Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-13
ssR JOHN CHAMPIONS MARRIAGE.
How an Actress Became am English
Ambassadors md Then . Spanish
DmchCNS.

How IN Actress Became m English
Ambassadors and Then . Spanish
Duchcss.
The death OF SIR John CHAMPION. Bari. X C. h,
who at time held the post OF British minister 20
the United states, recalls n somewhat romantic
episode which caused considerable scandal some
four and twenty years ago, told in cable special
10 the New York World as follows: shortly after
he had been withdrawn from washington at the
request OF President Pierce he was appointed am
bassador TO Russia He was nj that time bach
eior OF about hfty-nve years OF age, and exceed
ingiy popular among his colleagues. While nj st.
petersburg he became enamored OF an operatio
star, whose want or artistic talent was more than
compensated by her great beauty. Her name was
Victoria Balfe. She was the daughter OF the cele-
DRAFTED composer, and her nationality was tho
same as that 81 SIR John, namely. Irish. To tie
her his a hsna =, Q, ne onSrra
took place al ST Petersburg I'm March, 1890. the
shock created by this sudden transition from the
stssSe 70 the highest rank OF society proved some
what painful 10 the notions OF etiquette certain
exalted personages In the Russian capital and sir
transferred TO the less Important mission OF Madrid
queen lsabella's notions OF proprieiy appear To
have been somewhat less rigfd and Lady tramp
toh pcSane one OF the acknow lodged bellies OF tho
gay Madrid court. In the winter OF 1884 tic
Duo de Frfas, one Of the grandest mobiles In spain,
but at that time was a young chamberlain OF ps
years OF age, returned 70 Spain after prolonged
England, Where he was exceedingly popular.
Meeting Lady CHAMPION at the court BAH lie ielii
desperately In love with the fair ambsssadres.,
uuke and her elderly husband could only he 60 the
dlsadvantage of The latter poor Str John soon be-
came aware that he no longer possessed his wifes
affections on even her gratitude
The grande passion existing between the AM
bass idIess and the Duke became notorious; noth-
Ing, however, occurred 10 create any real scandal
Al length Lady Champion determined 10 leave her
husband ana going straight TO London. presented
Petltlon lor divorce, or rather for the annulment
on hef marriage with SIR john on the ground that
IL had never been consummaIed. Aware that ne
had hopclessly lost the affection of his WIFE, SIR
john, whose conduct must be attributed partly 10
common sense and partly Ia an almost ouxotio
generosity and gallantry, gave kind OF admission
on ihe truth OF MS wifes statement, ana allowed
Judgment 10 be pronounced against himself HIS
conduct was appreciated by The countrymen OF
Ceryantes, and no foreign ambassador has ever en-
every degree, 10 that OF SIR John Crainpton He
remained at Madrid until his retirement from tho
diplomatic service I'm 1863
Immediately after the annument OF her mar
Rage the ex-lady CHAMPION iost no time In mar
rsng the Duke de Frlas, and, with an incompre-
henslble want OF deiicacy, the newly welded
couple proceeded direct from Paris TO Madrid.
where naturally they found every door closed
against them. Even easy-golng Queen Isabella
WAS outraged by the heariltssness and want OF
gratitude and decacy shown by the newly -fiedged
duchess. and refused To receive her. Enraged, thu
duke resigned his post OF chamberlain sent back
10 the so, ertgn the grand Gordon OF the order OF
Charles III, and withdrew from Spain. During the
loilowlnS nfaeen years ne Resided Abroad mostly
AZ BiarrlJZ, where the Villa frla Is wei known 10
| all American visitors Notwithstanding the very
natural suppostion 10 the contrary, The married
my W :, 'he uuhe eas coiilNiduken uheNentlhl,
VIE until 1870 when she died. Some years ago he
married ga sscon,ies aoces Countess Pignateln,
ana ilas within the past Few moGIns reappvared at
Madrid for the first tiine since lh64.
Curious story from Harvard.
Boston Letter to the Providence journal
l. Is weil-known that Prof. James OF Harvard.
has for some time been investigating the phe-
nomena OF hypnotisnl, and there aIe one or two
students who seem 10 have yielded themselves up
ohiIl, body and soul, for his experiments lie has,
ii report speaks truly, gone much further thar Is
usually the case in such experiments, and has 20
| reduced the yoElian o! these subjects TO his con-
troll tia. le l. able TO tlnrel them 10 do acts upon
which he has determined hours after the Impulse
Is given and quite Independently of his presence.
IL Is said That be has not yet succeeded IN making
his will carry Tor more than "a hours, hut in
stances are related I'm which he has deter.nined
that at given hour on the following DAY a sub
lect siall perform some Singular action. Without
communicating his design 70 any person whatever,
stand, by liking his viii upon the mat
Ter, ne Is able to produce upon the mind
OF the subject an Impression so strong
subject does What he is willed 10 90 without any
consciousness that he Is hot acting OF his own
free viii and even without the operators being
himself obliged 10 keep his design IA mind after
the first determination, and, TO speak the
original nat OF Ills mind. There are Others IN
Cambridge who have also developed similar
powers, and one OF them, - the gossip goes,
wil.ed that his subject, AZ he met Prof. james
Within day, should say TO him, GLOW dreadful
your nose looknp ON the neAt day the subject,
absolutely ignorant OF the resolve OF his iaaater
met the professor, whose nose Was in it, usual
healthlul state, and with no apparent on,ciou.-
ness oi the absuFdfty OF tie fclnarA, greeted hin
in the words quoted. The subject Is one OF In
tense Interest," ana suggests uncauny and Haw-
tho-neSlue possibilities 10 the writers or fiction.
One wonders little, surprising the tales 10 be
true, what The students who asioT their mental
being thus 10 be experimental are thinkiiG
OF, and how parent would leel II he discovered
that his sons CHER occupation at Harvard Was
10 be hypnotiZcd, although, OF course, report
in such matters Is 10 be received with some
caution.