Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-12-16

The Empress Eugene, the match maker
of two hemispheres, persuaded Countess
Valentine de Chimay, beautiful, good and
rich, to marry the Prince de Beauffre-
mont handsome, bad and poor. The only
points on which the two agreed were good
looks and youth. These proved in
sufficient to keep them together. The
Prince went on the Mexican expedition ;
the Princess stayed at home, led spot
less lite, and wrote him long letters which
he did not take the trouble to answer.
When he returned, she went to Brest to
meet him. But he had already started for
Paris. She pursued him there only to
find that he had left for his chateau. He
wrote thence his first letter to her, after an
absence Of two years. twas composed Of
these touching words:
MADAME-What have you done with my shirts:
l don't find them in the dtn0i'e.
When the two finally met in Paris, it
was only to separate. The Prince began
a scandalous life. The Princess sued for
IA separation. 1t took her seven years to
gain it. The French law does not recog.
niZe divorce, so that neither party could
legally marry again, even after the sepdrd-
tim dc corps had been decreed. But
meanwhile the Princess had fallen in love
with Prince George Bibesco, of Moldavia.
Wallachia, and was bound to marry him.
Having the will, she found the way. A
very devious way it was. She moved 10
Dresden and had herself naturalize,l rs a
Saxon. Then she got an absolute divorce
from Dresden court. Therewas now no
obstacle to her civil marriage outside OF
France. But religious difficulty re-
manned. The Catholic Church regulates
divorce The Pope would not sanction a
remarriage. The Princess de Bcaufire
mont received the news calmly, sdjured
Romanism forthwith, and became mem
Der Of the Greek Church. The Greek
priest Mt Dresden, native Russian, bap
tized her and said he would perform the
marriage service for her provided the
Emperor Of the Russias would give his
consent. That potentate had the case laid
before him and made no objection. Every
thing was legal as far rs Russian laws and
Greek Catholic rules were concerned.
The religious marriage was promptly per-
| formed in Dresden and the civil marriage
| followed it at the Wallachian Legation in
| Paris. The Russian Minister attended
the ceremony and signed the contract.
| And yet the Princess Bibesco is still the
| Princess Beaufiremont in France French
law and Catholic law give her one hus-
band; the Greek Church and the rest of
| Europe give her another She is the wife
| of two men.
| Her position in France is unique. She
| is liable TO prosecution for bigamy, and
can be, il is said, extradited from any
other civilized country to which she may
flee. Her first husband can take posses
sion Of their two children, even if the lat
ter should wish to remain with their
mother. If she has children by her sec
ond husband they will be legally known
by the name of de Beautfremont, not
Bibesco. If the courts should grant them
| the latter name, it would make them IL
legitimate and incapable of inheriting any
part of their mothers immense fortune.
| Finally, if Nine. BIB should ever decide
TO go back to the first B., the second would
be helpless. So this wife has the choice,
in France, of her two husbands. Possible
! polyandry is introduced upon the soil OF
! Europe Chicago Tribune.