Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-11-06
NUMBER 60.
A Remark a BILE Woman.

Among all the women i have ever
known. the Baroness Ven Xanthus of
Buda-Pesth, in Hungary, stands out as
the one possessing the most remarkable
history both for romance. pathos and
prominence for strange commingling
of talents, and / hope all women will
be as interested in the recital of her
story rs | was when she told it to me,
and rs l observed in visit / made her
in 1873 at her house in Pesth.
To begin. must simply state that it
smacks moro of romance than of real
ity, and it is but the romance of reali-
ty; and all the romance of it grew out
of the political troubles in Hungary
when kossuth was banished and came
to this country. At that time the pres
ent Baroness was only n young girl of
l6. and Janus Won Xanthus was hardly
20. and yet they loved each other well.
She was of family that took part with
the conquering country. and the young
Baron had already allied himself 10
the patriots who fought with them,
and when Kossuth was banished, he
was also arrested, and was offered his
freedom and his bride if he would turn
couple were left alone for short time,
in the hope that the love they bore for
each other would cause him 10 recede,
and, as he was of very influential
family of Hungarians, it was decided
that he should; but the two lovers en-
ployed their time in nerving each other
for sacrifice and in mingling their
tears and VOWS of consistency till death;
and then when the parents found that
all was in vain. they gave up angrily,
and he was exiled with Kossuth and
came to this country. No letter could
pass between the young lovers, and the
daughter was hidden TO forget him,
and every effort was made to induce
her to marry, but no threats nor entreat-
les prevailed; she persisted firmly in
her refusal TO listen to anyone, and, to
pass the lonesome years, she began to
write and to paint, as well as to devote
much of her time to the study of nat
ural history.
In the meantime young Janus Won
Xanthus had succeeded here in making
friends and name, and, as he had be-
come an American citizen, he obtained
the appointment of United States Con-
sui in Mexico. He wrote several books,
nearly all of scientific turn, relating
to natural history as found in America
and the tropics. and devoted, in short,
all his spare time in research and in
gathering specimens. While in Next
co and Central America he obtained,
think, 800 different varieties of hum
ming birds. His books were published
in Austria in an assumed name, and
finally he was engaged by the very
country which had cxiled him 10 make
an important scientific voyage with
several other very prominent men.
All these years his faithful young
fiance waited upon word directly
from HIM. though her woman's instinct
told her that those books which caused
so much admiration wero written by
him, and she read between the lines
that they were ut least pursuing the
same train of thought and study.
Sometimes he heard from friends of
her, but never from her, and yet each
felt sure of the others faith.
Think of the ycarning and heartache
that was their portion all these years,
with no communication but what could
be sent through their books and which
all the world could read. At last her
parents died and at about the same
time, through the influence of friends,
Won Xanthus was at liberty to return
TO his country. He had written four
teen books and collected enough of all
kinds of curiositics to form the nucleus
of large museum, which he did on his
return to Pesth, and which is mag
niticcnt triumph for him as well rs
honor to the city. The help and intel
igcnce of his wife was absolutely in
dispensiblc in the arrangement of his
museum, which is placed by the Gov
eminent under the life-directorship of
Won Xanthus in recognition of his SER
vices.
But in all these years that had pass
ed both had grown from youth to
middle age. and they both wear crowns
of gray hair now, and both think sadly
of the lost years of their youth, vet
their age has brought them in rare
fruition, honors and fame, and now
such deep, full happiness that is al
most pain. | never saw that noble
couple together that the tears did not
start into my eyes and my heart ache
to think of all the years that fate sep
arated them, and yet / was ready to
sing pman of thankfulness that they
were ct last united and that both had
been so faithful.
Their home is in Pesth, near the mu-
scum and the Academy of Arts and
Science, of which both are members
and he Director, and it is filled to re-
pletion with everything beautiful, char
acteristic or curious that you can mag
inc; and when this gray-haired couple
stand side by side. he tall and broad
shouldered and strong, with intelli-
gence and strength flashing from his
black eyes, and she in her tall, willowy,
womanly grace and beauty of face and
soul. there are none 10 compare with
them. - OLiver Harper, IN the Neao Yoi K
World