New-York tribune., 1889-12-22
A DIPLOMATIC DINNER.
CHAMPAGNE MARRAGES-MCHAEL THE
ASSASSIN

| BRUSSELS December o.
The talk oil Brussels, and also OF faris, mas
been the very remarkable dinner given py tne
Prince Joseph de Chimay, who is King Leopold's
Minister of Foreign Affairs. to the Anti-Slavery
Commission and the members of the diplomatic
corps of the different nations stationed at the
Belgian capital The Prince dc Chimay is mose
devout Catholic and is rigorous in lis observances
Of the rules and regulations Of the Church. un-
| fortunately the only day which the banquet
could be given was Friday. The serving OF mea'
TO his Catholic guests on that day would nave
been an act of discourtesy and disregard OF oieir
prejudces of which the Prince was incapable
At the same time, it was equally diiiicult 10 ASK
his non Catholic guests to content themselves WIN
q fast-dinner. The difficulty was at length solved
in o singularly happy manner. Two tapies were
set in the great dining-room Both were ioaoeu
with massive plate and declIed with prolusloh OF
| flowers. At one diner maigre alone was scr'eo
| the menu comprising eight courses, III WHICH '''o
| inny tribe were the principal ingredients OF many
q delicate dish. At this table sat the host and
his Catholic guests. The other tapie was ie
served for the "heretics," to whom magnificent
repast was given, at which meats OF all kihuS
were on the elaborate menu. At dessert the
guests were asked to rise and adjourn TO another
room. where Catholics and Protestants united at
ono large table on which were served the lces'
!
entremets and dessert.
Prince Joseph has recently married second
time, Mile Barandiaran, the daughter ol Vne
| Mexican Envoy at Brussels and niece oI ole
| Count de vIllcneuvc His brother, Prince faui,
espoused last July Mile. Werle, the daughter oi
! Count Werle. the champagne manufactured VINO
owes his title ~ the happy faculty OF having
been able TO tickle an Imperial palate. lt Is
curious coincidence that the Oldest ana nooles'
houses of France. when they have sought union
with families in trade, have mVariaoly oho'en
the scons of champagne-growers IN preference
to the followers of any other industry The
sparkle and fzz of the volatile wine seems 10 auu
certain eclat to these marriages. which even the
host l,no,vn brands of caret and burgundy fail to
accomplish. Fifty years ago the Count de Che-
vicre the grandfather of the Duchess OF uzes,
whose daughter has just married the Duke de
| Luvnes married Mile. Cliquot, the daughter oil
the world famous widow NJ. Chandon de Brlalles
took for n wife a Clermont-Tonnerre; Count
dAndgne married Mile Chandon, and the frince
de Polignac Mile. Pommery. The marrlageaoie
daughters of the champagne-growers seem 10 go
off as easily as the pop of the wine to whlcn theS
owe their large dowries
A cbamnarne marriage however, is mere In
ciden, in the history of the Chimays, where a
mesalliancc crops out in almost every branch OF
the family tree. The most remarkable OF these
was the union of Prince Alphonse de Chlmay' 10
the granddaughter and helTess ol
mon VOL known in Paris, in the
days of Eugene Sue, as " Michael the AsSassih'
| A number of wears ago a very wealthy miser was
! murdered in Paris under the most mysterious cir
cumstances, and his valet and cook were arrested
on suspicion. There was no proof whatever oi
their ouilt except the fact that the cook had
listened to words of love from her master. and had
become under will his sole heir. In the minus
of the people however, there was a suspicion that
the valet had committed the murder IN order 10
| marry the cook, who he knew would have
great fortune The couple were discharged after
| n trial and Immediately confirmed the popular
suspicion of foul play by getting married.
To this worthy pair was born son. who was
reared and educated with the greatest care. In
! time he fell heir to the enormous fortune OF MS
parents He built magnificent residence IN the
Rue du Bac, near the Bon Marche. and had
large retinue of servants. In the midst OF all this
snlendor the son of Michael the Assassin lived
solitary and miserable. He had not single friend
but his washerwoman. Branded by the suspicious
! fastened on his father, the young millionaire was
! Stunned by every one. To him even the doors
or the most bourgeois society were closed. and his
! great wealth never proved an open sesame 10 the
| home Of the humbest Partisan. lie cons0ied MIN,
/
! to his stud of blooded horses he had the grand
! est turnouts in Paris. Each time he drove OUT
! the young assassin" as he was known on tne
bouevards, astonished the frequenters OF the Dols
! by some new and unique equpage. Now 1T would
| be an English drag, quite novelty III those days
of tho Fmnirp. now a victoria lined in rose satin
| and drawn by six white horses; private hanson,
! respondent with armorial bearings. or massive
Louis XIV coach, vanished and giided win the
servants gorgeous in gold lace, plush and powder.
lie reached the very climax Of his glory when
! he startled Paris by bringing out carriage made
exactly like that in which Napoleon III aud
| Eugene took their airing. lie had the same
number of Positions his horses were Of the same
! color, and his cOachman and fOotman wore
simiiar livery to that Of the Imperial household.
very funny story is told In connection win tins
! venture Of the young assassin" nder the Arc
! de Triomphc, the gateway from which radiate the
! grand avenues of Paris, is stone sunken in the
ground and supposed to represent the Legion OF
Honor To drive over this talsman is PROCLAMATION,
and the Arc is guarded by heavy iron chains. so
that no vehicle may pass through its portals and
over the precious symbol. During the days of
the Empire, the Avenue of the Grand Armee being
the fashionable drive, it necessary in coming
up the Champs Elysee 10 make sharp detour
around the Arc which lies at right angles across the
roadway The Emperor alone was entitled TO drive
under the Arc, and this done to save him the
roundabout route that "hOi pOllOi' were forced
to take. On bright spring evening. when the
avenues were crowded with vehicles and every
body was driving to the Bois the custodian Of the
Arc saw approaching from the Champs Elysees
what he supposed was the equipage Of the En-
peror and his suite AT once the order was given
to remove the chains and allow the sovereign
to pass under the monument on which are in
scribed the glorious victories of le Petit Caponl
crowd soon gathered TO cheer and offer homage
10 the ruler OF France and his lovely wife, and
the employees and police formed in line TO salute
the Emperor To the horror Of the custodian and
his men, and TO the great amusement of the rabblc.
! the equipage which rolled through the Arc was
not that of the Caesar. but the carriage OF a
social outcast, the son Of valet tried for the
murder of his master. The assassin bore the
royal honors so unwittingly thrust upon him with
much sangfroid and beamed benediction on the
| mortified and dsgusted custodian.
The Empire fell and the Republic triumphed.
The assassin" lived and fourished through all
these changes. still lonely and avoided by his
from the Bois and Paris read that he had died
in his splendid pslace. his last moments soothed
tLn nrds rnn a his clp