Year: 1874

found the Empress looking older


than when last met her, as a matter


OF course, after her great sorrows and


trials, but still very beautiful woman.


She has that clear complexion which


shows too plainly the ravagts of time


and of care, but her blonde and still
luxuriant hair, and the charming oval


of her face, will never grow old. 1t


was only after hours of most fatiguing


work that she showed the signs of age
which some remarked, but her sweet


and winning smile, and the sympathetic


glance which she gives from her limpid


blue eyes, make one forget to notice


other details, remarked only on close


inspection. If not an Empress she


would still be called as handsome a


woman of her age as can be found at


any court. And to this must DE added


the charm of her manners, which capti-


vate all hearts. The Empress was


dressed in black, wore no ornaments


whatever, and had black bonnet, ele-


CANT in appearance, but yet very simple


and unpretending. Her dress being


short, she looked much smaller than


usual, and less tall when seen in the


long robes of the court. The portraits


of the Empress give one the idea that


she is much taller than she really is.


Her son has already grown a little


above her, but when standing side by


side there appears to be no difference


in their height. The Prince Imperial


is manly young fellow, with good


shoulders, an elegant form, and very


clear, expressive blue eyes. His legs


are precisely like his fathers, short and


trifle bent, precisely like the legs OF


old cavalry officers who have spent their
lives in the saddle. The thigh bone


being comparatively short, the Prince
LOOKS taller when sitting than when
standing, and every one remarked at
once this peculiarity in the Emperor.


1t is peculiarly of this branch of the
family only, for Prince Charles, son of
Lucien Bonaparte, who was present, is
one of the finest formed and handsomest
men ever saw. He is a famous sports
man and one of the best fellows in the
world. He came all the way from Italy
to pay his respects to his young cousin.
Prince Jerome refused to come from
Paris. The Prince Imperial's voice is
excellent, firm and distinct, and he ex-
presses himself with great fuency, with
out ever being at loss for words. His
manners are little stiff, according to
French ideas, and more like those of
an English lad of his age, but he is al
ways good-natured, amiable and ready
to render any possible service to his
friends. He has one quality possessed
by his father-a faculty of remembering
faces and names-and on more than
one occasion on Monday he astonished
his friends by remembering persons
whom he had not seen for years. This
is, perhaps, the most important quality
a manin his position can possess. After
the deputations came the general pub
lie, and the Empress and the Prince
stationed themselves in the hall for the
defile. Both were worn out with ia
tigue before this was half over, the
Empress showing great signs of weari
ness. Think of shaking hands with
five thousand persons in a single after
noon But the public was not yet
satisfied. Lunch had been provided,
and when the people had eaten they
again came upon the lawn and shouted
for the Prince. He went out with his
mother, but had barely gone twenty
PAGES when the crowd pressed upon
him, and frightful scene of confusion
prevailed for an instant But for the
energy of the friends and of the police,
the Empress would have met Queen
Olga's fate, and had her dress torn from
her back. L saw NJ. Rouher giving |
some beautiful punches right and left
as the crowd, in its enthusiasm, pressed
upon the Prince The latter laughed |
heartily, but seeing that his mother
was frightened (reports had been circu-
lated that an attempt upon the Princes
life wonld be made), seized her in his /
arms, lifted her from the ground, and
ran into the hall, laughingly holding
her foI a moment, and then sitting her
down where L was standing. She raised
her hands and tried to smile, but her
fright was too great, and she hastily /.
dragged the Prince into the saloon. |
Then her own friends repeated the |
scene in smaller way, and Madame
had to fly to her chamber as the only
means to escape from this fond enthu-
siasm. The crowd still called for the
Prince, and he went out upon the bal !
cony, but the Empress refused to ac-
him.