The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-08-13

One of the most charming pictures to be
seen In the shop windows of Munich and
Dresden, is that of beautiful young face
with great lustrous eyes, perfect features,
mass of chestnut hair, and an expression
sweet almost beyond imagination. The pic
ture is oftenest seen on porcelain. 1t is of
the bust, only, and shows the fair girl in an
amber-colored bodice, cut square and ex-
tremely low, exposing a neck and breast of |
most perfect beauty. OF the many travellers |
who purchase copies of the picture, few are /
acquainted with the history of the original. |
Indeed the shopkeepers, themselves, seldom |
know anything further than the name, to |
which they usually add some little impro- |
vised narrative of their own, to the effect 1
that the countess Potocky was very beauti- |
full, and very sorrowful Polish maiden. OF
course this narrative varies to suit the sup
posed temperaments ard desires of the diff |
ferent purchasers. Near the town of .Fult- |
chin, in the Polish province of Polodien, |
there is a beautiful park, with II wonderful |
fairy castle in the middle. Near the. castle
stands an obelisk, bearing the inscription ITO !
the love of Sophia Potocky." This is the
lady whose pictures every traveller buys.
She was Greek, and the picture is in the
costume of her country in the beginning of
the present century. Her history is a won
derful piece of romance. 1t must have been
about dozen years before the breaking out
of the revolution of 1892, that the ambas-
sador of France, at Constantinople, in one of
his walks through the less known streets of
that great city, noticed, playing among other
children, young girl of exceeding beauty.
He called her to him, and, on questioning her
learned that she was the child of Greek
baker, living IN ono of the neighboring streets,
The ambassador was not more enchanted
with the beauty than with the naive demeanor
OF the little II year old, who evidently
had been born in poverty, and whose play
house was the gutter. He arranged that the
child should meet him the next day, with her
mother, at the French legation. His mind
was made up to endeavor to purchase the
little damsel, and to take her away with him
to France. At the appointed hour the
mother and child appeared, and the ambassa-
dor, who was evidently experiencedin the bus
mess he proposed to himself, met the bakers
wife with a direct offer for the sale Of her
daughter. The good woman pretended to
be greatly shocked at a proposal of such a
character, and wept much. On considering,
however, that the sale of child was not such
an unusual thing after all, in Stamboul, and
on glancing second time at the 800 gold
piasters which the gentleman had temptingly
spread out before her, she dried her tears
and with groan pocketed the money, and
parted from her child forever. For three
years the ambassador spared neither money
nor pains to secure to his little Greek protege
that perfect cultivation of mind and manners
which should fit her to reign queen
among the aristocratic circles of Paris.
Muslc-masters governess, dancing-mas
teachers of languages, all were brought from
France for her, and her industry and growing
talent rewarded him hundred-fold. Her
beauty increased with her accomplishments.
The ambassador was overjoyed at the ex-
Of LOTT
the bakers wife. He was, in short, in love
with his pretty foster-child, and, to prevent
some younger wooer gaining the prize he had
been so long in securing he determined to
marry her. But as bad fortune would have
it, he was shortly recalled from his post, and
babe to appear Immediately in Paris. He
set out at once and, in company with his
Greek affianced, journeyed through European
Turkey and into Poland, Parisward. As he
neared the fortified town of Podolien. the
commander of the district, Count de Witt,
sent him a most pressing invitation to stop
over for few days, and enjoy the pleasures
of the hunt. The ambassador WAS a passion
ate friend of the chase, and promptly accepted
the counts hospitality. To say that all went
merry as q marriage bell, in the castle of the
count, would be to express very mildly the
| good times which the Frenchman, his beau
| tiful companion and the count himself were
enjoying. Everybody admired, not only the
sweet Iace' put tne ,iiiu characIer anu iovely
manners OF lhe littie creek; II tnere were
party, sne was sure 10 pe Tue nonoreu sues1.
were tnere nun'' sue roue .ne ne Tss.
m norse. "a Dali sne was tne queem A h.'.
! count de WIN proposed oelhg anyenng out
hospitable entertainer toward the traveiers
never entered the ambassador II, iiilho. IN
fact' ne CONSIDERED all tne courtesles Oh Ihe
occasion as Delng so many nonors i nue. :.
LOT ninlseii. Inc lhaioen' however, nau noe
9een SO SLOW 10 observe that nc WIZ, was
deeply impressed with ner charms' ana she
remarked besides tnat tne question Oh years
was very much against the am0 GA, as
compared with MS secret rival. me eoun'
was SO very handsome, 700, ana 50 sallan..
Gun 1nere was only sliehc fa anu Foa ianees'
whicn any Dut coheeilea oiu T rehch am ,