New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-06

Some comfort, however, ID 10 Do ueriVeu
from tho reflection that even il tho English
ladies" cease to rewrite their aristocratic
tales for the benefit OF an unremunerative
public the prairies can be rescued from intel
lectual drouth. The files of the English an
Continental journals are storage reservoir OF
aristocratic gossip and manners, to which re-
course may be had whenever dry season sets
in; and if the waters are not wholly tree from
the earthly smell of democracy, they will DO
more puppent and exhilarating on that ac-
count. For example, we find in several Ger
man journals the obituary notice OF Princess,
which if taken in hand by one OF tho Eng
lish ladies would furnish plot for an ex-
citing novel that could be rewritten at least
dozen times for prairie consumption. Her
Serene Highness' Site conveys only faint i'm
preston of the literary resources which her
career would afford 1t is this: Gertrude,
Princess of Hanau, Countess OF Schaumoerg,
nee Falkensteip, divorcee Lehman"
Now the father of this illustrious Princess
was somewhat above the average liquors seller;
in fact, he was q wine-dealer in fair circu.n-
stances. His daughter was the most beautiful
woman in Bonn, and long before she was
twenty she had refused a dozen offers. The
Prussian paymaster named Lehman. Barely
was the honeymoon over before the bride re-
turned to her fathers house for short visit,
and met at military ball the Electoral Prince
of Hesse- Cassel. Now the Prince was stein
mOralst, who had been expelled from Court
for snubbing one of his fathers mistresses.
But when he had fallen madly in love with the
paymaster's wife, he got rid of his principles
without ceremony and proposed an elopement.
Now the fair bride, being only clod, took an
essentially plebeian view of romance. She In
sisted that the only practical basis Tor love was
matrimony. She was already married, to be
sure, but her husband was a sensible fellow
who could probably be induced to sell out his
rights His Serene Highness accordingly sent
his business agent to the paymaster, and IN
consideration of $4,000 hard cash in hand
paid, prevailed upon him to institute divorce
suit against his wife on the ground OF lncom-
patibity of temper. The fair Gertrude, hay
ing abiured tho Catholic Cor the Protestant
faith, was led to the altar 10y the Electoral
Prince, a few months before ne was appointed
Regent his father having been compelled by
revolutionary movement to abdicate III his
favor.
chase to the princely Elector, reigned i'll liesse-
Cassel, queen in right as we'll as In beauty.
But high station dld not release her from the
ordinary Ills of plebeian matrimony. Her
mother-in-law, who by the way was an aunt
of Kaiser Wilhelm, would not have anything
to do with her. The diyOrc6e Lehman she did
not mind, but the nee Falkenstein was lntol-
erably vulgar. Even the new title of countess,
which had been conferred upon the bride, could
not remedy the original faint. The wife of
the dlssolute and shameless ElectOr would not
speak to her son plebeian Gertrude, and fatty
refused to sit in the same box with her at the
theatre. The Regent, furious with rage, gave
orders that his mother should never go to the
theatre again. The obstinate lady went to the
theatre. The audience, admrlng her pluck,
cheered her repeatedly, and there was such
boisterous enthusiasm in the streets when she
drove home that the ElectOr ordered his body
guard to charge upon the crowd ana the car
riaga with drawn sabres. His subjects took
low view of princely privilege. They could
not understand why the old Electress should
not have a box to herself if she did not like
her daughter-n-law and they thought 1t UNI
fair that. they should be hacked with sabre
thrusts merely because they had been polite
TO the Regents mother. From that moment
his popularity in realm whore his licentlOus
father had dsgraced himself was ut an end.
The necdotcs which the German newspapers
relate lay bare his true character rs Il hgh-born
ruffian, who governed his Ministers and
lackeys by his boOt-heels, and amply attest
the contempt ard adherence of his subjects
After Sadowa he lost his Electorate and his
costliest Jewels. He died nine years afterward,
never having regained his temper, and swear
ing ut his cook to the very last The Count
ess. however, took practical view Of life. She
was created Princess of Hanau by the En-
peror OF Austria, but her pcbelan instincts
were dominant to the last. She had clutter
of children taught her husband to save his
ably well herself after he died. When her
own end drew near at Prague few weeks
ago, she had the satisfaction of dividing an
immense fortune among her children.
The moral of this tale does not concern u.s.
The brides insisting upon matrimony VIXEN the
Prince Elector paid suit to her may have inn
piled that lack of Imagination Tor which de-
mocracy is always conspicuous, and possibly the
sordid instincts cropped ont i'll her scheme of
purchasing her first husband and in her sub
sequent frugality. But let the meals go. Our
only purpose has been to prove that the prai-
ries are not dependent solely upon the Eng
lsh ladies for aristocratic romance.
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A MOST lTTSFP1RTE N1N