Show beier TH S CLOSING DAYS OF NEXT M ext CAN EMPIRE the emperor was a genial and fleas ant x man with more personal gaffne una um than the unhappy carlotta tha empress at the mrs sara sam Y is contributing to the he century a series of papers on the french intervention in mexico in the current number of the m magazine i mrs birs stevenson writes of mexican society in time 1866 she says of the last days of the empire 1 the pomp and dignity of the court had vanished the social life in the capital no longer centered about the amper imperial lai palace even previous to the departure of the empress the monday rece receptions p had been discontinued without their loss losa being seriously felt at best they ther had never been other than dull formal affairs the ball room was a large ball always insufficiently lighted and narrowed in the middle by the platform where stood the imperial throne under a canopy of velvet here after their new mew guests had bad been officially presented in an adjoining hall the emperor and empress seated themselves before supper they made a solemn tour of the ball room the dancing then ceased and the crowd stood in chilled expectancy and made way tor for them each in turn tum receiving as they passed a smile a nod or some commonplace word of greeting maximilian was happy in his bis remarks on such occasions naturally affable and kindly like most princes trained to this sort of thing his memory for faces and names was remarkable we were presented at court on the first of the imperial fortnightly mondays and with us of course a large number of the guests present and letsome yet some weeks later when making his tour of the ball room the emperor stopped before us and inquired about an absent member of the family apparently placing us exactly many other instances of his memory and power of observation in such small matters were related by others he was tall slight and handsome although the whole expression of his face revealed weakness and indecision he looked and was a gentleman his dignity was without hauteur his manner was attractive he had the faculty of making you feel at ease and he possessed far more personal magnetism than did the empress hers was a streng intelligent inteli ent face the lines of which were somewhat hard at times and her determined expression impressed one with the feeling that she was the better equipped of the two intelligently telli gently to cope with the difficulties of practical life it is probable that had she been alone she might have made a better attempt at solving the problems than did maximilian at least such was marshal badaines Ba opinion as expressed before me on one occasion during her brief regency when she had shown special firmness and clear judgment in dealing with certain complicated state affairs she however was reserved somewhat lacking in tact and adaptability and a certain haughtiness of manner a dignity too conscious of itself at first repelled many who were disposed to feel kindly towards her it is more than likely that under this proud mien she concealed a suffering spirit or at least the consciousness of a superiority that must efface itself who will iver ever know the travail of her proud heart and the prolonged strain under which her mind finally succumbed for notwithstanding the prudence and decided ability wi with th which she had conducted the difficult affairs of the realm during the emperors absence in 1864 it was hinted that on his return she was allowed little say in public affairs and that her advice when given was seldom followed after her departure even the semblance of a court disappeared |