The morning call., 1895-02-10
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the sensation in 1856, when she made her
debut at La Scala, cafe chantant on the
| paris boulevards. The Princess, who is a
handsome brunette with sparkling eyes
was well known in the fashionable world.
She lived with her mother, the Duchess de
Regina-Pignatelli, widow OF the klng Oh
of Naples Minister at st. petersburg, ana
| drove each day in the Bots with her sister,
the beautiful Countess Potoeka.
When people go to hear Princess sing
questionable songs their least anxiety Is
that the Princess sing well. They are
COMPENSATED by seeing woman OF rank
| offer herself as an amusement to the pub
| lie ssat 2 francs per head However, her
success in Paris was of short duration and
the Princess became chief singer in beer
garden of Vienna and married the pro-
nrietor. He died recently, and now an
arrangement has been made by which the
Princess will continue to live IN Austria
and devote herself entirely to her three
children.
| fortune and could only assist Princess
| Pignatelli with the consent of Count Po-
tocki. Alas. for some years, the Count
| and Countess have not been on good terms
and now lead separate lives, she in retire
ment. he frequenting his club and recelv-
ing only old and tried friends.
Count Nicolas Potock1 IS enormously
wealthy, and only son of the famous Count
StanisIas who lived in Paris under the en-
pire. Eighteen years ago he married the
heautiful Sicilian. Count Stanislas never
looked favorably upon this marriage, but
said TO his son: eff there be an heir L
shall forgive you" A daughter was born
and the furious old father dislnher1ted his
a
small income until the day of Count Stan
islas' death.
a will had been made leaving the i'm
mense fortune to charitable institutions,
but one half hour before death Count
Stanislas felt sorrow for his son and de-
stroyed the unjust will. From poverty to
fabulous wealth was change indeed, and
Count Nicolas determined to build for him
self semi-oriental palace not far from the
Are de Triomphe, Paris. The staircase is
like that at Versailles, and drawing-rooms,
ballroom, etc., are arranged in the most
magnificent manner. The stables surpass
all others in splendor. The stalls and boxes
are of mahogany ornamented with the
Potocki arms, made OF brass. Inc managers
are of rose-colored marble, and above each
horse is plaque bearing the name, pedl-
gree and date of birth.
Behind the horses are marble panels,
with basins, in which water runs during
the repasts of the animals. Afterward,
these basins are decorated with flowers.
There are stalls for thlrty-elght horses,
and an Englishman has charge OF the
kitchen devoted to the preparation OF their
food. The bathroom has yapor baths,
cold shower baths, hot shower baths,
Scotch misunderstanding for the COM
fort of the animals. The saddle-room and
carriage-h6use are equally splendid, and
to care for these immense stables fifty men
oil N q
building.
This sudden accession to great wealth
completely turned the head of the Coun-
tess There never has been word of SIAN
der, never a suspicion against her name,
nothing alleged as reason for separation,
except her extravaganza and It's result, In
compatibility of temper. The extrava-
pance of the Countess was proverbial; she
ordered something new each day, and the
cost was never counted. Her wardrobe
contained as many gowns as there are days
in the wear. and her furs were more than
roval A mantle of Russian sable alone
cost $40, 900. Each pearl in her necklace
represents the value OF klng ransom.
Her rooms were always filled with flowers,
her salons were like greenhouses, and the
altar of the chapel, next her residence,
was transformed into an immense bouquet,
renewed by her each day. 49,.
Countess Potocka entertained very little
in this splendid home, but each Sunday
she gave breakfast called the "Macca-
bees" and at her table were seen represen-
tatiyes of the artistic and literary worlds.
Her favorite was the philosopher, Caro-.
One of the most beautiful portraits l.
have seen was that of the Countess
Potocka, painted by Bonnat. In her vel,
vety black eyes dance the sunbeams, and
her black hair, the sovereign marx OF her
beauty, gives her the Oriental charm that
,,,o,Jo 10, ono of the most fascinating
among Partisan mondalnes.
Now the Countess Potocka lives quietly
with her mother within stones throw OF
her husbands splendid home, and to keep
ND a very simple establishment Count
Potocka allows SIS, 900 year,
Princess Pignatelli was only one among
the many persons of rank now on the
stage. 1t is astonishing that the bear
ers of proud historic names, of high
sounding titles, should care to see them
on theatrical programme; We can
see the Baroness Won Rahden IN the
PIRATES de la SSavane," and not long
ago we applauded her equestrian perform
ances at the Folies Bergeres. The Mar
uuis Sampieri sings his comic songs at the
Ell Dorado, and number of other mobiles
allow their names to appear on posters of
variety shows. Why do not these artists
follow the example of the Duke of Gambia,
who, as tenor, made Industrious the SIM
artists on the Partisan stage who carefully
conceal their titles by plebeian names. For
instance, Lassouche of the Varieties is
Baron Bouquin de la Souche; Vandeune
of the Menus Plaisirs is Jonkheer Van den
Kerckhove of Dutch nobility; Derval of
the Gymnase was Count d'Obigny de
Ferriere; Bache, celebrated as the
King of Boelie in ''Orphee aux
ENTERS" was the Marquis de Bruille;
and Lacressonniere, who in old-fashioned
melodrama made everybody weep, was
Count Lesot de la Penneterie. But these
last mentioned began their career years
ago; it is only recently that managers
have been able to ornament their adyer-
tisements with titles. In no other pro-
fession do we find this ostentation; in
fact i'll humble conditions of life title is
an obstacle and embarrassment. A poor
man usually wishes to conceal his gene
alogy, and clerk who calls himself Baron
or Count would be ridiculous. Always in
trade or commerce, title is alarming but
our descendants, consulting the theatrical
almanac of 1895, will be apt to confound it
with the Almanac de Gotha.
Nowadays one cannot live on the glory
OF ones ancestors, labor is no longer a
degradation, and we should have the great
oct o6r,at, x,r.1 s..