New Orleans Republican., 1873-02-09
A ROMANTIC STORY.
A Boston Lady Becomes n Princess-A At.
Louis Lady Creates IN Excitement in
EHrope-A General Unpieasantness the
Result.
From the ST. Louis Republican,

Result.
From the st. Louis Republican,
A very romantic affair, in which two
wealthy American ladies are the chief ac-
tors, Is exciting great interest among arlsto
cratic circles in the capital of Denmark;
One Of the ladies is a native of Boston ana
the other of st. Louis, and they are reia
tives. The Boston lady was named MISS
Alma Lee. but about fifteen years ago she
married Prince Frederick, of Schleswig
IIolstein, an impecunious sprig OF royalty,
who found her heavy iointure very con
venient means of replenishing his empty
Golfers. Alter a rather infelicltOuE married
life of seven or eight years the princess
found herself a widow. without any recoS
milton of her rank. during MS lileIIuno
Prince Frederick had done all in bis power
TO obtain this recognition for her, but With
ont success: and at st. Petersburg and Ber-
lin both he and she were actually snubbed
by the royal families and nobility; and even
at the court of Louis Napoleon the couple
were not received with .he honors due to
the princes rank.
After failing in every other place they
finally settled in Vienna, where the Elm
peror Francis Joseph conferred on the lady
the title of countess, which, however. was
far from satisfying her ambitious aspira-
tions After the death OF her husband she
determined to use her own efforts in ac-
compiishing her recognition which her has
band had failed in accomplishing for her,
but for several years she was unable to
make any encouraging progress. She
travelled everywhere through Europe,
ALWAYS calling herself &" Her llighness, the
Princess Dowager of Schleswig Holstein,"
and in consequence of Prince Christian OF
Scbleswig MISUNDERSTANDING having
married a daughter OF Queen Victoria, she
claimed relationship to the roy al family OF
England. In London, however the queen
refused her recognition, and she went to
Paris, where she lived in an elegant villa
on the Chausse dAutin.
At Paris she was joined by her cousin,
Miss Agnes Bertholleaux, young, beauti-
full and rich daughter Of st. Louis mer-
chant Although the Princess was nearly
forty wears Of age, she was still Of com
manding and preposSessing appearance, and
her cousin being accomplished as well as
beautiful, and the two exercising lavish
hospitality, the villa where they resided be-
came the rendezvous of many prominent
Parsians. From this point the Princess
sent repeated letters to the King of Den
mark, demanding that her name should be
Incorporated in the official list of the mem
bers of the royal family. Receiving no
answer to these letters, the Boston lady and
her St Louis cousin went in July last, TO
Copenhagen, where they lived in the same
elegant style as in Paris. The princess"
enga ged the services of several distinguished
lawyers, and threatened the King with
lawsuit King Christian TX, however, re-
mained obstinate, probably because he has
been SO successful iH 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
frCm simple Boston commoners.
The matter is now before the Danish Su-
prCme Court, but it is doubtful if a decision
will be reached in many months.
While the princess was devoting herself
to obtaining 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, pecuni
arily. Among the many admirers attracted
by her wealth and beauty and vivacity was
Count Rantzau, a young nobleman OF high
descent, but OF very limited means. Miss
Bertholieaux appeared to show him great
favor, and was frequently escorted by him
in public, circumstance having lar greater
significance in Europe than in America.
Suddenly q GOODNESS sprang up between
them, and in few days the aristOcratic
circles of Copenhagen were startled by the
count commencing suit against her for
breach of promise. In his complaint he set
forth that she had consented to marry him,
and had allowed him to place an engage
ment ring on her finger, but that when be
asked her to name the day for the marriage,
she laughed in his face, and not only fatty
refused to marry him, but when he eX-
pressed indi ynation 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 the count
succeeds in establishing his engagement
with Miss Bertholleaux, he will be able to
reliey her of the charge of at least half of
her fortune. Ii the lady has been merely
an using herself by indulging in the excite
ment of Irritation, she will probably pay
pretty dearly for her fun; but as there are
generally two sides TO question, perhaps
she may be able to show good grounds for
her apparently eccentric behavior, and thus
escape any greater penalty thar an uncnvi-
able n0toriety.