Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-07-04
A RAID ON ROYALTY.
The Romantic Career Of Two American
Ladies Abroad.


Ladies Abroad.
A very romantic affair, In which tive
American ladies are the chief actors Is
exciting great interest among the arlsto
cratic circles In the capital of Denmark,
One Of the ladies ls a native Of boston,
and the other Of st. Louis, and they are
relatives. The Boston lady was named
Miss Alma Lee, but about l.teen years
ago she married Prince Frederick, ol
Schleswig- -Hostein, an impecunious sprii
of royalty, who found her heavy jointurt
very convenient means of replenishing
his empty Golfers. After rather intellect
tous married life Of seven or eight year.
the Princess foupd herself a widow, with
out any recognition Of her rauk. During
lis lifetime Prince Frederick had done
all I'd his pvger " obtain this recognition
for her, but without sucoe.s aud at ST.
Petersburg and Berlin both he and snv
were actually snubbed by the royal fanl.
lies aud nobility and eyan at the Court
Of Louis Napoleon the couple were not
received with honors due the Pdnee's
rank.
After failing In every other place they
peror Francis Joseph conferred on the
lady the title Of countess, which, how
ever, was far FROM satisfying her ambl-
tlous aspirations. Afler the death Of her
husband she determined TO use her own
efforts In accomplishing the recognition
which her husband had failed In obtain
ing for her, but for several years she was
unable to make any encouraging pro-
Efess. She travelled everywhere through
Europe, always calling hetself " Her
Highntss the Princess Dowager of schles-
wig -Holslein," and, In consequence of
Prince Christian Of schleswig- Holstein-
Augustlnberg having married a daughter
of Queen Victoria, she claimed relation
ship to the voyal family Of England. In
London, however, the Queen refused her
recognition, and she'went to Paris, where
she lived in an elegant palace on the
Chaussee d'Antin.
At Paris she was Joined by her cousin,
Miss Agnes Bortholieaux, a young, beautl'
ful aRd rich daughter OF a wealthy b..
Louis merehaht., Although the Princess
was nearly forty years Of age, she was
still of commanding and prepossess-
ing appearance, and her cousin being
accomplished no well as beautiful, and
the two exercising lavish hospitality the
villa where they resided became the rem
devious of many prominent Parisisns
From this point the Princess sent repeated
letters to the King of Denmark, demand
ing that her name should be incorporated
In the official list of the members of the
royal family, Receiving 10 answer to
these letters, the Boston lady and her st..
Louis cousin went In July last to Copen-
hagen, where they lived in the same
elegant style as 10 Paris. The 4" Princess -
engaged the services Of several distiH-
guished lawyers, and threatened the
King with lawsuit. King Christian ! <
however, remained obstinate, probably
because he had been so successful in
putting some of his daughters on royal
and imperial thrones, and hopes to do as
well for the rest of them, so that he has
no use for relatives descended from simple
Boston customers.
The matter is now before the Danish
Supreme Court, but il is doubtful If a
decision will he reached in many months.
While the Princess was dovoting her
eelf to obtain official recognition Of her
title, her beautiful cousin was pursuing
courses of her own, one of which seems
likely TO terminate very disastrously tO
her pecuniarily. Among the many ad-
mirers attracted by her wealth and beauty
and yiyaeity was a Count Raptzau, Il
young nObleman Of high descent, but of
very limited mcars. Miss BertholcauS
appeared 10 show him great favor, and
was frequently escorted by him In public
IA circumstance having far greater sig
nificance In Europe than In America
Suddenly GOODNESS sprang up between
them, and In a few days the aristocratiC
circles of Copenhagen were startled 10y
the Count commencing suit against hcl
for breach of promise. In his complaint
be set forth that she had consented Il
marry him, and had allowed him to place
an engagement ring on her finger, but
that when he had asked her TO name th(
day for the marriage she laughed in hi:
face, and not only ilatly refused TO marry
him, but when he expressed indignation
at her treatment she ordered him out OF
her presence.
In Europe the money consideration
cuts large figure in marriage contracts
and under the laws of Denmark, If th'
Count succeeds in establishing his en-
gagement with Miss BerthOlieaux, hl
will be able TO relieve her of the chargi
Of at least half OF her fortune. If th'
lady has been merely amusing herself by
indulglng In the excitement of ilirta
tlon, she will probably pay pretty dearll
for her fun but, as there are generally
two sides to a question, perhaps she MAJ
be able to show good grounds for her sp
parently eccentric behaviour, and thu
escape any greater penalty than an unen
viable otoriety.-EIchdnge.