The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-09-08
THE ..BRIDE OF DUKE ALEXIS"
SINGULAR INFATUATIoN OF KENTUCKY
BELLE FOR A son OF THE CAR.
From the Lonisville Courier-Journall

From the Louisville CONFECTIONERY
Last week middle-aged lady created con
| siderable sensation about the Gait house by
| driving up in her carriage and demanding
to see the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia
| cher affianced husband" She was richly
| attired and wore a bridal veil and jewels.
| When informed that he was not in the hotel
she became incensed, and informed the
| clerks that they could not prevent her from
| seeing him, as he had made appointment
| to meet her there She also went to the
| Louisville Hotel and made the same inquiries
and as suddenly disappeared. Nobody knew
whence she came or who she was A corr
respondent from New Castle, KY, sends the
Courier-Journal the following interesting
account of the lady and the cause of her
insanity:
The unfortunate lady in question is now,
and has been for some years past, resident
of this town. Perhaps an explanation OF
her strange halucination may not prove UNI
interesting to the readers of the Courier
Journal She is about AZ years OF age, but
still retains traces of the beauty which
made her so popular in society some eigh-
teen or twenty wears ago. She was careful
lv educated by a wealthy and lnduIgent
father, and, having free access to her par
ent's excellent library, her reading was
most excellent and varied, her conversa-
tional powers were remarkable, and in every
way she was ominently fitted to adorn a
high station in refined society. Her maiden
name was Kenton, and she was born and
lived the larger portion of her life IN st.
Louis. At the age of u, while visiting her
aunt in Chicago, she made the acquaintance
of a young Capt. Reilly, who was stationed
there with his regiment. The friendship
soon ripened into love; and, after a brief
courtship, they were married. The mar
riage was in every respect happy one.
They continued to reside in Chicago, and
She by her beauty and brilliant mental en-
dowments, became great faYorite in the
best society of the city. Unhappily, after
seven years of welded felicity, her husband
died, and at the early age of 29 she was left
a widow with no children. Her grief was
almost inconsolable, and she left society to
mourn for the loss of her husband whose
memory so dear to her. Her sorrow
was so intense and enduring that grave APP
prehensions were entertained by her rela-
tives in regard to her mind, which they
thought was impaired, and at their urgent
solicitation she was induced to leave Chica-
go and return to St. Louis, her former home.
Her friends, who thought the change
would benefit her were not disappointed,
and she rapidly regained her health and
beauty, but, as the sequel proved, she never
recovered the perfect use of her faculties.
her melancholy dlulOSL SuLIIely
peared, and, to the astonishment of her
friends, she began to take a lively interest
in the gay world of society, of which in past
years she was so brilliant member. About
this time the Grand Duke Alexis in his
tour through the United States visited ST.
Louis, and Mrs Reilly attended the grand
ball given by the city to its royal guest.
Although not in the flush of youth she was
still an extremely handsome woman; time
l,1 t.1, Il
lied the beauty which had i'll her younger
DAYS won for her such lavish admiration.
She never appeared to better advantage than
at this ball, and the grand duke paid her
marked attention and seemed to eyince a
decided preference for her society; she, of
course, was much hattered by this distin- |
guished mark of appreciation, and in return
made every effort to create favorable inn |
preston on the susceptible duke. That she !
succeeded in doing no one can with any
decree of certainty assest, but she was deep |
ly infatuated with him, and certainly labor |
ed under the impression that the feeling was
mutual. Her relations did all in their |
power to cure her of this unfortunate ats |
tachment, but their efforts were in vain, |
and she persisted in writing to the duke
after he left the city, although her letters |
were never answered. She was firmly per-
suaded that he loved her, and that the only |
by the royal parents OF inc prince 10 tbs |
match. She never for a moment doubted |
the sincerity of the dukes affection for her.
She has gradually grown to be a monom-
aniac on this subject, and while perfectly
rational on all other matters, she is entirely |
F'of7' about this one. Every day she de- |
clares that Alez. is coming to this country
to claim her as his bride, and several times
she has eluded the affectionate vigilance of
her relatives and left home to keep in some
neighboring city fancied appointment with
herr royal s1itoT. She never expressed any
disappointment as his failure to remember
the engagement, but charitablY believes
he is detained in Russia by circumstances
over which he has no control. Her recent
appearance at the Gait house was the re-
suit of an imaginary agreement to meet the
crown prince of ali the Russias. She has
made this quiet, pleasant old town her
home for several years. She lives with her
married sisters in ease and comfort and
passes ner IN waiting for the lover who
never comes. Always hoping and always
disappointed she never ceases to love tie
man who has long since forgotten her very
existence.