The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-05-10

So when Henry 1.-THE Duke of Orleans. and
just half her age-became attached to her; and
she was held as The first lady and most beauti-
ful woman at court up to the period of the
monarch's death and the accession of Cath
arine OF Medicis. Anne of Austria was SO
when she was described as the handsomest
queen OF Europe and when Buckingham and
Richelieu were her jealous admirers Ninon,
the most celebrated wit and beauty of her day,
was the idol of three generations of the golden
youth of France, and she was 70 when the Able
de Berais fell in love with her. Bianco Capello
was 80 when the Grand Duke Francisco Flor
ence fell captive to her charms and made her
his wife, though he was five years her junior.
Louis XIV. welded Nine. de Mantenon when
sne was 49, Catharine ii of Russia was SO when
she seized the empire of Russia and captiyated
the dashing Gen. OrloH. Up to the time of
death-at 67-she seemed to have retained the
same bewitching powers, for the lamentations
were heartfelt among all those who had known
her personally. Mile Mars, the celebrated
tragedienne, only attained the zenith of her
beauty and power between 40 aud 49, and at
that period the loneliness of her hands and
arms, especially, was celebrated throughout
Europe. The famous Mme Recamier was SO
when Barras was ousted from power, and she
was without dispute declared to be the most
beautiful woman in Europe, which rank she
held for Is years.
Mile. Georges of the Couedie Franchise was
the idol of the st. Petersburg playgoers at the
time that the French Army was marching on
Moscow. As the news of French victories ar
rived in the city and the hatred of the populace
for the French grew intense, the great actress
began to be frightened, but still continued to
play al the express command of the Emperor.
AT last she was told one evening, when about
to start for the theatre in the Court carriage
which was always placed at her disposal, that
a band Of moujiks, armed with thick sticks,
had collected outside the theatre and appeared
intent upon procuring admission. 1t was with
great difficulty that one of the actors who
played with her could persuade her to 90 to the
theatre, and she was by no means treasured by
the savage appearance of the men who glared
at her as she got out of the carriage. Count
Narischkine, the superintendent of the Imperial
theatres, endeavored to allay her fears, but as
the curtain rose and she looked round the thea
tre which was filled from top to bottom with
the savage moujks, she fell fanting into the
arms of the actor who was standing beside her.
AS she was being carried off the stage the mou.
jiks, brandishing their sticks, attempted to
force their way in pursuit of her; but Count
Narischkine. who had been watching the scene
from behind the wings, came forward and by a
motion of his hand kept them back. Several
officers of the army were with him, and upon a
sign from one of them the doors of the stalls.
galleries and boxes were thrown open, disclos-
ing the Preobrajenski Grenadiers, with loaded
muskets and fixed bayonets. At the same time
a detachment of soldiers came forward on to
the stage, and one of the servants of the theatre
brought table with pens and ink, and laid
down plank to enable the mcujiks to step on
to the stage from the body of the house. But
before they were allowed to do SO Count Mar
ischkine addressed them as followf: "My good
fellows, what would be the use of your insult
ing or killing inoffensive actors who are, in ad-
dition, our guests? can give you better ad-
wise than that Come up to this table and en-
roll yourselves to serve in the outposts, where
you will be able 70 prove your devotion to holy
Russia and your love for her master, our re-
spected and glorious Emperor" Not single
moujik uttered murmur, and they came up
one after another, deposited their sticks, signed
their names or made their marks and started
for Moscow.