The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-12-17
A RARE BIRD ABROAD.

OR A REPORTERS YARN.
New York Correspondence st. Louis Republican.
I was crossing 9Th avenue at 23d street
with a friend last Saturday night, and
just under the station of the elevated
railroad We encounted a well-dressed man.
to whom my friend bowed, saying as he
did SO, good evening, count" The
stranger replied in German. We paused
moment and I regarded him attentively.
His erect figure, jaunty air, and generally
young get-up, gave him the appearance
of man of 40; but there were wrinkles
on his face and tired look in his eyes,
which showed him to be. at least dozen
years older. His clothes were new and
well made and his face clean-shaved, ex-
cept for sandy moustache. He wore a
shiny silk hat and carried light cane.
did you notice that man 1 spoke to?"
inquired my friend, as soon as we were
out of hearing.
81 did. What of him?'
''What would you take him to be? Does
he look like professional man or a mer-
chant?-o what?"
"WeI," I replied carelessly, 81 heard
you call him count and address him in
German; SO it's just possible that he is a
barber. He might be head waiter if it
were not for his moustache. He looks to
me like man about town, with pro-
nounced sporting proclivities"
''That's about what he is now,' said my
friend. 81 should call him, in the slang
of the day, a rounder, but he has not
spent all of his life in 9Th avenue, by any
means. He has had varied career. L
remember him when he was cardinal in
Rome"
was naturally surprised to learn this,
for an ex-cardinal is much rarer bird
than an ex-king, and there have been very
few of the latter in New York since Man
SastaI 81 q lssss At NJ,
frieno suggestion I called ON us
trian of his acquaintance and Te%ned
from him the following facts in regard to
the man who is, so far as I know, the
only ex-cardinal who has ever sought re-
fuge in this country:
THE Ex-CARDINAL.
Count B, as he is. called by his
few intimates, is a member of an infen-
tial Austrian family. His grand uncle,
whose name he bears, was famous soldier
in his day, and one of the generals In
command of the Austrian forces at the
battle of Lodi. Twenty-Five years ago
the then young count was a captain In the
Austrian army, pursuing career of reck-
less profigacy which eventually led to his
dismissal from the service. He had, how
ever, warm friend in the person of the
emperor, Francis Joseph, who remembered
! the service rendered to the house of Haps-
Nerg by the brave old general in the dark
ASys of the Napoleonic invasion. Through
hfSSufuence, the count was made mem
ber>Sf the college of cardinals at Rome
and dSS'y invested with the insignia of his
Office. SVor some time he held the high
posltionS9f prince of the church, until .
scandal, 1nwhich he figured and which was
the Europesn sensation of its day
brought about his expulsion. AT
ter this disgrace he disappeared from
public view, and was not heard of fol
some time. Then he Mortified his family
and friends by turning up in Switzerland
as the hero-if the word may be used II
such connection-of another scandal full.
as discreditable as the first. He inveiglet
young French girl of good family into
mock marriage, in which his servant of
fciated as a priest. The unfortunat
young woman lost her reason when sh
discovered the deceit which had been prac
ticed on her, and is to-day an inmate o
an insane asylum.
His family, who keenly felt the disgrac
brought upon them, settled an annuity o
$4,000 on the count, upon the conditio
that he should leave Europe. He came t
New York few years ago, and has bee
living here quietly ever since among pee
pie who knew nothing of his former his
tory.
Verify, New York offers to the studeI
of human nature many strange phasefs
life, but know nothing stranger tina
that which stumbled against last Sunda
an ex-cardinal standing on the corne
of 9Th avenue and 23d street; the heat
which had worn the birretta, now covere
: by shiny silk hat; the purple mantle II
placed by cutaway coat. I do not, c
course, stand sponsor for the story, BIT
merely relate it as it was given to me.
THE SAME HUMAN NATURE.