EUGENIE, EMPRESS OF SOLITUDE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10604, 5 November 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

EUGENIE, EMPRESS OF SOLITUDE.

(By Lucretia M. Davidson.)

It is now some time since one has' "heard anything of the Empress Eugenie, who, on the sth of September, celebrated her "84th birthday. Though yet -living, she is dead. They call her nowadays the "Empress of Solitude. \ "Among the portraits of the Empress aretwo which 'significantly epitomise the life of this remarkable woman. .The first is a copy of an elaborate painting by "Winterhaiter, which, pictures'her as, young' and beautiful., gowned like a queen, arid with a' vista of the Tuilj leries beliind 'her. Her manner and bearing are sufficiently eloquent without mention of the crown near which her hand rests, or the 'decorations sho wears. The other is a mere photograph of a sad-faced, gray-haired woman dressed in simple black. In this, she kneels before a prie-dieu stripped or her purple, but pride still lingers in her face. ' . , - i The ex-Empress has her memorial.In the Hotel Continental, in Pans, but a stone's throw from her one time regal; residence, she has fpr many years been a quiet and unobtrusive visitor. During these -visits she -now' drives about; the French capital -in a brougham* drawn by a single horse; where once she drew all eyes-to her as she passed by in her magnificent coach with eightspirited horses. At her "Villa Cyrnos, • on the shores of the Mediterranean; under swaying palms .and euclayptus the exiled Empress walks, a dark' figure leaning on an ebony stick, leading a colorless life and aimlessly watching the sea. She is certainly the relic of an extraordinary career, the ashes of a once fiery spirit. At the time of her marriage to Louis Napoleon many conflicting accounts; were given with regard to her rank and birth. The. anti-Imperialists did not hesitate to make capital of these discrepancies. It, however, appears indisputable that she was born at Granada, Spain, September 5, 1826, and was the daughter of Don Cipriauo Guzman: Palafox, of Portocarrero, Count of Montijo, Duke of Periavanda, etc., grandee of the first class, and of his wife, Maria Mannela Kirkpatrick y Grevignce. She is thus of mixed race, Spanish and Scottish, with a slight 'strain of Italian through the Portocarrero blood. Through the Kirkpatricks she claims descent from Eobert Bruce. The title by which she was known in France, "Countess Teba," was legitimately, hers owing to the Spanishcustom of * transmitting titles through the female as well as the male lines. in moderate circumstances, but then, by the death of a brother, Don Cipnano came into possession -of a large fortune. The Countess de Montijo soon after this event took her son and two daughters to live in France. In Paris she soon drew- around her a literary circle. From 1837 to 1839 she placed her two daughters, under the names of Francesco: and Eugenie Palafox, in the Coilvent of the Sacred Heart on Mede Varinnes. The death of Don Cipriauo, in 1839, recalled them to Spain, where, in 1842, the Countess and her daughters were given important positions at the Spanish court. But the daring unconveritialities: which they indulged in led finally to their dismissal from this most punctilious of all courts in the world. After falling from favor they set out on a lone tour, settling again in Paris in 1849. Whether or not a meeting between Napoleon and Eugenie had taken place before this time she now, at anv rate, came prominently into the Prince-President's notice, and his marked attentions when he met her at various resorts and spas, between the years 1849-and 1852,; Opened the countess' eyes to most dazzling possibilities for her beautiful ■daughter.-' The Ist of December, 1852, came, and with it the Empire. For State reasons marriage was now urged upon the Emperor. "He had for some years previous to this conducted unsuccessful negotiations with all the eligible princesses of Europe. Now that he was securely enthroned, for political reasons it was deemed extremely advisable that he should marry Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe., Napoleon's heart.. how- . ever, was given elsewhere, and scarcely had the Prince Adelaide's civil declination of the honor been reported to him than he announced to his Council of Ministers that he had proposed marriage to Mile, de Montijo, and had been (iccsptscl. Public notice of the betrothal was made January 22, 1853—Mid the storm broke. The old ex-King Jerome raged, Princess Mathilde wept, Prince Napoleon swore, but Napoleon 111. had nis way. To many Napoleon's choice suggested the Venetian type of beauty, and it was often said that if Titan had =till been living he would surely have gone down on- his kuees-and begged her to sit to him. Eugenie was quue li vears old when she was married. On her wedding day she wore a bridal gown of white silk, long trained and covered With exquisite Alencon lace. As she had been Empress since the previous evening, for the church service uhe crown' jewels of France were placed at her disposal, and she thus, on her wed'din"- dav, wore a buckle at her_ waist in the form of the sun, the historic 1 ltt diamond forming the planet and two hundred others its rays. . A diadem ol six hundred brilliants, with a spray of ■ orange, blossoms under it, rested upon her Titian-colored hair, and from the cliadem fell the bridal veil of Brussels point. A rope of peals (her own property, was wound four times around tier; slender throat.. . . <Vc<-ording to, poets, on the coming or Helen of Troy, the- people who had flocked to see her. fell back astonished and almost' frightened at her mcorapjiable LcutA Li soru .iliat cimilni tashio'i a tremendous «ave_of emotion -v,i>cd the bpott'tois !>t Notic Drrne w'ioii the, *aw t'.e \o'u,g Empre-s smwh o.itei the srcu'd ed-fice to the :..] uns of -ott music, movng '.mil the '-i ice of .< born fii'cen Foi ' Sna.ik.-d, nouwrl.otM.cns: the -ihn.o '"."mo-.w, En'-eni"'s tastes woio -inu.lo 100 simple to please hei rrn.il spo.isc Ihe .mijpc.or h.mselt, theieioie Iml iui£ri'ies fir-t \,ml to Enpbnd snoci intended the biiM'ig of her gowns, and vlnt must Imo been his vexation -..hen .irnvmg at "Windsoi, as the stoi\ goes, ho loii'ici that the gieatei poitiou ol his wuc s ln!»'a°-e had been left behind He msistccfon hoi pleading fatigue and ic~ mauling in hei apartment until Her iumks co.dd be found This she refn'od to do She honored a pale bine costume from a ladv-m-w aiting and appealed in it before the Queen of EngLi nd, with a single pink rose in her lieu The sensation she created in this simple, tasteful attne was not forLorton m England for many a year. The Empicss' dre«smg-room at the Tuilloiics was always most simple m its appointments. Tine it was lemarkablc foi the number of mnrois which lined its nails but the basms, ewers, dishes, , and travs weie mostly poicclain. nor ,as her bath of silver as was Mine. Dubam's, and slie did not luxuuouslv bath" in milk as did the of Louis XV. There was. m the drcssnieroom one toilet set of silvei gilt, which had been the property of Queen Hortenro Everything else was simple and practical, though all the requirements of a woman careful of her beauty were piovided for. The Empiess' wararobe was kept m a su.te of rooms above her dressmgloom, and% an elevator, communicating v lth them, each article ot attire required was brought" down to her. The Empress was partial-to black velvet and white satin, also various shades of blue. The stciy that she invented hoops or crinoline'is without foundation. lhe Empress at fiist refused to appear in the old-time hoop or light cage of metal structuie, but when finally persuaded to do so the fashion was set, and could not be sotten rid of "for many years. The Empiess always showed herself, to be a kind-hearted woman. She was a good mother and exercised, no little supervision over the rearing of the Prince Imperial, devoting several hoursa day to his interests and requirements. Eugenie, it is true, cost her country, "many lives. She once made a war, for the France-Prussian war was the ex-' pression of her ambition. She spoiled •fchc career of more than one beauty? For there could be but one sun in the social sky. She drew to herself many, "bitter hates, but the evening of her life' is so placid, her quiet beauty, her dig-; nified submission to fate are so and N pathetic a picture that Eugenie's 'enemies have ceased to be. ! ; _ 1

1 The l Barber: Shall" I go over your, face twice? 'The Patron: Yes, if there's f any left. . ]