The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-11-21
Next Door to the Phoenix On the Cars.


We were travelling from Paris to London on
the night train, and honored by the care Of
Mrs Cleveland, her two charming daug hters,
and the beautiful Miss Gabrielle Greeley. A
minute before the train started q friend put
his head in at the window Of our carriage and
gave the startling information that the Phoenix
was in the next compartment to US.
To appreciate this cheerful information our
!! readers should know that the Phenix is the
American lady who captivated Russia's I'M
perial Prince, and, not only made off with
his heart, but also large assortment OF jewels
belonging to the imperial family.
The story runs that the youth became go
madly in love with the Phosnix-so called be-
cause she appeared in the eyes OF the etfete
despotism OF Russia as the wife OF or widow.
of Doctor Phunix-her other name being
Lefty Blackford-that he, said scion of 1mpe-
rial blood, did steal, take and carry away to
this beauty his mothers diamonds. Not con-
tent with this appropriation, it was reported
that he helped himself to various precious
stones adjoining saint in the Imperial
chapel of the palace. The Phoenix receiving
these presents, worth untold sums, brought
into play her native shreWdness, and suspect
ing there might be some haw in the title, ex-
pressed the valuables to London.
She was not an hour too soon in this, for
the Prince was arrested, and shortly after the
police had the Phoenix. But the more the
matter was looked into the more evident it
became that the least said the better. The
love sick youth was put under imperial arrest,
and the fair lady, escorted to the frontier, was
babe to 90 her WAYS, which she did willingly
enough. She turned up in Paris, and at the
Bots became noted object through her beauty
and stunning Russian equipsge; while at the
opera she shone like locomotive covered
| with headlights, as she wore all the imperial
jewelry presented to her.
Looking through the triangular glass that
exists between the compartments, we saw the
PhAuix sitting on the seat opposite, coolly
smoking cigarette. She wore gray ulster,
| with peaked felt hat, with gloves and boots
to match, and was-well as We could deter
mine-about twenty five years of age. Her
hair was light chestnut, and seemed to be
abundant. Her eyes, by far the finest feature,
were large, lustrous, and either dark gray or
hazel, and we could not determine. Her
Roman nose, in exquisite proportions, had
| that cold, delicate outline and thin nostrils
that indicate the bird of prey, be it in Lefty or
| Vanderbilt. A short upper lip was in keep
| ing, while the mouth, though full and fair,
confirmed the impression the nose had made.
| The cheeks and full jaw were rather heavy,
and the whole face told OF Judith that would
| 90 in on Holofernes with assurances OF dis.
tinguished consideration, with knife ready
to sever her jugular hid in her bosom or bus
tie We would as soon think of making love
to Lady Macbeth or Winnie Rsams Lincoln
as this female American eagle.
We could not help contrasting the hard,
handsome, cruel face of the adventurer with
the youthful beauty of the young girls in our
carriage. Gabrielle Greeley has the face Of
an angel, with the figure of the Venus de
Medicl. There is dreamy beauty in her ex-
preston, that it seems to be more of purer
world than of this. Her face is perfect
oval, with large, lustrous eyes, delicate yet
firm nose; mouth
| con which the honey-bee might sip
| And dream Of bliss in june"
And all crowned by light, wavy hair, in heavy
masses, that might make the Empress Eu-
genie jealous. But her great attraction is in
the sweet, innocent spiritmel expression of her
lovely face, that is as winning, frank and con-
fiding as that of child.
And, child like, she would take look at
the strange celebrity in the next carriage.
| While 50 doing she borrowed the back of a
letter from US, and, drawing out her pencil,
she made an exquisite sketch of the Phoenix.
1t WAS remarkable likeness, considering the
circumstances, and as drawing was singu-
larly free and easy. Gabrielle would make an
artist
That was comical old lady who remarked
her son was subject to "elliptic fits.