les Commentaries de Cesar" played at
the palace at Conpiegne In November,
1865. the countess represented Franco
In the Entente Cordiale tabieau, while
Nine. Bartholoni represented Great
Britain. One critic of the period wrote:
THE beauty OF the Corntesse de Pour
tales, with a cap on her head and dressed
In a cuirasse OF gold and silver plates,
enveloped in a cloak OF green velours.
caused a sensation"
She was an intimate friend OF the
Princess Pauline de Metternich and as
such was first introduced to court Her
beauty and personal charm soon gave her
a place OF her own. and In the last years
OF the Empire no fete, Imperial or private,
was given without the countess being
present In later years she gave all her
attention TO her children and her grand
children. The last OF the family fetes
! which she loved occurred Just a year ago.
the occasion being the marriage OF her
! granddaughter. Mile de Logs Chandler,
| TO Comte Alexandra Hoyos.
, warned France of Prussia.
The France OF the future. however. will
| not remember the Comtesse Edmond de
| Pourtales as the brilliant star OF Empress
| lcugenie's court. but rather for the very
| important part she played In awakening
| slunbering France and slumbering Ma
Dolron III. to the threatening war with
Prussia in the lurid months that preceded
1870.
The Comte Edmond de Pourtales came
| from an old French family which had
taken refuge In Neuchatel at that time
Prussian domain, after the Edct OF
Nantes was revoked. Nine. de Pourtales
was "a daughter OF Baron Alfred Renouard
| ie Busslerre. wealthy captain OF In
lu5try Ia Alsace. and although her hus-
| band had become a German subject she
and her children remained outwardly
| French as we'll as French at heart. She
| was one OF the rare persons, and they
were very rare. who Understood the real
feeling In Germany prior to the war OF
| 1870, and she did all In her power to
warn her patrie to be prepared for the
Inevitably approaching conflict. Poor
Of her warnings. which were never
| fAkN ASa and
private correspondence discovered In the
Tuilerics and published after the fall
Of Napoleon Ill
| In 1868 Nine de Pourtales went with
her husband TO Berlin for a visit. They
were invited 10 dinner by Herr Won
schleinitz. the PrussIan Minister. wish
ing. to be particularly amiable TO his
guest he placed the Countess at his right
and entertained her during the entire
dinner with a dissertation on the progress
OF Prussia's warllke preparations IN"
Minister added In his most gracious tone
I'm few years, most oeautitui Coun-
tess, you will be entirely one OF US rms
refers OF course to Alsace. which Ger
many was planning TO seize.
Herr Won Schleinitz continued TO give
Nine. de Pourtales details on the granoi-
ose theories OF geography which hao peer
developed by Bismarck at Biarrits' ana
which. although known at Berlin. were
eluded with the following remark;
"Alsace Is going to become one OF the
-,oa. beautiful provinces OF Germany
ana you, Countess, we will be proud 10
count among our compatriots'
Nine de Pourtales prStes Sue, h ,mAt rs S%v
: did not meet with the Minister'S appro'a
J and he said nothing more , a.,
Returning TO France she stopped mrs.
n, the home OF her father In strassburg
I where she met Gen. Ducrot ana toio mn
, her suspicious. how Germany was o,,',u
, Nv, ,ha svss q, Fra zee by protestationi
s US atnrno, friendship while preparing
, oaoretlv FOR war. Among other things sh'
, said:
True to Her Country.
5 ..rhsv are making fun OF our Govern
D ment of our army, our saIoo ~,
3 our Ministers and our Emperor any ~,
A press, pretending that before ions Law
, Will be a second Spain II you onIy hnIs
What extensive preparations they are mar
, d., on all sides. with what ardor they at
g working to fuse the armies OF tne eta's
1 recently consolidated, what confidence II
. ali ranks OF society and In the army
q am certain now that nothing can proven
, n war and what war 1t VIII De
= This was the warning which the Com
,e.ae de Pourtales, through Gen. Ducro'
q, brought back to France. she saw IN
Fmneror at Compiegne not long afterwar
= and told him OF her fears. but ne woui
moi listen TO them. Gen. Ducrot dld a.
, in his power to awaken Napoleon III; !
$ action. but without result. The idea tina
,, anything could trouble the peace petwee
:, the two countries was only talk n
u thought. He pinned his faith on the ou'
ward expressions OF brotheriy aHectio'
; With the result that is known 10 all tn
: worId. His reply to Nine. de Pourtaies
o worth reproducing here. He said afte
listening quietly to her impassioned pie
n for France:
i .'Your pretty blue eyes, Countess, hav
seen through the veil or your lmag,ha.lo
soua things which do not exist Believ