Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-20
sTEPHANIE's TEARS.

A curious story was whispered in court
circles, and is repeated again, perhaps with
embellishments. 1t relates to the sudden
outburst OF emotion by the Princess Ste
phanie at the critical moment of her mar
rage, and gives as the explanation of that
sensational incident story which sounds
ike romance, but which, its REALTORS affirm,
is correct in every essential particular
Briefly told, it is this: The Princess had
been carefully, perhaps too carefully,
brought up in seclusion by her parents,
and she was constantly watched over with
great solicitude. She very rarely saw any
thing of the world outside her own home,
and her visit to Paris with her father at
the time of the late Exposition was the
first and only occasion on which she had
visited any Capital save Brussels. But
while at Paris, by an accident or
through the momentary inadvertence
of her father, she met an Ameri-
can gentleman. She and her father
were in Paris incognito, and were living in
quiet manner at not over pretentious
hotel. The American, ignorant of the
real name and rank of the young lady, but
charmed with her beauty, grace and sim
pilCILJ, lG4l III 1ONC WIN bOiA-
ing an opportunity one afternoon when the
Princess was for moment separated from
her father, who was busily engaged in ex-
anining some machinery and she was
standing in an adjoining alcove, the Ameri-
can told her who he was, explained In a
very few words that he possessed wealth in
abundance and an unsullied name told
her that he admired and loved her, and
asked her permission to speak to her father,
whom he presumed to be only a well-to do
manufacturer or merchant, and solicit from
him the privilege of paying to her his ad
dresses in the hope of winning her atfec-
tions and making her his wife. The Prin-
cess, to whom ali this was ike dream,
knew not what to reply; and seeing her
hesitation, the American renewed his pro-
testations and pressed his suit with such pas
sion that the Princess, becoming alarmed and
catching glimpse of her father in the els.
tsnce, hastily fed to him. A few inquiries
on the part of the American afterwards dis
closed to him who the young lady was !;
aud this disclosure put an end to what
hopes he may have entertained. Upon the
return of the King and the Princess to
Belgium, however, he followed them, not
with any intention OF thrusting himself
upon the young lady. but that he might
occasionally have the qualification of see
ing her at distance when she appeared in
public. This qualification he did receive
more frequently than he had hoped, and
his passion deepened. The Princess was
not unaware of his presence, and something
ike a romantic though wholly hopeless at.
lection sprang up between the two. After
-. sc rba haArnkbol ~ %ba
Princess to Prince Rudolph, the Amer
lean disappeared from Brussels, not,
however, without first seeing STE
phanie once more as she was driving
with her mother through the park in
Brussels. Bat On her journey to Vienna
she saw his face at different stages of the
journey, and according to the story as told
by one of the ladies-in. waiting, the
melancholy and despair manifested by the
handsome American afflicted her. She saw
him at Schonberg, and then imagined that
she should never again see him. But it
appears he found his way into the church
of the Augustines, and occupied place
Lear the left side of the altar. 1t was
when happening to raise her eyes in that
direction the Princess met his gaze that
she broke out into hysterical weeping
which for some moments interrupted the
ceremony. When, somewhat recovered,
she looked again toward the place he had
occupied, he had disappeared. Nothing
that happens in court life in Vienna is
long concealed, and long before midnight
last night this story was being told IN the
salons of the palace. The American is said
to have left Vienna for Paris early last
evening"