The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1875-12-03
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The Empress EUgenie, the match
maker of two hemispbcres, persuaded
Countess Valentine dc Chimay, beauti-
full, good, and rich, to marry the Prince
de Beauhremont, handsome, bad, and
poor. The only points on which the
two agreed were good looks and youth.
These proved insufficient to keep them
together. The Prince went on the Mex
lean expedition; the Princess stayed at
home, led q spotless life, 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 pur-
sued 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. It was composed of these
touching words:
Madame: What have you done with my
shirts? don't find them In the drmoire.
When the two finally met in Paris, IL
was only to separate. The Prince began
a scandalous life. The Princess sued for
a separation. 1t took her seven years to
gain il. The French law does not recog-
nize divorce, 50 that neither party could
legally marry again, even after the spa
ration de corps had been decreed. But
meanwhile the Princess had fallen in
love with Prince George Bibesco, OF
Moldavia- w allachia, and was bound to
marry him. Having the will, she found
the way. A very devious way it was
She moved TO Dresden and had herself
naturalized a. a Saxon. Then she got
an absolute divorce from Dresden
court. There was now no obstacle TO
her civil marriage, outside Of France.
But religious difficulty remained. The
Catholic Church repudiates divorce. The
Pope would not sanction remarriage.
The Princess de Beaufiremont received
the news calmly, abjured Romanism
forth with, and became member of the
Greek Church. The Greek priest at
Dresden, a native Russian, baptized her
aud said he would perform the marriage
service for her, provided the Emperor OF
the Russians would give his consent.
That potentste had the case laid before
him and made no objection. Every
thing was legal, as far as Russian laws
and Greek Catholic rules were concerned.
The religious marriage WAS promptly
performed in Dresden, and the civil mar
riage followed il at the Wallachian Le-
CATION in Paris. The Russian Minister
attended the ceremony and signed the
contract And yet the Princess Bibesco
is still the Princess Beauiremont Ia.
France. French law AID Catholic law
give her one husband; the Greek Church
and the rest Of Europe give her another.
She Ia the wife Of two men.
Her positioa in France Is unique.
She IL liable 70 prosecution for bigsmy
and can be, II is said, sxtraditsd fnoal
any other civilized country w which
she may flee. Her frst husband can
take possession OF their two children
even II the latter should wash W remain
with their mother. IL she has any ehil
dren by her second husband, they will
be legally known by the name Of d.
fremont, not Bibesco. II the court
should grant them the latter name, 4
would make them illegitimaie and In
capable Of ishsrising any part Of thsi
mothers immense fortune. Finally,
Madame B. h. should ever decide 10 q
back 70 the first b., the second would b'
helpless 80 this wife has the choice, il
France, Of her Two husbands Possibly
polysndry Is introduced upon the soil o
Europe.