THE EMPRESS EUGENIE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1935, Page 7

THE EMPRESS EUGENIE

SON'S DEATH RECALLED

Fragments of letters of the Empress Eugenic, dealing with the.death of her only son,. the Prince ' Imperial,' who was killed when attached to the-Bri-tish Army in the Zulu War of 1879, are published in the "Revue de Paris" by the historian, M. ' Gabriel' Hanotaux. ' v■ ■ ■ :•- ■••■-:.■!

The Prince was ambushed while out with a reconnoitring party.-; The letters were addressed to" the Empress's mother, the Cburitess of Montijo."'- She wrote: •

"I want you to know before you learn it from the papers the decision-taken by my son to go with the English Arniy to the^ Cape. • He told me ,when everything had been decided .and 'all the arrangements made to this effect. Anxiety is going to be the companion of my days arid of ■ myj2**ghts."-~ ■

After, hearing of the .tragedy; the Empress wrote on June 25: "I have the courage to tell you that I still live, ipr, grief does not kill." The depth, of her affliction is shown by. the following passage,,which she wrote on September 8: ■ !••

"Sooner or later one must goj: The sooner the better for those whose dead are more-numerous than their affections on earth. In this .world I.have only" you, biit there they are numerous. Do_ not be hurt because I should like to join them. And you,, in-your turn, will join us. Nothing can replace the child who after 1870 was all my life. There-was not a thought that did not belong to. him. We lived in our solitude with this idea., I-had no distractions, no friends, everything was lor him, and-he was all jto.me.- ■■' ;