Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-04
uRE COURT OF FRANZ JOSEF.
Strange Scene at an Imperial Hall II
Buda.Pesth.
nordarce Of the world.

Buda-Pesth.
Special Correspondence Of fhe World.
VIENNA, January 1S.-The recent court call at
Buda- Pesth was the most brilliant affair of the
commencing season. IL will form the topic OF
conversation in society for long time to come,
not so mnch on account Of the splendOr Of the
dresses. Jewels. uniforms and decorations as be-
cause of an incident which has already caused
much commotion in aristocratic circles.
young nobeinan OF ancient family. who had re-
ceiyed an invitation for himself aiiti his "fe had
no sooner appeared IN the imperial apartments
than he ordered to take hts wife away on
the ground that her presence was 30 obnoxious
that it prevented the imperial family from APP
Fearing aInGDr the guests Pale with mOrtlfl-
cation the noblpInan could not do otherwise than
comply with the EmFerors command But tax
ing his wecpn" Countess home he returned and
demanded an explanation. lie was informed
that the invitation had been sent by mistake.
and that he could only yndicate his honor by
demanding satisfaction of the Court Marshal.
with whom the mistake originated He Will no
doubt do this. and duel between the two
lOblemen is considered inevitable.
WHO THE COUNTESS IS.
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 stock
broker who had taken her from poor subIir
ban family. At that time young scion of the
Hapsburgs was distributing his heart among
all the ladies who would take IL. and il was con-
sidered advisable to find him companion beau
tffui 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 feeling after this e. perience
that with the finest figure and the handsOmest
face i'm an Vienna she should not waste her sweet
ness on a stOCkbroker with narrow means At
ter several adventures she enslaycd the heart of
Count Paul Festetics, who even married her af
ter fashion in Pennsylvania. the illegal lovers
refuge as in this Catholic country marriage is
indisSOluble.
PAINTED BY HANS MAKART.
Before marrying her Count Festetics made
Hans MOkart paint portrait of his beautiful
Young bride. and seldom has a l0yelier picture
been seen The slight figure sat on high couch
covered with white bearskn. her wonderfully
small feet visible TO the ankle. reposed on q
footstOOl and anything more admirably delicate
than the transparent silk stocking and the satin
shoe cannot easily be imagined. The Countess
Ge fJctO was dressed simply in white satin.
were her luStruuS black HAIR and her eyes half
yelled by long laShSs. The fame Of her beauty
covered the guilt of her pecadiitoeS for a time.
but soon it was whispered that the first-b0rn of
this happy but irregular marriage was baby
hoy whose face was disfouTed by black mole
The marriage has lately been made valid py a
new ceremony, the stOckhrOker having Con-
siderately died without publicly accusing his eF-
rant spouse. This is the lady to whom the court
of Pesth objects. not because OF her morals. it
might be supposed. but Tor the reputation OF the
lady for whom tue invitation was intended
THE HiGH-BoRN DAME.
Fifteen years ago Lady Mary Hamilton.
daughter of the Duke of Hamilton and the Prin-
cess Mary of Baden, married the hereditary
Prince of Monaco, with whom she vas very I'M
happy. After many demurs and postpOnments
she succeeded in obtaining the Popes consent
to her legal separation and in 1850 she was mar
ried to Count Festetics cousin to Nine. Fisch
er's husband and was allowed to keep her son
by Prince Monaco on condition that she re-
naunced the right of succession for him. The
objection to Countess Paul Festetics does not
therefore appear in her personal antecedents so
much as in her lack Of blue blood and quarter
ings. The Countess HamiIton-Festesies has not
only ancestors and coats of arms. hut cOronet
and parTIrc of famous diamonds which We're adj
miTed by the Empress on the evening when her
bourgeOiuse Eamesahe was so painfully humiH-
atel The decision OF this point of court ETH
quette reminds IRE of much happier correction
made by
VICTOR EMMANUEL AND THE MAYOR.
King Victor Emmanuel, on his road to Venice
which had Just been given up to Italy by the
Austrians, stopped at lillian, where he was wei
coined by the Mayor and Aldermen He had
been told that the Mayors name Was Berefta,
and hisroyal Characteristic Of an excellent mem
DRY enabled him 90 address the Mayor by name.
But he said. '-CO0nt Beretta. ain CHAD to shake
hands with You The MayOr protested against
the title and said he came from a family OF sim
pie bourgeois. The king smiled and answered
You know the old alage that King cannot
err. i wish You good morning. Count The
royal party resumed their journey and two days
later the Mayor received a patent of nobility
naming him a cOuRt- That was Victor Emman-
uels way OF correcting mistakes