Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-07-15
EMPRESS EUGENE
DIES At AGE Of 81
Long Life of Europe's "Queen
of Sorrow" Finally Ends
At Madrid

Eugene Mari dc Montijo, former EN-
press of France was born in Granada,
~Anaialusia- Spain. May 5, 1925. She
was the second daughter of Count
Manuel Fernandez de Montijo. Duke of
Peneranda. and Maria Manuela Kirk
patrick of Closeburn. Dumfrieshire.
Scotland. Her maternal grandfather
was William Kirkpatrick. United
States consul at Malaga, who was a
native of Scotland by a nationalist
American.
The former Empress was educated in
France, Spain and England. and travel
ed extensively with her mother on the
European continent. She met her hus-
band, Emperor Napoleon III, first in
1851 AMI married him in Notre Dame
Cathedral, Paris, January 30. 1853.
Prince Napoleon. her only son, who
was the Prince Imperial, was born
March 16, 1856.
The Empress had great influence over
her husband, and on several occasions
she acted as regent during the absence of
the Emperor when he was travelling or
was with his army in the field. This was
in 1859, 1865 and 1870. the latter date during
the Franco-Prussian war.
At the outbreak OF the Franco-Prussian
war there were many persons who &C.
cused Eugene of having been responsible
for the commencement Of hostilities. Later
her enemies. and they we're numerous.
used to say that she was the cause Of all
the calamities which befell her. Never
~theless the one time Empress from the
public generally received respectful sym
patty. and even after her beauty had
faded and old age had crept upon her
she was reverently greeted by those who
saw her seated in the parks of Paris en-
ioying the warm sunshine and talking
with the children playing nearby.
Lame. bent and white haired. the for
mer Empress often was called "Europe's
Queen of Sorrow" She was quoted
always praying that death might end her
long term Of sadness and again bring her
TO her husband and son. In the Tuileries
Gardens in Paris the stern visaged gem
darmes looked the other way when
Eugene was plucking flowers.
Some time ago Eugene lost the sight
OF one OF her eyes and was fearful of be-
coming totally blind. With the desire
again to visit her native country. Spain,
she begged that she might be taken there
before she became entirely blind. Her
wish was gratifed, and last April Eugene
again saw the beauties of Spain-and
especially of Andalusia, where she was
born. Despite her o. years she displayed
notable vitality. and expressed warm
hearted gratitude over the way in which
she was welcomed by the people of Spain.
During her travels in Andalusia the for
mer Empress was described as having
been almost childlike in her joyousness
in again visiting the scenes of her child
hood.
The e~x-Empress Eugene was almost
inn t4- g..
Of life. 1t ran "a years. Forty-four were
sparkling in the successive roles of the
Spanish countess. Eugene Marie de
Montijo, travelling through Europe. a
visitor to the French court, wife of
Napoleon I'LL. and an occasional regent
Of the French Empire. Then in a day the
whole structure of imperial eminence
collapsed. The other half of her life was
mournful, so much so that Eugene had
said: g" wish I had passed when the
shadowy fabric of my dream fell apart"
That day of disaster was the 4th Of
September. 1870, when she and all Paris
had heard Of the defeat and capture of
Napoleon at edan. The Empress was
popularity accused Of bringing on that
disastrous war with Prussia. Historians
have since declared that there is little to
support such charges. but the riotous
fIlODS VI TdIIS, SloutiHk u ne hcW
Republic which the deputies proclaimed
stormed the palace Of the Tuileries and
howled imprecations Upon Eugenie's head
until the Empress became convinced that
| her life was in peril. Flight was decided
upon, but one plan after another failed
until an exit was found by way Of the
Louvre. The Empress in disguise, accom-
PANIED only one of her ladies in waiting.
was whirled away in a cab to the resi-
dence of the American dentist. DR.. Thomas
T. Evans. Lost 10 all Paris the ladies
spent the night In tho protection of this
chivalrous American and the next day
thew were driven off In hio carriage for
fight across France to thee hannel and
the secret boarding OF a yacht for Eng
land.
But exile was not enough. Misfor-
tune came in threes. The fall of the
Empire was followed by the death of
the exiled Emperor Napoleon III. in
Eneland three years later, and the kill
ing OF his only son. the Prince Imperial.
while in battle with the English against
the Zulus. Sometimes" wrote the
EN- pres in a letter which a recently
come to ght bearing date OF 1873
sometimes, on seeing certain children
tearing the wings of butterflies and
tormenting poor things that cannot
show signs OF suffering. l have made
the comparison that people sometimes
pluck out the e and hurt IT with
out knowing the evil they do with an
eternal smile on their lips" This was
written the day before her husband
died.
The Empress. in the two score years
that followed, founi some consolation
with intimate friends in England and
interest in travel, including visits to
her former haunts in Paris Dressed
in black she passed almost unnoticed
where once she was the leader of n
Of the most brilliant courts of the
nineteenth century In her occasional
interviews she revealed the strain of
mournfulness in her life
1T am the past. the horizon" she
said There is nothing for me but
to wait; my winter is nearly over"
She prepared her last resting place
some pears ago by ordering an addition
TO the mausoleum in the Benedictine
Abbey which she built at Farnsworth
and where she buriei the exiled En-
peror and the Prince Imperial
One instance of Eugenie's former
brilliancy recalls the opening Of the
Suez Cana h was the center of the
festivities at Cairo, p which the
Khedive is said to have spent all Of
the 3l1, 0o6. 900 in his treasury The
gown which she wore at the Khedival
ball cost $4,000, me later it served
to pay a debt when she fed from Paris
1t has since been reported as brought
to America for sale.
1t has been estimated that the for
tune OF the ex-Empress amounts to