Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-05-26
An Historical Mystery.
BY LADY ALICE HAY.

One hundred years ago O we'd
ding party assembled in the
chapel of the ducal palace at
Brunswick. It was a royal we'd
ding--a scene Of much splendor
aud still more rejoicing, with no
lack of outward show and true
hearty feeling.
There was much to interest the
spectators in the bride and BRIDE
groom. They were both young,
handsome, accomplished; the
world lay before them with fair
promise of honor and prosperity,
with no clouds to dim their
horizon, no evil omen to shadow
their future. But if the vail
which concealed that future
had been for one moment unfit.
ed, it would have revealed a dark
and terrible fate in store for the
young girl whoselife had hitherto
seemed SO bright and untroubled
Before many years had elapsed,
that beautiful bride was destined
to perish in foreign land, far
from her husband, her children
and her family, under circum-
stances Of peculiar horror. The
mystery that shronds the fate Of
Augusta of Brunswick has never
been explained, and her very
name is now almost forgotten.
The first-born child of the
gallant warrior, Duke Of Bruins
wick, who had wooed and won
the hand of an English princess,
Augusta, daughter of Frederick,
Prince of Wales, and sister Of
George III the Princess Augusta
was only in her sixteenth year at
the time of her marriage to
Frederick William, Prince OF
Wurtemberg She was beautiful,
accomplished, gifted with warm
affections, a generous heart. and
peculiarly graceful and winning
manners. The Duke of Bruins
wick was tenderly attached to his
fair child. and it is said that he
suffered deeply on parting with
her. The marriage appears to
have been dictated by political
expediency rather than personal
feeling; but for a time the young
couple were not unhappy. The
prince was an attentive, kind,
If not q tender husband, and the
reputation of his beautiful con-
sort had not yet been attacked by
scandal.
In 1784 Frederick of Wurtem-
berg (who, although nephew and
heir to the reigning duke of that
small domain, was at present
possessed Of very limited patri-
mony), entered the Russian
military service, and quitting
Germany, took up his residence
at st. Petersburg. He was
accompanied by his wife and
children. The ill-advised step,
which brought about the fatal
results, was undertaken against
the wish of the Duke of Bruins
wick, who naturally dreaded and
disliked the idea of his daughter
being placed in 50 trying and
dangerous a position. The Rus
sian court was notorious, even in
those very easy-going days, fol
its inherent and unblushine
RIGHTEOUSNESS, and the favor and
friendship which Catharine II
extended to the princess was
fraught with peril to o young
handsome and inexperienced
woman.
At this distance of time it is
impossible to decide as to the
guilt or innocence of this unfor-
tunate princess, the more SO as
scarcely any reliable information
can be obtained on this point. II
is said by some writers that she
occasioned the deepest shame
and disgrace to Ter husband and
her family; while others declare
that, though imprudent and
thoughtless, she nevertheless re-
manned innocent at heart. How.
ever this may be, it is certain that
the prince treated his wife at this
time with indifference, if not
neglect, and that serious differ
ences had arisen between them.
At length the Duke Of Brunswick
wrote to his son.in law, advising
him to leave Russia without de-
lay, and to rescue his consort
from an atmosphere of SO much
danger. Frederick at once acted
on this advice, and, relinquishing
his appointment, prepared to
quit Russia; but the princess re.
fused peremptorily to accompany
him. She declared her intention