The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-21
THE PRINCE AND THE ACTRESS.

(July y Correspondence Conrt Journal

n hOmnntic Tale OF COurtships
Paris (July y Correspondence Conrt journal.
The announcement of the approaching recog-
milton by the Imperial family of Austria of the
marriage of Duke Louis of Bavaria with the
beautiful Mile Mende the actress, of Augs-
bourg, has given a new aim to the theatrical
ambition of the ladies of the Paris boards. The
visit about to be made by the Empress Eliza
beth to the beautiful castle of Lake Stahnberg,
where the newly-married couple reside, has
become the talk of every foyer ddrtisjes in
hEope hsTs that They her say in tRg s2gyses
the great promoter of the marriage the
story connected with her brothers love and
courtship being romantic enough to excite the
strongest interest in her kind and wOmanly
heart and making it forgetful of all distinction
of rank where an equal share of love and deli
cacy had been displayed by both the lovers.
Nad'lle Mendel who had preserved her reputa-
tion unsullied amid all the perils and tempta-
tiOns of q theatrical life, is considered as the
most lovely woman in Germany, her beauty being
OF the true German type of the peculiar fair
ness beheld in no other country-goden hair in
soft silky masses, without the smallest tinge of
aubuTn-purc gOld-unburnished: q complexion
delicate as the inner petals of the Bengal rose
pale pink, scarcely ever seen in nature and al
most impossible to produce by artificial means;
lips of the deepest carnatiOn; teeth small and
eXquisitely white, and eyebrows of the darkest
brown, with eyes of the deepest blue. All this
made such an impression on the heart of Duke
Louis, that from the moment he first beheld her
at the Munich Theatre he vowed himself to the
worship of this one idol. Bat Mauue MGndel
was valiant in defense of her reputation, and
aware of the responsibility incurred by the
possession of great talent, she resisted every
overture even that of marriage, on the part of
the Duke, well knowing that it was out OF his
power to contract any alliance of the kind, as
much was expected of him by his family. At
that time Madlle Mendel was in the habit of
wearing velvet collar with a clasp ornamented
| by a single pearl of great value, which
had been presented to her by the King
! of SaXony, and in order to quell all
! hope of success in the bosom of her
royal admirer, she declared to him one day that
she had made VOW to bestOw her heart
and hand on him alone who could match this
single pearl with as many others as would form
! the whole necklace. The declaration was made
! laughingly, for the fair creature knew well
| enough the Duke, living fully up to his income,
which was but mediocre for his rank could
| never accomplish this herculean task, and she
| laughed more merrily still when she beheld the
disconsolate expression of his countenance at
the announcement she had made. But soon
afterwards she heard that the Duke has sold his
| horses and broken up his establishment-gone
to live in the strictest retirement in a small cot
tage belonging to his brothers park.
That very night, when about to place the vel
vet band upon her neck, she found to her great
/ surprise, that second pearl had been added to
| the clasp. She knew well enough whence it
came, and smiled sadly at the loss of labor she
felt sure that Duke Louis was incurring for
! loves sake. By degrees the velvet band became
covered with pearls, all of them as fine as the
one bestowed by the King of SaXony, until one
evening great was the rumor in Augsburg. The
fair Mendel had been robbed: while on the
stage diyested Of all ornament, in the prison
scene as "Bettina Won Armstedt," her dressing
room had been entered, and the velvet collar
with its row of priceless pearls had disappeared
from the tOilet-table. The event SO
terrible, her nerves so shaken, that in
| spite of the assurance of the Chief Police
Magistrate who happened to be in the theatre at
! the moment that he was sure to find the thief
in a very short time, for he had the clue already
! poor eMad'lle Mende was so overcome by grief
! that her memory failed her entirely so that on
returning to the stage not word could she re-
member of her part The audience waited for
! some time in astOnishment at the silence main
| tained by the actress; the actress gaZed at the
| audience in piteous embarrassment, until, by Il
! sudden inspiration and almost mechanically iu-
| deed, she remembered that she had the rehear-
| sal copy of the play in the pocket of her apron.
She drew it forth without hesitation, and began
! to read from il with the greatest self-pos-
session imaginable. At first the audience
! knew not whether to laugh or be angry, but
| presently memory, pathOs forgetfulness of all
| but her art had returned to Mad'lle Mendc
| and in the utterance of one of the most impas-
! stoned sentiments of her speech she flung the
! rehearsal copy into the orchestra, and went on
with her part without pause or hesitation. The
applause of the audience was so tremendous
that one of the witnesses to the scene has told
lis that the great monster chandelier in the CEN
|
ton. But on her return to her dressing-roOm
the excitement proved too much, and she tainted
away. On coming back to consciousness it was
to find Duke Louis at her feet, and the head
commissaire standing by her side, bidding her
take courage, for the pearls had been found.
"Whele are they?' exclaimed she. 'Are you
sure that none are missing Have none been
stolen 2" Duke Louis then clasped round her
neck the string of pearls, complete at last, no
longer sewn on to the velvet band, but strun :
with symmetry and fastened with diamond
clasp. What more could be done by the
devoted lover? He had spared neither pains nor
sacrifice to attain his end, and Mad'lle Meudcl
consented to become his wife. The Empress of
Austria appears to have been much moved by
the story, and suggested the nomination of the
bride elect to the title of Baroness de Wallersee,
which thus equalized the rank of the fdHccS,
and enabled them to marry without difficulty.
They live the most retired life possible in their
little chateau on Lake Stahnberg, where the
Empress of Austria is about to visit them. They
say that the Duchess Louis of Bavaria never
puts off night or day the necklace of pearls, the
clasp of which she has had riveted to her neck
and that in consequence of this peculiarly she
is known all through the country round by the
name of the Fairy Perlina, from the old German
! tale OF the Magic Pearl.