Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-11
EUGENE TOUCHED
BY TRIBUTE TO SON
Death Of Ex-Empress Recalls
Memorial Sent by Youth
Of Quebec.

The Montreal Gazette, apropos Of the
death Of the former Empress Eugene,
published an interesting record Of visit
to Chisehurst made by ID. X. Barry Of
Quebec.
When the body Of the Prince Imperial
was brought back from South Africa and
placed in the nausoleum with that OF his
father, the youth Of Quebec sent an adj
dress OF condolence to the cx-Empress and
wreath Of immortelles to be placed on
the tomb Of the young Prince. Mr.. Bar
rvs account Of his visit, published in the
Saturday Budget of February, 1890, is in
part:
On the day appointed left Charing
Cross station about 2 p. m. and half an
hour later, stepped in the coupe Of the
Empress, accompanied by NJ. de Visse,
the intimate friend of the Prince and bis
aide-de-camp.
The Journey from the Chi.lehur.s sta
ton 10 Camden Place is very short; . few
minutes after leaving the station we were
in magnificent avenue which led TO the
chateau
On alighting / was received by the
Due de Bassano, and then following
M. de Visse into the presence Of the
Empress In the salon in which Her
Majesty received me, stood forth in old
relief the portraits off Napoleon III and
the Prince Imperial while on the table were
few photographs Of the latter and some
bouquets OF vioie,s.
EMPRESS IN TEARS
Bowing profoundly to the Empress,
who rose from her chair at my approach
Madame, !" i said, ~ come 10 lay at Your
Majesty's feet, with my most respectful
sympathy and homage, this token Of
coincidence and sympathy on the part Of
the Canadian youth of Quebec. Thanks,
sir, she said. Please be seated"
The Empress took the address into her
hands and read portion Of it, half sigh
ing, half sobbing, and frequently carrying
her handkerchief 10 her eyes. Then glanc-
ing over the signatures, she said: Chair
man, Edmund Duprc; secretary, Tas-
chcrcau Fortier. Those names are very
French"
Those who signed this, are they of the
same age as the Prince7' asked she yes,
madame, with the exception Of few"
"Oh-Louis Napoleon she remarked,
but there are several OF that name. Poor
Louis. How he would have liked to visit
America, Canada. This was another OF
the dreams of his life. Oh, yes; but aiasp'
She fell 10 soBblng, and during several
minutes the silence was unbroken save by
her tears-her tears Of mother.
Then turning TO me: "But you speak
French well, sir; you are a French Ca
madam Yes, Madame, my mother i.
French Canadian" "And your father is
English" "No, Madame, IRISH 81
also," she said, ''have Irish blood In my
veins"
Does your mother speak better
French than English?''
French, Madame, is more familiar to
her than English"
''Oh, siri But you are good 10 have
come so far! If there is anything from
which can still derive pleasure in this life
II Is this proceeding on your part and that
OF your young fellow countrymen. You
will not fail, will you, to tell them, as well
as those good nuns, how deeply feel this
evidence OF their sympathy? OH Poor
LouIsl Poor child! To think that he died
so far away from me, who loved him so
much Poor childt'
Then no longer able 10 control my feel
ipgs, | withdrew out OF respect for her
grief.
HEART IN PRINCES GRAVE.
In the vestibule met the Due de Bas-
sano, who said on seeing me, Il knew well
y
take place, each time wait upon her
At this moment a lackey of the Empress |
presented himself To inform me that she |
wished to continue our conversation.
'Oh, sIrl' she said, on seeing me, IL |
hesitated to summon you back, knowing
that the interview would give you pain. |
| am so absorbed In grief that | no longer
see any one In the world. OH / have no
longer any hope but in Godr'
Il hope" | said, that Your Majesty
will pardon my importantly, but really |
could not return TO my own country with
out having an interview"
you are lawyer sir? Your laws-are
they French or English? Do they plead
in French with YOU? In both languages, I
suppose?" Yes Madame, we plead in
French and English. The civil law is
French and traced upon the Code Ma
poleon; only our commercial and criminal
laws are English"
Have you been IN France? Is il your |
first visit to Europe?" mo. madame, | /
spent year In Paris and several years IN /
England and Ireland Ell
After several minutes she wished again /
TO speak, but her voice seemed choked. |
rose to leave, being no longer able To |
sustain her gaze, which was full of an in /
describable sorrow. On withdrawing, her /
Majesty presented me with some violets |
brought from Zululand with the body of /
the Prince. These flowers transplanted by /
his comrades In arms, in zinc boxes filled /
with earth, had been placed around his !
bier. The Empress had them transferred |,
to the windows of the Princes bedcham- |
Der, tended them herself and often, alasl /
watered them with her tears
She then accompanied me to the vesti- |
bule, where the wreath had been de- |
posted. 'Ohl but il is beautiful" she /
exclaimed. 1T is the handsomest | have |
seen. Let it be conveyed to the Princes |
chapell"
BEAUTIFUL IN SORROW.
| cannot bid adieu to this noble woman /
without giving you description of her |
person. The beauty which was so much |
xaunted In the past can still be a1rnired. l