The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-01-25


The story nj Her Love for . Yoasg French
Noble when She WAS ~ Princess.
From the New York sun.
A mcmber of the suite Of one Of the hest
known among our princes tells n
story concerning the dead Empress
Augusta. and il il believed that IL has
never before been given tn the public.
Augllsta was a princess i'm the petty court
with all the strait-laced etiquette the
small German principalities affected.
When she was seventeen b was
a romantic girl, and had learned
by heart the stories of the previous half
century's g~allantries at the court OF
Louis XIV.. and SO well had she read that
she was prepared to fall in love with any
man who might first appeal tn her sense
of beauty; hut the rigid surveillance OF
her ducal father and mother made ac-
quaintances almost impossible.
Before this romantic spirit had lived
long enough to die, u young French noble
scion at ~ more or less long lineage
stopped at the court of weimar i'm the pro-
grcss of IA pleasure jaunt from Auvcrgne.
He remained for some weeks at this place
and became n favorite OF the duke. He
was handsome, and a dare
devil. Al "a court ball shortly following
his arrival, thcF renchman Inet the priil-
cess. They were permitted tn become
partners: and ind'ilged i'm mutual love at
This love soon developed into indiscre-
ton, which took the form of secret meet
IukS bh tIs bAtbS Jill
people aware of these trysts were the
maid and valet of the principals, who
served as the medium through which the
correspondence was carried on and the
meetings arranged. The maid, whether
through carclessness or spite, lost one of
the letters intrusted to her, and il was
picked up 10y the Duchess, mother of
Augusta, before the maid could recover it.
The letter was impassioned and elo-
q,Ient, burning with the love song of the
sImitten Pslrisian, and filled with all those
pretty words that came i'm with the Grand
i N.%,, @rrs. yo u%a. Sas IL Il i Esfy WV %s to- ;i her s 'as
gestion of AN elopement. 1t implored "a
flight, and pictured the ideal life of love
On the pastoral lands of the new America.
The duke and duchess were consumed
with age at this discovery, and poured
forth their indignation i'm unstintcd vol
ume. So high did feeling run i'm the court
that the ducal chamberlain challenged
the Frenchman to ~ dual, and the lover
fell. MORALLY wounded. As he fell. the
FrenchIncn tore open his tunic, and there,
pressed against his heart, was IA
chief belonging to the princess: Toward
il his hand feebly moved, and he died at
the moment he had seized the lace and
was to carry i to his lips;
cident that she silently placed The hand
kerchief on the breast of the young man
as he lay in the collin, and il was buried
roses, strewn upon him by the devoted
Augusta, and she, from swoons and sobs,
became hysteriral and almost crlzed. For
weeks the princess sobbtd about the
palace, until her parents were convinced
that her sorrow must have relief or she
would become insane.
They suggested ia marriage with Prince
William of Prussia, and the princess gave
her indifferent consent. careless and
t~houghtless what might become of her.
With William il was u matter of equal ui-
Importance, for he had first been crossed
i'm "a love affair and he was heartbroken
as well.
There was no MISUNDERSTANDING be-
tween them on the subject of their mar
riagc. IL was an affair exclusively of the
parents and of am obedient but discon-
ISOLATE youth and maiden. During their
lifetime the Enperor William and
the Impress Augusta maintained to-
ward eacl, other the most perfect
and severe politencss. They were ftiends.
they respected each other. but that was
all. They were not lovers. and they could
not tear from their hearts the memories of
their early love and their early d~isappoint-
mcnt. The empress always preferred
French books, ideas, dress. and senti-
ment, and il was her ~favorite language.
The influence of that unhappy loss re-
manned with her until the last moment.
and she doubtless carried the sweet re-
grcts to the grave. Years have effaced
remembrance of the affair, and ID is safe
tai say that less than u dozen great person.
ages know of il today.