Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-07-06
KISSED A PRINCESS.
A PHlLADELPHlAN'S FEAT IN THE
DAYS OF GENERAL JACKSON.


lcal, social and moral, Of the third and
fourth decades, no tradition resting upon
memory has come down to our times more
replctc with romantic dash, mcrriment
and broad fun than the incident Of "Tho
Philadclphian Famous Kiss" which
! evolved three great nations and nearly the
! whole diplomatic world, some with fierce
! hot anger, which threatened for awhile the
staid and decorous Quaker City on the
| Delaware with the fate of Hector and old
! Priam's doomed city Of Troy, while the
/ balance of the world was convulsed with
I uproarious laughter.
| Claiming the old mans privilege Of
! generosity, Twill give the story Of the kiss
rs it came 10 me, partly through the gos-
! sip within the precincts of the imperial
J palace Of Brazil, partly through the gossip
I Of naval circles the year after the occur
renee. This tempest of anger hot and
fierce, and of fun loud and boistcrous, was
created by a bright, handsome, dashing
Philadelphia youth, q scion of one Of the
oldest, most powerful and generally be-
loved Philadelphia families, who hid left
his native city for the first time in 1929 to
do his deyoir as a midshipman on tie Bra.
! lillian station.
Barton WIGS his name, and under the in
spiration Of his first naval uniform he be-
fore sailing had been doing some rather
loud Boosting. His sister and bevy of
her young associates rather disgusted at
his airs, had questioned his ability to re-
alizc his big boasts, among which was his
wild pledge TO kiss foreign princess be-
fore he revisited his native city. This ex-
travGg0nt pledge appeared to his sister
about on par with the promise of NJ.
Paraclcs 10 recover from the enemy the
captured drum and suggested the wa
ger Of a suit of clothes made by the most
fashionable Chestnut street tailor against
tho most costly silk dress in tho Quaker
City.
After a year or Is months Of inccssant
watching for an opportunity 10 redeem
his pledge Barton at last found the object
Of his long search. Almost within the
precincts of the palace the royal coach of
state came rumbling along one of Rios
narrow streets, followed at q short distance
by squad Of mounted hussars In the
coach were the two young princesses, the
sisters Of the late Emperor Dom Pedro,
who, then about 10 wears Old was under
the tutelagC Cf a regent Barton saw the
state coach approaching and planned his
aUdacious scheme with cool and excellent
Judgment. He stood at Il corner where the
coach would probably turn. out of sight
for a moment of the lazy escort, and quick
er than thought he had regardless OF haz-
ard and peril, rashly jumped up behind,
and through the aperture behind kissed
one Of the royal occupants of tho coach.
OF course the princess screamed because it
was all done IN open day on one of the
most frcquen, I'd thoroughfares of the city
Of It,t,a ,.p, l.
with his sistc.' carton quietly resumed his
position at the banquet as If nothing had
happened. The amazcmcnt of the hussars
at such IA daring and pcrilous action was
So great as 20 .)aralyzc speedy rctribution
and Barton returned unmolested by the
sunset boat from the palace stairs to his
ship.
But he was not left long in quiet on his
ship. The hot blood of the Braganzas was
up IN arms, calling loudly for the death of
the plVbcan miscrcant who had soiled
the royal maidcn's cheek with his hot pie
bcian breath The regent made a demand
for the delivery OF the young offender to
be held to answer 10 the offended laws Of
Brazil first upon the captain Of Barton's
ship, which was promptly refused, and
then upon the secretary Of state at Wash
inQtOn. The evidence of Barton's culpa-
bility left no lcopholc open through which
even Philadelphia lawyer could find es-
cape and Mr.. Forsythe General Jackson's
secretary of state, was at his wits ends
how 10 avoid making an abicct apology to
the incenscd Braganzas, the Portuguese
branch Of that biucbloodcd family having
come into the quarrel 10 rescue the family
honor from tested plcbeian' 5 audacious
dc,ccration Cf the cheek Of their rOyal
cousin Of Brazil
rs tub TO the angry Braganza whale
court martial was appointed 10 try Barton
for his contumaciOus familiarity with the
insultCd Brazilian princess. The sentence
of the cour. was that Barton should be
cashicrcd from "a profession he had so sig
naliy outraged. That sentence was sent
By special messenger TO the Brazilian re-
gent. and our government was courteously
thanked for the prompt roparation it had
made. 1t WA, "A fact not perhaps known
TO the Brazilian regent that tho sentence
Of the court could only take effect after the
Presidents approval, and when the SEN
tcncc was laid before the president for APP
proyal lac secuted the idea Of stignatizing
a young gentleman for an act rash and
pcTilOus, but too strictly in line with hui
man weakness to be dishonoring.
Summoning Barton to Washington boz
fore final action Of the sentence of the court
martial the venerable president accosted
Barton thus, Did you kiss that Brazilian
princess as is charged against your" Il
did, >" was the unhcsitating reply. "What
prompted you to such IA rash impudent
actS Was she SO ravishingly beautifulp'
No, " replied Barton; she had large, love
ly, almond shaped eyes md a splendid suit
of dark hair, which hung nearly to her
feet in two heavy plaits, altogether very
pretty girl, seemingly in bad health. Why,
general, have kissed the rosy cheeks of q
hundred pretticr girls in Philadelphia, and
they never made half the fuss that this
tallow faced Brazilian has. 1t was n mo-
mentary impIlsc 10 win wager l made
with my sister before sailing for the coast
of Brazil. And, as for the cnormity of the
offonso, / cannot sec il in that light at all.
/ felt at the moment that as an American
officer l was comforting an honor" Turn
ing from his subordinate with pleasant
smile TO his secretary of the navy, the COM
mandcr in chief Of the army and navy thus |
addressed him: Woodbury., l rather like |
the boy for biz dash and daring and out |
spoken candor lie did no more than you |
or or any mciaber OF the cabinet would |
4 Il l. Il. 4. 4.