Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-06-25

! sdIie. fIenellc was ABOUT the sam
age as he, and was a typical Pari
sienne. Sc was strikingly hands0m,
and Of distinguished appearance. Sh,
came of a good family, although on
in moderate circumstances. For tina
reason and because Of a natural fond
ness for teaching, she had taken ad
vantage OF every one of the many op
portunities which the municipality o.
Paris offers to young women who wish
to avail themselves ef higher educa,
ton, and had taken all her diplomas
with high hOnOrs. 1t was therefore
but natural that she should have been
i selected for the post of governess in
Baron de HiTsch's household. 1t was
not remarkable, either, that Lucien de
Hirsch, from regarding her first
merely as a bit of the domestic ma
chinery of his fathers palace, should
eventually fall in love with her as he
did
At this point in the history here is
a blank which no one except a mem
Der OF Baron Hirsch's family can fill
up. Whether lucien and Mile. Preme-
lie were married clandestinely or not
it is impossible to ascertain. Some
say they We're, and others that they
were not. The civil marriage is the
binding one in France, and this can
not be entered into without the con-
sent of the parents of both parties, so
1t is altogether probable that no civil
marriage ever took place. There is,
however, a strong likelihood that there
was a religious ceremony, which, how
ever binding it might be outside of
France, was but half enough within
the boundaries of the republic
At any rate, in 1852, a girl was born.
who was named Lucienne, after her
father. Mile. Premelic had left her
position as governess in the De Hirsch
household some time before and was
living in another quarter of Paris In
1887, when Lucienne was years old.
her father died. After his decease
Baron de Hirsch made generous provi-
sion for the support of his late sons
daughter and her mother.
For some reason that cannot be as
certained he conceived a violent dis
like for Mile Premelic, and decided
that his little granddaughter. who is
referred to in his will as his adopted
daughter" should be brought up away
from her mothers influence. Mile.
Premelic strenuously opposed this for
I some time, but finally, recognizing
that it was for the girls ultimate in
terest that she formally relinquish
control over her, she did so, with the
/ express stipulation that she be reared
in the Catholic rather than the Jewish
faith
Baron de Hirsch consented to this,
but when Lucienne's mother learned
that the guardian or "gouvernante" Of
her child was to be Nine Montefore
+ Levy, who is noted all over Belgium
for her strict religious belief, she again
became alarmed, and it was only after
extracting a solemn promise from
Nine. Levy that she would not seek to
convert her child to judaism and that
/ she should always have her own chapel
and a private chaplain, that she con-
scented to give her up.
Though Lucienne de Hirsch is re-
/ ferred to in the baron's will as his
adopted daughter" the facts related
! above have been abundant1y vouched
/ for, and Baron de Hirsch's action in
! directing his wife to eventually trans
nit the vast bulk of his fortune TO this
one child of his son seems to prove
conclusively that he regarded her with
the utmost affection
/ Baron de Hirsch also adopted, some
years ago, two boys, Arnold and Ray
mOnd de Forest, the former of whom
is at present at Elton preparing for
Oxford university. To these he left
legacies of 100000 each.
Like Dumas immortal Count of
Monte Cristo, Lucienne lie Hirsch,
when she comes into her own, will
have a palace in every capital of Gu
rope, and vast estates and yet more
castles and palaces scattered about the
continent, all ready to blaze with
hospitality and welcome for her 1T a
moments notice.
"A careful 6SClHldI6 OF Un6 late baron S
wealth, after all legacies are paid and
bad debts deducted, places it at $780,
1000. This will be solely in charge
of the Baroness de Hirsch, and as she
is woman of exceptional business
ability it is likely to largely Increase
before the time comes when it shall be
Lucienne Hirsch's.
The baroness has not yet made pub
lie or even revealed to those nearest
her when she will, in accordance with
her dead husbands instructions, en-
dow Lucienne with her fortune. 1t Is
| thought that it was the baron's wish
! that Lucienne be carefully studied, and
if she developed into a strong and sen
/ sible woman, that she receive her
wealth on coming of age. Otherwise,
+ that she should not receive IT until
after the baroness death. There
/ seems to be every prospect that Lu-
/ cienne de Hirsch will prove worthy of
her responsibilities York Jour
nal
1 r-TT II