The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-08
A RUSSIAN HEIRESS.
sketch Of a Somewhat Curious Life.

SAeses Of a Somewhat Curious Life.
fLondon TRUTH
The Queen OF the fste was Russian glrl
Of sixteen, the Princess Helen M,
granddaughter on the psternai side OF q
famous slavonic poet, and In many respects
a remarkable young lady. 1t occurs TO me
that a sketch OF such an original girl OF the
period would be read with interest.
princess Helen was too recalcitrant TO
school discipline 10 remain In any Swiss,
German, French, or English pension.
and 80 was brought up rowing over South
eru and Central Europe with highly-ac-
complisbed mother, albeit OF halmuck
race. This lady had learned as child
Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, Milton, ana
the Bible. She broke her head. when she
grew up, against all the new PHILOSOPHERS
wbicb have been discussed at Moscow
since the death Of the Car Nicholas. One
of her philosophers was Herbert Spencer,
whose system she amalgamated, per-
hsps unknown to herself, with Rous-
seau's. This illustrious lady, In her
soonderidhT in Southern Europe, had
with her not only Helen, but her husband
and three sons, a couple Of servants, and
whole squadron OF blood and Orlof horses,
which the different members OF the family
took turns in grooming. She wished to
see the world Just rs it Is, and really to
rough il In Wilhelm Meinster fashion. A
Nihilist. aspiring to propagate his gospel
in factories and villages, could not have
shown more tenacity in holding on to the
programme that she wanted 10 carry out.
In summer the nomads bivouacked, like
pypsies. in forests and other wild places.
They had tents and wheeled vehicles to
transport their camp-furniture, and heaps
of books, which were their sole link with
civilization. In winter they lay by in vii
Iage inns. During all the four years they
never passed through large town or
slept in fine hotel. Helen and
her brothers became handy and en-
ferprising. Their mother kept up their
Russian, and taught them English,
French, German, and Italian, which
they sneak fluently, and brushed up her
rusty Latin and mathematics, TO prepare
the boys for civil service and military ex-
animation at st. Petersburg. The sons
and eldest daughter have grown up, she
has re-entered the pale OF civilization, and
resides I'm a villa near Paris, where she
keeps fifteen horses. two of which are de-
voted 10 the service OF Victor Hugo. She
has translated his works INTO Russian, and
for his pleasure, Shelley's and Swinburne's
into French. Helen 10 mistress OF the
villa. and goes TO market and mu-
steal class unattended. With her emo
madic" experience she fears no man,
and vet feels "awfully shy" Her expec-
tations are most brilliant, as her maternal
grandfather stands, In point OF wealth, on
q line with the Denhdoff-. Before Alex
ander III. came to the throne he owned
about 100000 serls. Whenever he had
shooting party at his Oural residence he
used to send about 1900 OF them to beat
the woods for game. The fair translator
Of Shelly and Swinburne was brought
up according to the precepts laid
down for q boys education in EN-
ile." Although prospective heiress OF
great wealth, she had to dress in the
coarse garb OF q peasants child, and to
spend many hours day in genuine and
very iatigulng agricultural tasks and DAIRY
business. She used 10 be taken to those
dangerous and exciting wolf-hunts in
sledges In which the hunter is really the
hunted. This virile and original educa-
ton formed sprightly and original little
woman, who seems TO be made OF spring
steel and impressionable nerves, to wear
her heart upon her sleeve, to be led in all
things by instinct, and to be lighted by en-
thusiasm. To preserve her Illusions she
avoids crowds, and cultiyates poets and
intellectual socialists, who will 60 to any
length short Of the dagger, poison, or
dynamite TO come by their ends. She is
scarcely less fond OF dogs than horses, and
has in her collection genuine "mops,"
such as the Beauties painted by LEY were
wont to bear in their arms at the Court OF
Whitehall.
The Princess Helen (she likes to be cali
ed Lily, aud, when a child, bit her nurse
for calling her by her real name) was IN
white cashmere, with lace run at the
neck. Her dark-brown hair was arranged
in single, long, thick braid, which de-
sceuded below her waist, and was tied
with white-satin bow. This snowy sim.
plicity made its mark, and went well with
6ne dark eyes, full OF life. good nature,
and strong intellect and will. The figure
was 1.-THE, and moved with ease, show.
ing conflicting qualities-modest din
dence and decision. There was q wild
SAVIOR In it, which gave to her a piquani
and a pungent charm. Kalmuck blood
was distinctly traceable, but so corrected
by Slav az almost TO he a source Of GU
rious beauty. The address and bearing
were lady-llke. IL was SAID OF Rache
that she filled the stage directly she adj
vanced from the wings. Likewise, tn
moment the Russian girl entered tht
room all the grown-up people felt sh'
was somebody. Herbert Spencer woulC
have felt Justly proud had he seen tn
eject she produced.
-----~nr-------