The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-12

Dressed in black she paksed almost I'M
noticed where once she was the leader
of one of the most brilliant courts OF
the nineteenth century.
One instance of Eugenie's former
briliiancy recalls the opening of the
Suez Canal. She was the center OF
the festivities at Cairo, upon which
the Khediye is said to have spent all
of the 81 GOO, goo in his treasury. The
gown she wore at the Khedival ball
cost $4,000 and later 1t served to
pay a debt when she fled 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
$40, 900, 900. A report was published in
Paris several years ago that she had
been induced to leave her entire es-
tate to the church. but this has not
been confirmed.
Altho more than 90 years old, the
former Empress Eugene not only
hoped and prayed but worked for the
victory of the allies in the world war
of 1914-191s. The war found her in
splendid home ut Marlborough Hill in
Hampshire. Eng. Early in the conflict
she gave up her quiet and secluded
life there so that her home could be
transformed into a hospital for
wounded British officers. Despite her
advanced age she assumed entire di-
rection of the place and devoted her
Only Lived TO Sec Huns Humbled.
While the war was in progress she
had said she hoped to live to see the
Germans driven from Paris and also
that she expected to fulfill a GYPSY
prophecy, that she would live to be
near 100 years old. After half CEN
fury of seemingly hopeless waiting
she lived to see the Prussians humbled
and is said to have found content
ment in her knowledge Of their humili-
alton in the peace of Versailles. The
once internationally noted beauty had
become Il withered and wrinkled
woman. but the love OF France still
animated her.
In their frequent journeys to Alder
shot to review troops during the war,
King George and Queen Mary often
called upon the former empress 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 half her age did.
Those who knew her said that her
greatest hold on life was due to the
fact that she was strongly determined
to live until the Germans were driven
from France.
Grandfather an American.
Eugene Marie de Montijo, former
empress of France, was born in
Granada. Andalusia. Spain. May 5,
Count Manuel Fernandez de MontiJo.
Duke of Peneranda, and Maria
Manuela Kirkpatrick. OF CIoseburn,
Dumfrieshire. Scotland. Her ma
ternal grandfather was William Kirk
patrick, United States consul at
Malaga, who was native of Scotland,
but naturalized American.
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 January
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 alb
sence 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.
Was Europe's "Queen of Sorrow -
Lame. bent and white haired, the
former empress often was called 'Eu-
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. In the TuiIeries gardens of
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 fear
full of becoming totally blind. With
the desire again to visit her native
country, Spain, she begged that she
might be taken there before she be-
came totally blind. Her wish was graf
flied and last April. Eugene again saw
the beauties OF Spain-and especially
of Andalusia, where she was born.
Despite her "a years, she displayed
notable vitality and expressed warm
hearted gratitude over the way in
which she was welcomed by the peo-
pie of Spain. During her travels in
lAndalusia, the former empress was de-
like in her joyousness in again visiting
the scenes of her childhood.