The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-23
NONE BUT THE BRAVE.
THE MErTERNICH DUEL.

Herald gives this amusing history of the
late high life uupleasantness. All the world
knows that there has been a duel between
Prince Matternich and the Count de Mon
tebello, but all the world does not know
what the fight was about, or the somewhat
unsound moral which has been inculcated
by Prince Matternich's victory over his an
tagonist. The prince, who now only repre-
sentsthe famous vineward of Johannesburg,
on the banks of the Rhine, was formerly
ambassador at the Court of Imperial France
in the piping days of Napoleon III. where
be represented his imperial royal apostolic
majesty the all-highest emperor Of Austria.
when that potentate was still one of the
few remaining despOtic Soveleigns in the
universe. Now the Napoleons have always
had kind telling for the house of Haps-
burg, and they were peculiarly gracious to
Prince Metternich. Indeed, he mad many
personal claims TO esteem besides those
which he derived from his high position in
diplomacy. He is nobleman of the first
rank in country where heraldie quarter
ings are still carefully preserved and ieal- !
ously guarded. Although not, perhaps,
gifted with the most brilliant sort OF intel1
ligenee, he is singularly upright, truthful
and pleasant tempered. His courage is not
OF that aggressive sort which delights in
provoking quarrel; il is of the steady
German order of bravery, which never
shrinks from danger. He was, therefore,
much beloved and much esteemed by the
imperialists, and was for a long time the
principal ornament of their court upon gala
days. He sunk, however, into COM
plete insigniEcance beside his wife. who was
and is bright particular star of the first
magnitude. She is a little scrap of a creature
with eyes of astonishing vivacity and man
ners which charm every one who comes
near her. She used to call herself the
"MoNKEY IN FASHION,"
aud, indeed, she is rather winning and grace
full than regularly beautiful, though her fig
ure is perfect that of little fairy. Such
, is the lady who gave laws to French society
during many years of the most splendid
reign in French history. She was always
inveIting something new and pretty and
delightful, till all that was gay and cbival-
rous in the country bowed down and wor-
shipped her as queen of the revels and
goddess of good taste. Her banquets and
her dresses, her wit and amazing talent for
saying sprlghtly things, were the talk of ali
Europe, and high pacing lady could hardly
imagine position more agreeable than that
which she occupied. The emperor Of the
French and Prince Metternch, the Empress
| Eugenie and the princess, lived together on
| terms as intimate as il they had all belonged
to the same family, and it is certain that the
bright little lady who has Just sent her hus-
band out in an east wind to fight
| tor his life, felt a warm attachment for
her imperial friends, and that the
| natural instincts of generous heart
| have caused that attachment to increase
in their misfOrtunes. Thus, Immediately
the republic was declared. Prince Metternich
resigned his ombassy-or, rather, he frankly
| told the Austrian government that he could
no longer beOfany use in Paris-and he broke
| up his establishment and went away. 1t is
much easier, however, to leave Paris than to
remain away from il; and after little while
| Prince Metternich and his wife
YEARNED FOR THE GAY FRENCH LIFE
they had quilted, and began to fit back
wards and forwards, making longer halt
there every time. 1 used to see them very
often making funny excuses to themselves
and 10 their friends to explain their presence
i'll the republican citv-"they were going
away" or "they had just come" or "they
were passing through'-bus still they lin
gered, and the somewhat stolid figure OF the
Austrian gentleman and his charming wife
became once more familiar TO the Parasians
They did not go everywhere; they could
not have been found a. dinner with NJ
Gambetta's aunt, and it is whispered tina;
they did not regard NJ. Theirs with the
same reverence as he inspires in the mind OF
NJ. Barthelemy Saint-Hilaire. They went
to some few public places and among people
who thought and felt as they did; and upon
one OF these occasions they unfortunately
met deserter from The imperial ranks who
bowed 10 the princess, as he had been ac-
customed to bow to her before he turned his
coat. Her hghness is small, fiery person
of quick sympathies, who does not run
away from her friends because they have
had an awkward trouble; and she honestly
told the renegade Bonapartist that he must
not bow to her again, for that she had re-
solved TO terminate their acquaintance, The
parsonage who was thus abruptly cut by
, the great lady is also
AGRAND GENTLEMAN
in his way, and may have had reasons fo
changing his politics, which need not be dis
cussed here. He represents almost as fine
wine as Prince Metternich, and being tn,
same relationship toward champagne a
unites the Prince to hook The Montebell,
brand is as well known in the mar >et as tina
OF Johannesburg, and when two such grea
vine growers come into collision it is a seFi
Gus affair. So Count Monticello at one
called the Prince to accou mt for the discoVr
, tesy shown to him by the Princess; aDC
? herein | cannot help thinking that be haC
right and reason upon his side. Society wouIC
soon become bear garden if the people
were privileged to insult each other
and there are so many wayi
OF dropping an unwelcOnIed acquaint
| d1C0 WlLnOuI I'd sharp WOTuS, INA
7 the princess deserved a lesson, which othel
aides would do well to take to heart. TIL,
rule has been now clearly established by two
OF the first gentlemen in Europe, that il 4
lady says things which ought not TO bt
said, her husband may be shot or impaled
aud it is fervently to be hoped that whenever
| a lady feels rude she will remember that a
sharp word may cost the lie of her husband
Without any unkind reference to Princes:
Metternich, whom every one likes and al
mires, it may be frankly acknowledged that
society often becomes almost intolerable be-
, cause of the terrible tongues of women
! They are apt to act entirely from impulse
and feeling, without judgment or con-
sideration for others, simply because
} they have hitherto been considered
irresponsible; and, therefore, immedi-
ately Prince Metternich was challenged he
| put forth the old platitude that "a man could
not help what was said by his wife," IL is
nonsense! He ought to be able to help it,