Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-09-17
A Romance of Crinoline.

While we are upon the subject of crinoline, it
may be as we'll to tell you the adventure which
is forming the chief amusement of the court at
this moment, and which happened day or two
ago at st. Cloud. The Duchess de F., one OF the
most crinolined of all the ladies about the En-
press, being in the fullest feather for the dinner
TO which she had been invited by her imperial
mistress, was led into the sale a marger by the
little Count dc NJ, man of great renown but OF
yery small stature. The duchess is of tall COM
manding figure, and is besides, particularly libe-
raj of crinoline, which she is accused OF e1agge-
rating to most inconvenient proportions. The
doors at st. Cloud are not of the same mighty
dimensions as those at the Tuileries; and al
though the two battans were thrown wide open,
II was with some dismay the little count beheld
the work before him, when he compared the
width of the door with that of the crlnollne OF
the lady on his arm Just at the awful moment
of the passage, however, the lady unconsciously
dropped her fan-the count, folgettul OF his per-
ilous position, confined between the doorway,
having no other fear before his eyes but that OF
seeming to be deficient in gallantry and good
manners, imprudently stopped to pick it up. AT
that moment the duchess was actually passing
through the door-in order to accomplish this
difficult feat, she was just in the act OF giving
that peculiar swing to the left which the dispro-
portion of the dress Of the present day with our
domestic economy renders necessary. when, to
the utter dismay and CONSERVATION OF the whole
assembly. the little count was missed, and the
duchess remained struggling with some unseen
obstacle which prevented her advancing.
The ogre crinoline had swallowed up the
knight even more efectually than in the fairy
davs of old. for no trace of his former existence
was visible. The company following in pairs
was stopped as a matter OF course-those who
had cone on before had already reached their
seats at the table, and turned IN wonder to be-
hold the strange scene which was enactlng at
the door, where the tall, majestic, and unusually
dignifed Duchess de P. was capering and cara
coling with scared and terrlhed countenance,
and the rest of the company pressing forward to
behold what was the matter. The confusion
and dismay were at their height when the little
man crept out on his hands and knees from be-
meath the mountain of crinoline and tiounces in
which he had been enveloped, oil flushed and
discounted. but little disposed to smile, although
the tittering of the company soon broke into
hearty laugh, when the Empress, unable to re-
strain her mirth, gave the signal OF genuine
outburst of merrinent, Whicn eniVeneo the
whole repast, and rendered IL one OF the gayest
which had taken pldCo oihSS siie HSPo vi ei@
Emperor. Of course, this adventure has given
rise rise to epierams and quolibets without end and
the the moor ~ little count has become better known
within wit int the last week in the annals Of tile court
.ha Mi'n h s tho three years good and honest SER
vice. vice. which he has passed at the Tuleries. The
ducbess, meanwhile, towers more malestlcally
u tban aver over over her fellows the incident has not
q Wi whit diminished the insolence of her crinone,
mbicb Mlt' arowing more prodgous every day, com,
nleteIy %eI' eextngushes all the rdicue which the
I, pdventnre Of the little Count de NJ; would other
aGseI.u ,ise haTe beaped M upon her-Paris Cor Of the
London Court Journal
- RrvArKApLE swlMMER.-"A singular wa.
ger Saws the salut Public, Of Lyons, ''has just
s, Seen decided here. One Of the best swimmer:
Of 9th the citv made bet that he would cross the
Pbone v g on n bis back, carrying on his stomach {
sJI small table, on which should be placed two bot
tles e.s' ful of wine, six eggs on plate and iou
ssasses sIr se The fall of any one of the article
S Ssyond involve the loss of the wager. The swim
MGR however, crossed the river without displa
' cinr one Of the articles, and won the bet"