The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-21
NEXT TO YOUTHFUL BEAUTY.
OLD WOMEN WHO HAVE PLAYED
IMPORTANT ROLES IN PUB
Lie AFFAIRS.
CLEVER AND BEAUTIFUL WOMEN.
The Potent Social Influence of the
Celebrated COmtesse de Pour
tales.

in women comes the grace and sweet
ness of ripe age. There is something
so lovable, so attractive, in dainty
old woman whose white hair COM
mands reverence, whose wrinkles eX-
cite interest and whose slightly dimmed
eyes seem to reflect as windows Of the
soul that indulgence and kindness
which fill her heart that one can read
fly understand how old ladies have
sometimes exercised and exercise a
greater degree Of influence in society,
and upon public, nay even national
and international affairs, than women
several decades their juniors. Stupid
women seldom inthrall men for any
length of time, no matter how great
their lovliness, while cleverness in
youthful beauty is apt to impart a
certain self consciousness and hardness
to the lines Of her face, a harshness to
her judgment and a lack of charity
and of forbearance to her character.
The growth of years, however, serves
to soften and to obliterate all these
little defects, to broaden the mind, to
add warmth to the heart and to bring
that repose of body and of spirit which
seems to exercise a soothing, softening
influence upon all and everything with
in its radius.
1t is necessary to recall this in order
to understand how, not only in times
past, but also in the present century,
old women have played a much more
important role in public affairs than
young ones. Nine. de Maintenon eX-
ercised far greater degree of power
over King Louis XIV when we'll ad-
Vanced In years than as a beautiful
young woman, and it was only long
after they had passed the half century
milestone that the Russian Prinsesses
Lieven and Troubetskoi acquired their
worldwide fame as the "Egerias' of
the men inSrusted with the destinies
of great nations.
Princess Lise," as Nine. Trouhet
skoi is universally called, is one of the
most interesting personalities of our
time. By birth as well as by marriage
she belongs to the oldest Of Muscoyite
aristocracies, and she numbers among
her ancestors sovereign princes who
ruled with no light hand the principal
ity Of Belozersk. Remarkably clever.
sparkling with wit of the most delicate
and epigrammatic quality, she throws
entirely in the shade, in spite of her
advanced age, all the professional
beauties of European Salons and 1
have often been much amused to see
young and old men desert the loveliest
women to surround the old princess
during ball or reception. The ''Egeria
Intern of the celebrated Due de Nor
ny, and later on that Of M. Theirs,
Princess Lise has played a very promi-
nent part in the history of France ever
since the year 1859, when she first visit
ed Paris with her husband The Ouch
ess de Morny, who was related to her.
introduced her into Partisan society.
and soon the slender, dainty, tiny prin-
cess, who looked like a choice bit Of
Dresden porcelain, ard who could
sway the classes and the masses as
Well for the matter of that with a turn
of her jeweled fan, soon became the
idol of the French metropolis In her
salons all shades of political opinions
met as on neutral ground, and the
"enteLte" was never disturbed. so
great is her tact and "savoir faire.' -
Emile Olivier, the Due de Grammont,
Berirer, Rouher, Morny, Prince Bona
parte, otherwise "Plonplon,' together
with diplomats, ministers and great
politicians paid their court to the lady
of the house without in the least bit
treading on each others toes. 1t is to
her that is due the perfect understand
Ing and alliance between France and
Russia. and the French nation have
never forgotten that it is she who in
1870 facilitated M. Theirs sad mission
to st. Petersburg when the poor little
n fp~oV of
rope in order. to obtain the interven-
ton Of the great powers il. behalf of
his stricken country. To be sure, even
with the help of the princess, he only
succeeded partly in this mission to the
land of the czars, but whereas he had
met with nothing but GOODNESS and in
difference wherever else he went. he
was, through her kir.d and powerful
influences. enabled to obtain several
interviews, not only with the witty
chancellor, Prince Gortchakoff, but also
with the emperor himself Realizing
the power which the princess possessed
over M. Theirs, Prince Gortchakoff re-
quested her at the end of the war to
take up her permanent residence In
Paris, and ever since then she has
lived in her magnificent house of the
Rue de Courcelles, and her salons have
been and will be to the end the rendez-
vous of all that is brilliant and inn
portant il. the world Of fashion, poll
tics or intelligence
Her dear friend, Princess Mathilde
Bonaparte, although she has long
passed her SEVENTEEN year, is also one
of those marking personalities who
have increased rather than lessened
their influence with every year that
they have lived, although she rendered
herself rather subject to ridicule by
marrying some time ago a young man
who might be her grandson, yet she is
and VIII remain one of the most power
full and interesting women of the age
In Paris there is nobody who DOS
sesses so widespread and potent a So
cial influence as the celebrated Com
tesse de Pourtales, La Comtesse." as
she is called, just as were there nc
other lady bearing this title in France
or elsewhere. She was one of the most
perfect beauties of the court of Ma
poleon Ill, and today she still is Sc
marvelously attractive, so exquisitely
dressed, so admirable a hostess and So
charming a conversationalist that the
scepter OF chic and fashion has never
been torn from her slender hand. An
other old lady who exercised great in
fiuence in international politics was
tie Grand Duchess Alexandrine OF
Mecklenburg-Schwe the Youngest
sister of old Emperor William. 1t would
be difficult to find more merry. genial
and sunny dame. She always attrib.
uted her happy temperament to the
fact that she was borr. very unexpect-
eddy during a state ball, in which her
mother, the beautiful Queen J.ouisa