The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-31
sNUBBING A COUNTESS.
Strange Scene at Brilliant Court Ball at
Buda-Pesth.

vienna Letter.
The recent court ball at Buda-Pesth was the
most brilliant affair of the commencing season.
1t will form the topic of conversation in society
for long time to come. not so much on account
of the splendor of the dresses, jewels, uniforms
| and decorations as because of an incident which
has already caused much commotion in aristo-
cratic circles. A young nobleman of ancient
family who had received an invitation for him
self and his wife. had no sooner appeared in the
imperial apartments than he was ordered to
take his wife away, on the ground that her
presence was so obnoxious that it prevented the
| imperial family from appearing among the
guests. Pale with modification the nobleman
could not do otherwise than comply with the
Emperors command. But taking his weeping
countess home he returned and demanded an ex-
PLANTATION. He was informed that the invitation
had been sent by mistake, and that he could
only vindicate his honor by demanding satisfact-
ion Of the court marshal. with whom the mis-
take originated. He will no doubt do this. and
duel between the two noblemen is considered
inevitable.
This is all that the newspapers here dare to
publish about the affair. But there is an inter
esting story behind the incident. About six
years ago young beauty, who appeared at all
the balls commanded the admiration of the
Viennese by her remarkable beauty. This aris
tocratic-looking young woman, with her perfect
figure and sweet face, was the wife of a stock
broker, who had taken her from poor suburban
family AT that time young scion of the Haps-
burgs, was distributing his heart among all the
ladies who would take it, and it was considered
advisable to find him e. companion beautiful
enough to concentrate his affections. Nine.
Fischer was selected, and her husband agreed to
shut his eyes for handsome consideration.
But nothing came of it, probably because the
prince cared more for game less easily captured.
The beauty, however felt, after this expert
ence that with the finest figure and the hand
soonest face in all Vienna she should not waste
her sweetness ON q stock broker with narrow
means After several adventures she enslaved
Hoo
married her after fashion in Pennsylvania,
the illegal lovers refuge, as in this Catholic
country marriage is indissoluble.
Before marrying her Count Festetics made
Hans Makart paint portrait of his beautiful
young bride and seldom has a lovelier picture
been seen. The slight figure sat on a high couch
covered with white bearskin her wonderfully
small feet, visible to the ankle, reposed on
footstool and anything more admirably delicate
than the transparent silk stocking and the satin
shoe cannot easily be imagined The Countess
de facto was dressed simply in a white satin,
short gown. The only dark points in the picture
were her lustrous black hair and her eyes half
yelled by long lashes The fame of her beauty
covered the guilt of her pecadilloes for a time,
but soon it was whispered that the first born of
this happy but irregular marriage was baby
boy whose face was disfgured by black mole.
The marriage has lately been made valid by
new ceremony, the stock broker having consid-
erately died without publicly accusing his Grant
spouse. This is the lady to whom the court of
Pesth Objects not because of her morals, it
might be supposed, but for the reputation of the
lady for whom the invitation was intended
Fifteen years ago Lady Mary Hamilton,
daughter of the Duke of Hamilton and the
Princess Mary of Baden, married the hereditary
Prince of Monaco with whom she was very I'M
happy. After many demurs and postponements she
succeeded i'll obtaining the Popes consent to her
legal separation and in 1880 she was married to a
Count Festetics cousin to Nine. Fischers hus-
band, and was allowed to keep her son by Prince
Monaco on condition that she renowned the
right of succession for him. The objection to
Countess Paul Festetcs does not therefore ap-
pear in her personal antecedents so much as in
her lack of blue blood and quarterings. The
CouAtess Hamilton-F estetics has not only ances-
tors and coats of arms, but a cornet and parure
of famous diamonds which were admired by the
Empress on the evening when her bourgeoise
namesake was so painfully Illuminated