New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-15
MADAME CATACAZY.
A WOMAN WITH A ROMANTIC HISTORY.
REMINI SCIENCE BY SECRETARY CHASE1
DAuGHTER-THE RUSSIAN woMAN'S
REMARK ABLE GIFT


Doubtless many will stll remember Nine.
Catacazy, the beautiful and eccentric wife Of the
| Russian Minister TO this country during General
Grants first Administration. and her strange ana
eventin history. She had been the unIoved wife OF
a tyrannical Tartar Prince. and the chlvalric ana
fiery little NJ. Catacazy. then only Secretary OF
Legation TO Brazil. fell In love with the unhappy and
much abused Princess during long voyage, and
warmly espoused her cause ard her fortunes. Her
barbarous low and cruel master said to have
been disposed OF IN convenient fashion, by duel
or by divorce. ! cannot now remember or perhaps
he drank himself 10 death The Impetuous and de-
voted little finally married his tall fair with
the golden locks and brought her to Washington rs
his wife, where her sad and romantic past and GENTLE
winning manners dis1rmed prejudice and Won her
many friends. She good enough TO take an
especial fancy TO least she said and through
her had mere than glimpse OF n home-life that
was completely Russian and altogether foreign as
If 1t were thousands 0f leagues away from prosaic
Western civilization
Through one OF the attaches OF the Legation ] Ind
heard OF the gilt Of this cidevant Princess for .
kind OF rectat'-" Quite like COrinnes he described
1t. "only she does not improvise the Words. Tho
music. however. Is all her And she never
knows what she Is going 10 play until SIZE begins It
Is quite charming and you should really try and
manage TO hear her. The only thing L., she is very
shy about II and will never perform In public" A
Catacazy at dinner at Mrs Fish's, and wheni
the ladies' were I'm the drawing room alone begged
her 10 reclte to Us. But not here she exclaimed.
In her pretty broken English. That would be im@
possible TO me-, but chez mol-yes-any time you like.
will you come Tomorrow Next day Choose your
own time; for you alone ! will recitc.' Finally it
WIS arranged that should 90 to her house the next
day for luncheon she called IL, breakfast ano
at O'Clock. therefore, my sister drove me TO tho
Russian Legation, and left me standing the steps
before the door. feeling If, In stepping the
portal should walk straight into Russia. :
l had never been I'm the house before except for
formal dinner and II seemed strange although quite
TO be expected for prepared for everything oddl
that instead OF showing into the drawing. ROOM the
fOotman slOuld take me upstairs and usher into a
large bedroom. II was n spacious apartment, with
piano. polished floors covered with ian unwonted
sight In those unaesheiic days. comfortable lounges
and chairs: still. nevertheless. n bedroom, with q
dressing table and pretly drap bed looking strangely
iDcongiuous with the rest Of the surroundings.
As entered the room young Russian prince, who
Just then the social lion Washington rose from
chair where lie had been sitting, hat In hand, evt.
IDENTIFY making a call, and remained standing while
Nine. Catacazy came forward to receive me. She
was beautifully dressed in what would now be quito
familiar to us tea gOwna species OF toilet then
litt!d knOwna charming. floating cement, with
large hanging sleeves that fell from her shoulders.
leaving part Of her lovely bare. She greeted
me cordially with soft grace, begged ME TO be
seated, and tuning TO the servant, told him to
notify NJ Caacazy that breakfast was ready
Meanwhile another fOotman brought In several little
tables setting them deity with plates knives, forks
and wine glasses and the arrangements were hardly
completed before the Minister made Oils appearance. &C.
cOmpanied by VI his secretaries OF Legation and
then in what rightly conjectuIed was Madanes bed.'
room. breakfast was served Like everything else 10
this unfamiliar household, IL seemed quite natural for
them. however Queer 1t might moreI
conventional ideas; and Il evidently the daily
habit. for after light repast NJ. Catacazy and his
secretary made their excuses and departed, leavngj
the young prince With Then followed a delight
full hour. Poem after poem Mme. Catacazy recitel5
TO sympathetic and mastery accompaniment
on the plano. i have never heard anything like I'd
before or slncei II not informing. II was not pure
recitation. but combination Of both-and such Ode
things She had picked up Wild Muscovit,
tsli, incomprehensibe. yet singulary impressive
verses given with wonderful dramatic efec<:l
pathetic little German ballads: Spanish gypsy1
madrIgals; and French love songs full oil
plaintive sweetness foksongs In dialect-in fact3
her repertoire seemed to comprise everything butt
English Il would like much to try re English
she said in answer to my inquiries to why she]
had nothing from our own Anglo-saxon poets amone
her selections. But | do not know your poetry.
DO you choose something for ME and will learn
IT. suggested Tennyson's lovely echo song. "Thel
splcndor Falls Castle Walls" and wrote 1t out for
her II seemed to that she could make somes
thing wonderfully effective out Of the refrain
Blow. bugle, blow. set the wild echoes flying
And answer echoes, answer, dying, dying, dying.
Linked, with her perfect mlsic' I could noe
fancy anything better adapted to such charming
and unique accomplishment. She delighted with
the poem. but could not be induced to try 1t then.
YOi will laugh at my English she declared but
will learn It by myself and then I can say It
WE'LL But never heard whether or not she added
It 10 her list
Finally the delightful entertainment came to an
end. ! left Russia for the street, the handsome
prince accompanying to the door and bowling me
across the threshold; and went forth into the every>
day familiar streets, feeling II had stepped forth
from a story book. JANET CHASE HOYT.