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v v r v r v t v * I THE IAQT nilFRN | 111U uaui 1 A STORY OF LOVE, INI M | BY COLONEL I I Mexico, the little turbulent republic below us, if the curtains of the centuries could be rolled back, what a wonderful history it would unfold, a country of midsummer snow and midwinter bloom, towering mountains, 7erdant plains, ancient palaces and " *" r\f Tt\CiQ 1 f Vl *5 T1 H aJldtlll rums, a wumij ui r? ~ j poverty, of tyrany and the love of liberty, beautiful women and fearless men, a country of revolt and revolution, a veritable land of enchantment. Her people are as restless as the "waves of the ocean that beat against her sides. But it is not of this Swit TTT J. T ~ ? zenana 01 tue west, 1 yiuyuac uw muc, but of her beautiful, accomplished and unhappy queen, the Empress Carlotta, the first and only one since the days j^- ; 8? ? COL. D. A. ol the conquest. To fully understand the tragedy in the life of the unfortunate queen of the land of the Aztces, the scenes | must be shifted often. i About a century ago, President Monroe issued an innocent looking little manifesto to the Powers, saying in ef feet "these United States would view as unfriendly, any attempt of Europe i intermeddling with the governments j of this hemisphere, as they then exist- j ed." This was to check the designs | of a coalition of certain European States called the "Holy Roman Alliance," whose object was to restore r?/\l/-\t? ickc ill IU opitlll ilCi i C* witcji vuiuui^o Jftnerica. This delicate hint was sufficient to stay the hand of Europe until the time of which I write. During the revolts and revolutions ; of a half a century, Mexico became al most hopelessly in debt to foreign nations. As one government of the unhappy republic began to straighten out the web of their monetary affairs, it . would be overturned by another, a new system begun, while all the tim-e-t its debts were growing mountain high. When the North and South were well enough along, as Europe took it, in a war of extermination, the wiley and intriguing emperor of France, Nepoleon III, conceived the brilliant idea of establishing an Empire in Mex ico, thereby strengthening His own tottering throne, and diverting the attention of his own dissatisfied subjects by a foreign conquest. He proposed to all of the great powers, to whom Mexico w??s indebted, to join him in a league and to send a fleet of battle ships to Mexico and seize the revenues of that country. By diplo I macy and treachery, lie inveigled j Spain and England to join him, all the other powers held back. Just as Lee had overwhelmed McClellan around Richmond, and was carrying his standards beyond the Potomac, a flotilla of warships and transports, laden with soldiers, arrived at Vera Cruz, they sent a joint note from the plenipotentiaries of the three powers t? President Juarez, demanding immediate indemnity for all | present and past wrongs, and a set- ' tlement of all claims. Juarez, who! was then fighting for existence, with the revolutionists of his own country, was either unwilling or unable to comply. Then the war with Mexico began. The high-handed and unjust % methods taken by the French comman-j *\ A A A /\ A. v ? v v r v t v# %^v<e>v<e>v $ v w? v OF THE MEXICANS ? WIIFiNHTRinFCY I <J> T o l. A. DICKERT. I ? <?> der, excited the suspicions of the other commanders, and they called for a "show "down." When the French admiral showed his hand, then it was seen that it was not to collect reve-! nue or debt, they had been inveigled to i cross the Atlantic, but to assist France in establishing a despotism on the ruins of the new republic, Spain; and England withdraw and left the field to Prance. This is what Napoleon wanted and expected. Numerous bands of quondam revolutionists and disgruitled politicians had joined Bazine, commander of the French army, and with 8,000 mercenary Belgians, the marcli inward began. For more than a year did the army of invasion fight with Mexico's regular troops in - - ; "Tilte~ ii 'v ' * : = j % DICKERT. I front, and the guerillas in the rear, y j till at last, they came in sight of the capital. The French had overcome almost impassable harriers, while the Mexicans had fought with a spirit of "despair. On the very day that General Lee started his* second invasion of the North, the French floated their banners in triumph over the ancient city of Mexico. Then came a carnival of blood, of proscription and relentless persecution of personal enemies, that excelled those of ancient Rome. When order was restored, a conven ClUXi V/i tiic p cup it? v> a a v,aix^u tv usviut upon what form of government was desired. All the loyal troops and thousands of the loyal men had followed President Juarez to the North. The convention, consisting of revolutionists and renegade officers of the Mexican army, met in convention, and declared for a monarchy with a foreign nobleman as emperor. One can see the fine, undisguised, Italic hand! of Napoleon in all these proceedings, his plans working without a hitch. The choice of an emperor fell to Xa- j poleon, and the new ruler must have! three requisites. He must be of royal j birth, he must be acceptable to the i other powers, and above all, he must be a "cats paw" for this many sided French ruler. We shift the scene again. At the head of the lovely Adriatic sea, where the southern breezes brought the j smell of orange blossoms from thej firrovfis nf Tt_a.lv thp warm and delieht ful air of the Mediterranean, was a; stately palace. There lived the young and accomplished Maximillian Arch- J 'duke of Austria, and his beautiful wife,! Carlotta, in whose veins flowed the i bluest blood of any princess in Europe. This a veritable home of love, peace and contentment. While the j archduke was of a studious turn of j -mind, loved-letters and scientific pur-1 suits, h? adored lis young wife, show- i ering upon her his heart's affections. She in turn loved her husband as only a woman can love a noble and true life partner. There had never been a jar or ripple, to disturb the poise of their happy home. The archduke was in line, for the crown of Austria, but h<> loved his books and the society of his j idolized wife, far above state craft, but the tempter was about to enter; this heme of bliss, and pour poison into their lives. Napoleon wishing to form an alliance with Austria, to strengthen himself in France, sent; emissaries to the quiet home, to sound the young nobleman. Like Aaron Burr j when he came r.s a tempter to the beautiful island in the Ohio, to pour the poison of empire into the ears of Blannerhasett and bring ruin upon all, so the French emissaries came to Maximilian and pictured to him the countries beyond the seas with an archduke as emperor. But he would have none of it. Then came the meddlesome mischief maker of Europe, Empress Eugenia, of France, with the envoys from Pope Pius IX to poison the mind of innocent Carlotta. They told her of the possibilities of this ancient land, of empire, wealth, power, the pope urging it as a pious beauty to allow des tiny to take its course. Pope Pius IX, who had for some time been virtually a prisoner in the Vatican, surrounded by French troops, feeling the waning power of the church in Europe, had dreams of establishing a great papal commonwealth, in Catholic South America. He urged Maximillian to accept the the crown, promising help and sup ?jui u With the ambition of Carlotta fired to fervor heat, it was but a matter of time in which to seduce the gentle and mild archduke. The plot of Napoleon was consummated. A contract was entered into, between the French emperor and Maximilian, by which the latter was to indemnify the emperor for the cost of the war, pay to French citizens their claims against Mexico. And in return, Napoleon wr?.s to support Maximilian on the throne with his troops for six years. A London banker advanced the archduke $50,000,000,, $6,000,000 of this went as the first annual payment of Napoleon's war debt, which amounted , to about $70,000,000. And $3,000,000 went to citiz-ens of France:. In the first week in May, 1864, the happy couple sailed -away on a French battleship from their peaceful home, nev; er to see it again. In due time they | reached Mexico, and driven in a gor; geous coach, surrounded by one tliou; sand horsemen, French and Belgian I troops with a thousand of Mexican j malcontents, up to the Palace Royale, ! the home of the Montezumas, the I 7 ! capitol of the ancient Aztecs. j It was said, that when Carlotta eraj barked on the battleship, she was the | most stately and beautiful queen that , ever trod the deck of a ship, and when ! she alighted from the coach, all proclaimed her the most beautiful woman in Mexico. We will pass over the brilliant coronation, the gaities of the fetes that j followed, and leave them upon their | throne in peace for the moment. But the treasure Maximiliam had j brought, rapidly vanished. The French | and Belgians had to be paid, all the | revolutionists, who had assisted the invader were clamoring for indemnity and pay for services. Marchal Bazine, commander of all : the troops and real master of the siti i uation, played the part of a tyrant, . and spent the money of the new made emperor, witn a proaigai nana. j. rouj bles beset Maximilian on all sides. , The poverty of the people caused by I the different revolts and revolutions, ; forbid them from paying any great amount, of taxes. The money was ! now to be Maximilian's savior, or the | lack of it his ruin. He sought permis! sion from the Pope, to sequester the church lands, which amounted to many millions, but the very name of such a thing, threw Pius into a frenzy of -aprp nnd hn never forgave the em peror for even harboring the thought. Things grew from bad to worse. Napoleon now demanded his second annual indemnity, which Maximilian could not pay. Friends fell away from the royal pair, troops became dissatisfied, and Juarez in the North, stood as a theatening c'oud. In this extremity Carlotta declared she would return to Europe, asked aid of the pope, and through her friend Eugenia, solicited the leniency, if not the help of the, French emperor. So in nigh hopes, she kissed her liege lord good-bye and sailed away to Europe. Another shift of the scenes, and we find the great warring factions of the United States ended in an Apporaat- j tox. The Southern armies had been disbanded, defeated, but still defiant Thousands upon thousands of these unyielding soldiers of the Confederacy, had crossed the Mississippi, some ??- rvf VokYM/liO OATMrv frtT* ill scaxvu vjl oviuc mi ou?fixture, and others to flee the wrath in their rear. Mexico, with the emperor Maximilian caHing for troops offered an inviting field for these restless men of the South, -who were defeated, but not dismayed. Governor Harris, of Tennessee, General Magruder and Stone, Commander Maury and Judge Perkins, followed by hundreds of exConfederates, had crossed the border and offered their services to Maximilian. Governor Price, of Missouri, has a commission to recruit a:a imper- j ial army in the South, while General Slaughter, with 25,000 armed and well: disciplined iroujJ&, sluuu rtuuv w I HITS THE K AWiW w The explanation nmdeyyflh theg everyingpedie. test of our on ! theresnotulori Fertilizers. Sold 3y Reliab] F.S.ROYST1 | Sales i Norfolk Ya. Tarbi RaltimnrpMrT Montdc i j Macon Ga.& IpplyiImI jpt'interstate that the food : ( , * cross the Rio Grande at a moment. i The Washington government dispatch- j; ei General Sheridan to Southern Tex- j; as with a large army to prevent troops < ! from crossing the border. The United ; j States could not now tolerate this in- ( fringement of the Monroe doctrine, ' while she yet had one million men under arms, especially when she saw her ] i late enemies in arms, flocking to the : I standard of the foreign invader. A I note was sent to France, requesting j her to withdraw her troops, which was 1 ' begun at once, and the throne of i : Maximilian tottered, and as the last 1 troops left the soil of Mexico, fell to ; rise no more. President Juarez be- s gan demonstration from the North. ; Marshal Bazine, at the last moment, < urged the unfortunate and now de- ' serted emperor to leave Mexico with i * * ? ? ? 1 m jt ?. 1 mm, out tne Drave Maxixxiuiau iciuoed and stared destiny in the face. ] How strange is the fickle goddess of 1 war. This same General Bazine, who < had been at the head, and real master ] of Mexico, in less than ten years was j condemned to be shot, by a court i marshal of his fellow generals, for 1 I surrendering a stronghold of France, . with 175,000 troop, 900 cannon, and 1 300,000 Tifles without firing a gun. He was afterwards exiled for life. Maxi- , ' < ! milian gave up his capitol and fled I with some of his officers and soldiers j to a fortified castle near. Here an- 1 otlier man of destiny comes upon the , scene, Pofirio Diaz, the future tyrant , of Mexico. With a strong body of ] troop, Diaz surrounded the stronghold and demanded an unconditional sur- j , render. The officers of Maximilian |? proposed cutting their way through j i ' J 2RFER1 SPOT tVtK f/s simple;they, ireatest care a ft? /75ss tl 7ilaboratories nr?rc*r% n A m i / /?/lrr^i !jjioo auuu,muy%) le Dealers Everywhere ER GUANO C< Offices or o N. C. C olumbia S. C.c imervAla. 5Darlanbur<) t Colambus'Ga. *~ J IC I ll/T'm A U1 n iJLSUL riMni I FERTILIZERS are made is available to the plant all tb rvcd. The needed elements he crop is nourished to a full lies the skill of mixing fertilizers. We m ist compounds a dojt>r's prescription. Thfe There is no guess work?no mystery. It is but the result of scientific mixing, sources of plant foods?whicn are quick are slowest. It must be known exactly .what els |j^F 200 >b.:> v' --o^' " >-t " ^ f, % : Guaranteec! Analysts' j ?r i p *? rj^i 11 ilTl OH I & >>i/iiiivriin #>?*#? y>/*1 ^ '-Vj;.- ;i^ v;.'::::: V .:' rr I ^ ^ jtikiiiyiI%* xJ r "/ t rhe cordon of Mexican troop, but the irresolute monarch, proposed an agreement, and surrendered. It was said that Diaz promised immunity and protection, then treacherously deliv 1 1~ ' -? x ? X"Urv l? ? vi ci r\-p V* i r? anomiOC greet mm 11110 iue uaiiuo wi mo who sought his life. A court martial was called, a trial began, which could have but one ending, the death of Maximilian and his officers. United States, England and Pruissia interceded for the unfortunate prince, but all in vain. N'ot once did this proud nobleman ask for mercy or sue for clemency. When he, with his officers, were led to the place of execution (they were to be shot), Maximilian turned to his General Miramom and said, "A brave soldier should he honored, even in his last hours. Permit me to give you the place of honor." The generals svere shot first, then Maximilian stepped forward, with a letter in his hand, tie said to the officer in command, "I 20mm.it to your keeping this letter, to my unfortunate wife, the true and loyil empress, trusting to your honor as a soldier, to see it safely conveyed to r% ^An"T Y\nc liw Lid. lilCil YVJ.ULL a OUVUUy w Mexico," the unfortunate Maximilian fell dead. Carlotta had gone first to Napoleon ind Eugenia, the authors of all tier woes, on her bended knees she' pegged and implored the French'king to save her husband. But Napoleon onr? stprn_ would not! w a?> uuuui ttuv - ?, yield to any* of her entreaties. Then is the thought of her humiliation came ;ipon her, she rose from her kness and i with the fire of a royal queen said, 'What folly is this? I forgot that I lm the granddaughter of Louis Phillip IlLIZBR V TIUE i! f B an? v i * ?I lllll^??J 1 ntizcRS1 1N6 DOLLARS , A ??????MlIMK?Ml?- V" of plant foods, so mixed Lrough growth. Never is j ' are supplied at the right growth. | take these fertilizers as accurately as a ] jjj analysis on every bag is lived up to. #|||| * We,must know what are the best II Jy available?which are slower?which jllli ments are drawn from the soil by each I III crop?the amount of plant foods that ]|||| they require. It would be utter waste I lli to apply certain plant foods upon certain soils for certain crops. So we have INTERSTATE FERTI- | [ IZER for each crop that the South j ^ r.ws. 7 he needed elements are supird. The fer. ilizer is suited to the soil ? L id crop. I ^ And that is why INTERSTATE EUTILIZERS are winning pre tige ery where?why they are causing ineased yields. / * . I , C';r booklet would prove interesting to | >> . i :i s of our tested formulas for # , v > tc~"3. Write for it to-day and c oc: nearest dealer. 11 nterstate Chemical j * fADDADITinV WAfvnaAAVii, HARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA and in my veins flows the blood of th? Bourbons, and what are you, a plebeian, an adventurer, a Bonaparte." Swooning she was carried out of th# room. Next she went to Pope Pius, the on# ! V?n J holn OTl/^ T>T*0 W li(J 1laAJ. i/i u.ij.vi tection. It took days before she could even get an Interview. When she did, Pius only pointed to Maximilian's note, asking for permission to sequester the church land in Mexico. The Holy Prelate would do nothing. Carlotta felt the tottering of two thrones, the throne of Mexico and the throne of 1 reason, and even as she was pleading J with Pius, both fell to the ground, sne was carried away a raging maniac. ^ For more than 40 years she was con- ^ fined in the Chateau Bonchant, near ^ Brussells. Day after day she waited for the coming of Maximilian. Everyday she asked for "her prince" as shfr called him . "Not today, perhaps tomorrow" would be the answer. Yet that letter which Maximilan had sent | her by the officer, who shot him, had safely been delivered, but never opened. It lay in the iron vault not a few feet from her. Day after day, for 40 years she sat -in the balcony of the Chateau and gazed vacantly down walk of the ancient park, watr'aingr waiting the coming of "her prince.'" "Is there no letter?" "Not today.'" But last year it came, Carlotta was in her casket, and the letter was put in. I her pale wrinkled hands, for they all said, "As it had not been delivered in life, Let it be given her in death." So today the unfortunate granddaughter of Louis Phillippi, sleeps in the torn* ^ of her father Tvith the open letter in her hands. . V