The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-06-06
FROM POVERTY TO PURPLE.
A Beautiful American Girl Becomes s
Prussian Princess.

Prussian Princess.
The ambassadors of some OF the power
at the Court of Berlin act as if they hat
been instructed to make up to the Princes
Noer. Countess von Waldersee.
remember that lady as one Of the galax,
of pretty Americans who were draw
here during the middle period of tn,
, Empire by the ease with which access
was then obtained to the most amusing
!, court in Europe-that of the Tuileries
Some OF those transatlantic charmers hat
varied destinies.
Eliza Cook got hold of the King Of the
Netherlands and the petroleum springs
on the Orange estate IN New Jersey
She had such incompatible diamonds
that the Empress, to aveid seeming tc
complete with her at the Opera House
used to go there unadorned with Jewels
A New Orleans beauty, small, sparkling,
and petulant as humming bird, made Q
conquest of the old Marquis de Chase
loup Loubat, when ne came to propose
for her in the name of his nephew, and
at her iar famed fancy balls at the Marine
Ministry opened the official world to
many Of her countrywomen.
Another beauteous American from
Boston was ali-powerful at the Home
Office in Persigny S time; and De Morny's s
death robbed a pretty New Englsnder
of unbounded influence at the Palals
Bourbon.
But the American girl ior rather young
lady for she was more than quarter of
century in existence), who was carried
highest by ambition, resolution, audac-
ity, style and beauty, was Mary Esther
Lea, who now, as Countess von Walder-
see, is about as bad a thorn as there Is
among the many thorns in the side of
the Empress Victoria. Ii trust were to
be placed in the favor of princess she
would be certain to govern the German
Empire through William II. and Augusta
Victoria when Frederick II. Is called to
another world.
However, even should the favor she
enjoys cantinue, her reign may be cut
short, owing to iu-health of the Crown
Prince. In that event, Prince Henry
would be Regent, and his future wife,
Irene, worships her Aunt Victoria.
have not seen the Princess Noer since
she used to be boarding around here.
Her father was Wall street operator,
who was unknown to the Astors and
Yanderbilts, and never grew to be o
millionaire by his operations.
At that tina Miss. Lea was beautiful.
She still, am told by friend holding
an upper function at the Court of Berlin,
has joies restes, and in a country IN which
women of all ranks are heavy and grace
less is of exceptional elegance.
She has brains, is resolute, independ-
ent, sees her way to tie objects she has
in view, and is counted one OF the most
ambitious women in Europe.
Mary Esther Lea picked up here that
Prince of Holstein who was among the
beaux who revolved around the Duchess
de Berri in her widowhood and settled
down in life with Danish heiress con-
nected with the royal family. That
heiress, have been told, left him her
fortune. He was born in the year one
and was quite an old boy when David
Lea's daughter bewitched him. The
bewitchment took place as the stuggle
between North and South was going on
in America, and marriage was the
consequence.
The old gentleman's hobby was Syria,
where he was born. sPartant pour Ia
Syrie'' was then the national air OF
France, and after MISS. Lea became
Princess Noer she begged her illustrious
husband to take her to the Holy Land.
In going to the East he was away from
his relatives, who naturally were hunger
ing for his fortune, and he made a will
leaving everything to his bride. The
hardships of the exclusion were not great,
seeing that it took place in winter, and
with every convenience which wealth and
and the good Offices of Turkish Beys and
Pashas and European consuls could
procure.
Nevertheless, such as they are, they
killed the poor old beau before the spring
had come round. AS there is no such
thing in Danish law as morganatlc
marriage, her position was a solid one
and the will was binding. She was
created Princess OF Noer by the favor of
the Emperor Franz Joseph, who, at the
time of the marriage, wanted to be Ito
defeat the plans of Bismarck) on the best
of terms with the Schleswig-Holsteln-
Sonderburg- g-Augustenburg family.
With her good LOOKS, quick wits and
immense fortune the Princess was not
long in experiencing I'embarras de choix
in regard to suitors. After Count von
Waldersee had covered himself with glory
at SadoGa she preferred him to others.
But, as she was not "born" her Austrian
title did not meet with any but sullen
recognition at the Berlin Court. The
Crown Princess (now Empress) was mis-
trustful of her cleverness.
The Princess Noer's opportunity came
after Prince William married the big
Holstein Princess, Augusta Victoria.
The actual Crown Princess went to
Berlin tall, fnely-built, country y-bred
girl, numbering in mind and body,
unattractive and incapable of improve
ment. The mental superiority Of her
mother-in.law humiliated her. She had
no taste for study and good excuses for
not studying, there being, since her first
child was born, pretty nearly always
baby in the cradle.
Princess Noer undertook to reform
her, bought lovely frocks and charming
toys for the babies, gave life to the dinners
and teas of her late husbands great-nlece,
and became indispensable to the Imperial
couple.
1t is irritating to the Empress to have
her path blocked by the Noer- William.
Bismark combination, and to find that
the adroit Princess nee Lea is the rising