Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-07-12
EUGENE DIES
Continued from Page One)

her only son, who was the Prince I'm
perial. born March q, 1856.
The empress had great influence
over her husband and on several oc-
casions 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
Prussien war there We're many per-
sons who accused Eugene of having
been responsible for the commence
ment of hostilities. Later her enemies
and they were 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 respect
full sympathy 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 enjoying the
warm sunshine and talking with the
children playing nearby.
Lame, bent and white haired, the
former empress often was. called
"Europe's Queen of Sorrow She
was quoted always as praying that
death might end her long term of
sadness and again bring her to her
husband and son. In the Tuillieres
Garden in Paris the stern visaged
gendarmes 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 becoming totally blind.
With the desire again to visit her
native country, Spain. she begged
that she might be taken there be-
fore she became entirely blind. Her
wish was granted and last April,
Eugene again saw the beauties of
Spain and especially of AndaluAa,
where she was born. Despite her "a
years she displayed notably vitality,
and expressed warm hearted graft
tude over the welcome by the people
of Spain. During her travels in An
dalusia the former empress was des-
cribed as having been almost child
like in her joyousness in again visit
ing the scenes of her childhood.
Although more than 80 years old,
the former Empress Eugene not on
ly hoped and prayed but worked for
the Allies in the great world war of
ls14-191S. The war found her in a
splendid home at Farnborough Hill
in Hampshire, England. Early in
the conflict she gave up her quiet
and secluded life there so that her
home could be transformed into a
hospital for the wounded British Of
ficers. Despite her advanced age she
assumed entire direction of the place
wounded men.
While the war was in progress she
had said she hoped to live to see the
Germans driven from France and
also that she expected to fulfill a
gypsy prophesy, that she would live
to be near 100 years old. After half
a century of seemingly hopeless wait
ing, she lived to see the Prussians
and is said to have found
in her knowledge Of
their humiliation in the peace of
Versailles. The once internationally
noted beauty had become withered
and wrinckled woman. but the love
OF France still animated her.
In their frequent journeys to AL
derhurst to review troops during the
war, King George and Queen Mary
often called upon the former En-
press OF France at Marlborough Hill
They found her alert mentally and
that she kept in touch with the news
OF the war as few women Of her age
did Those who knew her said that
her greatest hold on life was due
10 the fact that she was strongly de-
termined to live until the Germans
were driven from Franco