Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-06-03
The Princess Salm-SaIm and Her
Champion.

From Shelby's Expedition to Mexico.l
Dr. Hazel was young physician from
South Carolina, who had gone through
the siege of Sumter with devotion and
constancy that had found their way into
general orders, and that had returned in
the shape of rain more precious to a
soldier than sun to howers-the rain of
official recognition. In addition to the
compliments received he was promoted
AS he slipped his claret. several ladies
entered, some attended and some unat-
tended French custom makes a cafe as
cosmopolitan as the street All sexes
congregate there, and all stratas OF soci-
ETY.; custom simply insists that the com
mon laws of society should be obeyed-
that those of the demi-monde shall not
advertise their profession. that the gam
bier shall not display his cards, the guer-
rilla shall not uncoil his lasso, the grand
dame exhibit her prudery, the detective
his insincerity, and the priest his pro-
tests and confessional. Appetite admits
of no divided sovereignty, and hence, at
meal time, the French recognize only
one class in society, that of the superla-
lively hungry.
The Princess Salm-Salm returned TIE
salutation of several French officers as
she entered, and bowed once or twice IN
acknowledgement of salutes rendered by
the Austrians Of her husbands brigade.
Beyond these she seemed to prefer iso-
lation and privacy. Among the Belgians
there was major who had huge yel-
low beard, great coarse voice, depth
of chest like an OK, a sword belt whose
extent would girth a hogshead In
French cafes gentlemen very rarely
speak above the low conversational
tones of the drawing room. To be
boisterious is to be either drunk or
blackguard. This Belgian Major Med
omark of the Foreign Legion-did not
seem to be drunk, and yet as he looked
! at tho tho Princess Salm.Salm his voice
would change its intonation, and deepen
harshly and gratingly. If he meant to
be offensive he succeeded frst-rate.
The Princess pushed back her plate
and arose as one who felt that she was
the subject of conversation without un-
derstanding the words of it. As she
passed through the door Medomark,
boisterously and in great glee, called out
a slang term of the circus, and shouted: :
Hoop la
The Agnes lie Clerc that was of the
sawdust and tights, the Princess Salm-
| Salm that is now OF the titles and dia-
monds, heard the brutal cry, and felt to
her heart the studied insult. Turning in
stantly, she came again balf into the
cafe-her eyes full and discolored with
passion, and her face so white that it ap,
peared as if the woman was in mortal
pain. She could not speak-though she
tried hard, poor thing, but she looked
once at Medomark as if to crush him
where he sat, end once to Hazel, who un-
derstood it all now, and arose as she
again retired
: He went straight to his American
countrywoman. At the cowardly infer
ence of the Belgian the French officers
had laughed and the Austrians had ap.
plauded. Even those of her husband s
brigade had not uttered protest or de-
manded apology. Hazel found her in
tears.
" You have been insulted, he said.
l know it, or rather, l may say | saw
it. Not understanding German, If, in
deed, the Belgians speak German, | have
| to rely Tor my opinion more upon tne
manner than the matter of the insult.
Your husband is away, you are an
American lady, you are a countrywo-
man of mine, you are in trouble, and
need protector. Will you trust your
honor in my handsT'
The actress was a brave, proud wo.
man, born, perhaps, to rule men as much
by the force of her will as the bizarre
style Of her beauty and her physical
development She took Hazers hand
and thanked him, and bade him chastise
the insolent bully. She knew very we'll
what chastisement meant in the Ian
guoge of a soldier, and she was a
soldiers wife. She did not even evince
interest enough to be curious. Perhaps
her passion kept her from this-at least
her champion bowed low to her as be
retired, thinking her the coldest woman
a man ever put his life in jeopardy for.
Cold she was not. She simply consid'
cred what was done for her as being done
because Of her inalienable right to have
it done. She was not familiar, she only
tolerated.