The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-07-15
Ex-EMPREss EUGENE
DIES IN MADRID

O'Clock from acute intestinal inflanl-
nation. She passed away quietly in
the presence only Of her lady-in-wait
ing.
Empress Eugene had long suffered
from opthalmia and had been oper-
ated on for cataract. Full imperial
honors win be accorded at her flu
neral.
When Marie Eugenia Ignace
Augustine de Montijo, daughter Of
Spanish count, was a little girl, a
Gypsy fortune teller told her she
would some day occupy throne and
live to be "a.
For is years the beautiful Span
iard," as she was known In her prime,
was empress of France and during
most of that period her whims rlled
not only her own country, but d.
rected the destinies Of Europe. For
a time while Napoleon III was Ill she
was regent.
The Gypsy's second prophecy came
true also, Eugene was "a years
old May 5 last.
The former empress was educated
in France, Spain and England and
travelled extensively with her mother
on the European continent. She
met her husband, Emperor Napoleon
III, first in 1851 and married him IN
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, Janu-
airy 80, 1853. Prince Napoleon, her
only son, who was the prince imperial,
was born March Is, 1856.
The empress had great influence
over her husband and on several oc-
casions acted as regent during the
absence lof the emperor when he
was travelling on was with his army
in the field. This was in 1859, 1855
and 1870, the latter date during the
Franco Prussian war.
AT the outbreak of the Franco,
Prussian war there were many per-
sons who accused Eugene OF having
been responsible for the commence
ment of hostilities. Later her enc
mics, and they were numerous, used
to say she was the cause Of all the
calamities which befell her. Never
theless the one-time empress from
the public generally received re-
spectful sympathy, and even after her
beauty had faded and old age had
crept upon her she was reverantIy
greeted BY those who saw her seated
in the parks of Paris enjoying the
warm sunshine and talking with the
children playing near by.
at,4n Lnv4f xxybsAo L~sw,L g.,
mer empress often was called Gu
ropes 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.
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 before
she became entirely blind. Her wish
was gratified, and last April Eugene
again saw the beauties of Spain
and especially Andalusia, where she |
was born. Despite her 81 years, she
notable vitality.
For the people Of France she has
been for more than half a century
the living embodiment Of historic |
days the glory Of the empire, its
fall, the revolution that gave birth
to the republic after the ignominy of |
defeat at the hands of Prussia, 40 |
years of amazingly swift |
reconstruction, then the great war
with its four years of defeat and suf-
fering and the near debacle and fin
ally the day of revenge.
1t. was for that day that the "shad- |
ow empress" had been clinging to
life with an heroic obstinancy and will |
power. Since July %, 1914, the day
Austria sent her ultimatum to Servia,
she had left France, first for her
home in Spain and then to her mag
Elizabethian mansion at |
Marlborough Hill, England. She
watched the titanic conflict with
hopeful fervor, the very intensity Of |
which kept the flame Of life aflicker
in the frail physical shell Of her for
mer self.
1t is recounted that when they
brought her the news, on November |
IL, 1918, of Germany's unconditional |
signature Of the armistice terms, and |
again, last year, word Of her sign
ing the "dotted line" at Versailles
the very Versailles where, AZ years |
before, Bismack had dictated peace
with a "pistol at the victims head
the venerable ex-abiter Of Eu-
ropes fate broke down and wept like |
a child. wept tears Of joy.
Her death occurred two days after
the Germans, at Spa, were forced to
sign the death warrant of the last |
remnants Of the once proud Prussian
war machine.
During the last two years of the |
war Empress Eugenie-her country |
men, with characteristic tact, have |
never spoken or written about her
as the "ex-empress" taxed every bit
of her resources by visiting the hos
pital for wounded allied soldiers
which she had established in one wing
of her English country home, cheer
ing the victims Of shell shrapnel with |
her smile and confident optimism. OF |
evenings. by way Of strange contrast,
she would visit the other wing of the
veritable museum, where
amid portraits of her immortal con-
temporaries were stored innumerable |
of the days of her imperial
Domp and glory. They were the |