Daily Kennebec journal., 1881-05-17

Princess Stephanie's Romance.
Why SHE WEPT AT HER MARRIAGE WITH
THE Crown PRINCE OF AUSTRIA.

A curious story was whispered in court
circles last night, and is repeated again
this morning. perhaps with embellish-
ments. 1t relates to the sudden outburst
Of emotion by the Princess Stephanie at
the critical moment of her marriage yes
terday, and gives as the explanation Of
that sensational incident story which
sounds like romance, but which, its re-
lators affirm, is correct in every essential
particular. Briefly. it is this:
The Princess had been carefully, per-
haps too carefully. brought up in seclu-
sion, BY her parents. and she was con-
stansly watched over with great solicitude.
She very rarely saw anything OF the
world outside her own home. and her
visit to Paris with her father at the time
Of ine 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 iradvertence Of
her father, she met an American gentle
mar. She and her father were in Paris
incognito, and we're living in a quiet man.
ner mt not over-pretentious hotel. The
m,.rican. ignorant Of the real name and
rank of the young lady. but charmed with
HcT Dt6uLy, 2IstCC. anu iCi fuien7
ly in love with her. Seizing an opportu-
nity one afternoon when the Princess was
for "A moment separated from her father.
whe was busily engaged in exam
ing some machinery and she was standing
in an adjoining alcove, the American told
her who he was, explained in very few
words that he possessed wealth in abund-
ancss and an ansullied name; told her that
he admired and loved. and asked her per-
mission to speak to her father, whom he
presumed to be only well-to-do manu-
fac,urer or merchant, and solicit from him
the.privilege of paying to her his address
es,.in the hope of winning her affections
and making her his wife. The Princess.
to whom all this was like dream knew
no. what to reply and seeing her hesitation
the American renewed his protestations,
and pressed his suit with such passion that
the Princess becoming alarmed, and catch
ine a glimpse Of her father in the dis
tarice, hastily fled to him. A few in
qusries on the part of the American soon
afterward disclosed to him who was the
the young lady; and this disclosure put
an end to what hopes he might have en-
tersained.
Upon the return of the King and Prn-
cess to Belgium, however. he followed
them not with any intention OF thrusting
hitaself upon the young lady, but that he
might occasionally have the qualification
of seeing her at distance when she APP
pe.lred 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.
anil something like q romantic although
wholly hopeless affection sprang up be-
tween the two. After the announcement
of the betrorhal of the Princess to Prince
Rudolph. the American disappeared from
Bsussels not, however. without first seeing
St.,phanie once more as she was driving
wah her mother through the park in
brussels. But on her journey to Vienna
she saw his face at different stages of the
journey, and. according to the story rs
told by one of the ladies-ln-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 il appears he found his way in
to the church of the Augustines. and
occupied place near the left side of the
altar. It was when happening to raise
ner eyes IN that ulfee'loh the iriHcess
met his gaze that she broke out INTO that
tic of hysterical weeping which for some
moments interrupted the ceremony. When
somewhat recovered. she looked again
toward the place he had occupied. he had
disappeared. Nothiug that happens in
ct-urt circles in Vienna Is long concealed.
asd 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.