Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-07-27
a CURIOUS STORY.

In lS47, only twelve years ago. an Eng
lish nobleman, Sir William Pagct, re-
nowned in the best society of London for
MS eminent erudition, and fascinating con-
versation. and well known to the literary
world hy his writings, went over TO the
/ Continent. Having visited France Ger
many, Switzerland and Austria, he went 70
Hungary, a country which was then or the
eve of great events He spent several
weeks at Pesth. and in the neighbcring
country seats of the Hungarian mobiles In
the beginning of autumn he visited Transyl-
vania, and was received at the castle Of
Count S. Bethlcn with all the oriental hos
pitality and generosity that . rich Hun
earian magnet likes to display to every man
of education who visits him. Count Beth
len descended from the royal family Of
Bethlcn-gabors. He was fne-locking old
mal, every inch a real gentleman. He was
married some years previous to a noble la
dy Of this country, the Countess II. l.,
who was not yet twenty years old, the Count
being nearly fifty. He had known her as
child in the home of her mother. and she
married him as young girls often do, mere
for the high respect than for the deep love
she felt for Count Bethlcn. Notwithstan-
ing both lived happy family life in the
old immense feudal castle Of the Bcthlcns,
near Klaussenburg.
Sir William Paget, to whom the Count
had given a suit of apartments, saddle
horses and attendants, lived several weeks
in this family, enjoying the varied hOspi-
talities of the castle and country. 1t is
needless to say the brilliant conversation
and the exquisitely polite manners of Sir
William soon found grace in the eyes of the
young and beautiful Countess. Sir VII
liam proved the '.Consuelo," and a crimi-
nal love ensued. One day the Count went
out hunting on horseback. Sir William
Paget stayed at the castle with pretended
illness; but one of the Counts attendants
warned the Count telling him if he would
but return to the castle he would find the
stranger in the Countess s apartments. Ii
hot haste the Count rode home and found
Sir William in the bed-chambcr Of his lady.
Aiming himself with pistols ne forced Sir
William to follow him to his private room:
being there, he sent for notary and two
confidential witnesses; asking Sir William
if he had not abused his hospitality in con-
sequence of a real love for his wife, and if
his love met a response. The answer be-
inc in thc affirmative, he ordered the notary
to draw up a contract of marriage between
the Countess NJ. L., and Sir William Pagct,
late Of the Royal Hussars, of London. The
contract in one, the loaded pistol in the 9th
er hand. the Count, with terrible, hat
quiet earnessness. summoned Sir William
to sign the act of marriage immediately
or to die on the spot. Sir William Paget
signed the contract The next day the
Bishop of klauscnburg was sent for, d.
vorce was legally procured, and q week af-
terward the marriage formally completed
N the castle of neishboring nobleman.-
The Count gave to his wife all her jewels.
horses and carriages; and scme months az
terward Sir William Paget bought from
him one of his large possessions in Tran
sylvania, where up to the present tiIne he
lives happily with his wife.