Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30
THE TIES THAT BIND
Marriages Of Russians and Amer
leans That Turned Out Well.
an EXCEPTION TO THE RULE
The Car Righted the Wrongs of
an American Woman.
FOLLOWING PETER THE GREAT

| Russia has had her innings this week in
Washington. Between interest in the gor-
! eeous ceremonies that have just taken place
! III Russia and the beautiful coronation fete
| given at Beauvoir, near this city, nothing
out Russia has been talked of in society.
And CT all the countries Of Europe the ties
| that blnd America to Russia are perhaps
the most cordial, both politically and So
cially. Russia was our faithful friend dur
| ing the civil war, and there has been much
| intermarriage between Russian diplomats
| and American girls, ard these marriages
| nave turned out happily, except, perhaps,
| IN the case Of Miss Genevieve Ward, the
| daughter of DR.. Ward of Albany In this
| particular instance the Car of Russia
| stepped in and compelled his subject to
| right the wrongs Of the American woman.
| Miss Ward was an all-round genius AS G
| singer, an actress, artist, she achieved
great success in Europe. Added to her 9TH
| er gifts was the all-conquering one Of
| beauty. While cultivating her voice in
farls Miss Ward made the acquaintance
! Of distinguished Russian nobleman, con-
| nected with the embassy there. After a
| snort courtship. they were married accord
ing TO the rites of the Roman Catholic
| Church.
This ceremony, Genevieve Ward was as
! sured by her titled lover was valid in Rus
ria In short time the ardent Russian
Wcarled of his American bride and to
her CONSERVATION, he informed her that
| she had no legal claim whatever on him.
the roman Catholic ceremony not being
recognized i'll Russia. Thereupon he bade
! her formal goodbye.
The Cxar's Action.
But Miss Ward, with true American
pluck, had no idea of allowing herself to
| be thus disgraced for life. Accompanied
m fhsr cha
| Petersburg, where, through the interest OF
| the American minister, she obtained an
audience with the car, who listened in
sympatheuc manner to her story. The
| nobleman who had so basely deceived Miss
Ward was ordered to appear before the
emperor. In his august presence the mar
rage ceremony according TO the rites of
the Greek Church was performed, and,
furthermore, the was about to con-
flscate the estates of his dishonorable sub
ject and present them to the American
wife. But Miss Ward declined to receive
| one penny from her recreant husband. AS
soon as the marriage ceremony was over
| she left him and Russia and went direct
10 Milan where she achieved wonderful
success in opera. She lost her voice for
singing, but the histrionic instinct was
| strong within her. She devoted herself 10
the stage, and a tragic actress won
lame. In America she scored her greatest
| success in the character OF Jane Shore
The Bodisco love story has been told so
often that We are all familiar with it. 1t
was May and December marriage and
yet turned out happily. Baron Bodfsco
| sleeps his last sleep in Oak Hill cemetery;
| his wife Is at rest in England. The Bodisco
mansion still stands in Georgetown in a
pretty fair state of preservation.
| Another international MARRIAGE.
The successor of Baron Bodisco NJ de
Stoeckl, lived in Washington a number of
years, being attached to the Russian lega-
| He ho
that of minister. Like Bodsco, NJ de
| Stoeckl married American. His wife
was Miss Howard of Springfield Mass
| The home of the Russian legation in the
time OF the Stoeckls was in the house on
| the corner Of 18th and Connecticut avenue.
now the property of the Misses Myer
DR.. Edward Maynard, once a dentist of
great reputation in this city, was also an
| inventor. He visited Russia to offer his
rifle to that government While In ST
Petersburg DR.. Maynard had the oppor-
tunity of doing important dental work for
| the car, who at the time was suffering
| greatly from defective teeth.
large payment was rendered DIR. MAY
Eard for his services, which he declined.
| The car then presented the American dem
list with miniature portrait of his mai
esty set with diamonds, and as further
testimonial of gratitude DR.. Maynard was
decorated.
| Married Washington Girl.
About fortnight ago news was received
| here Of the death of Mr.. Waldemar de
Meissner, first secretary of the Russian
legation at Lisbon. NJ. de Meissner was
another Russian diplomat who sucCumbed
to the charms of the American girl He
married Miss Sophie Radford, daughter of
Admiral Radford. Madame de Meissner
has won considerable literary fame She
| Is row IN st. Petersburg, where her son is
member Of the Nicholas CORPS of cadets
and a page of the court.
There has been a deal of comment on the
precedent set by Mr.. Breckenridge in ap-
pearing in a sort of court dress at the
coronation ceremonies. But such thing
as the millinery in which an official may
appear at SO august a ceremonial as the
coronation of a car is considered of vast
| importance in Russia 1t is said that more
than a hint was given the American rep
resentative that he must look to his attire
on this solemn occasion. 1t is said to have
been the subject of correspondence be-
| tween our ambassador and the State De-
partment. And all who know Mr. Breckfn-
ridge feel fully assured that his manner
will fit his clothes.
The Russian Customs.
The blood of Russia is autocratic, and the
car of this fin-desecle period evidently
has ideas Of the Peter the Great sort
In looking over some old chronicles of
Russia, there was found an amusing de-
scription Of the manner in which Peter the
IIedt UNDERTOOK 10 ClVlllZe MS subjects, He
considered one of the most effectual modes
was to make them change their style of
| dress. The court ladies were ordered to
adopt English fashions, and to reward them
for the sacrifice Peter issued an ukase
permitting women to attend public enter
tainments weddings and parties with men
a privilege never before enjoyed in Rus
STA. He further directed that the evening
should wind up with music and dancing
as he had seen in foreign countries The
ancient chronicle amusingly says: He usu-
ally attended all these entertainments TO
see how his subjects conducted themselves:
whether the boards Of the gentlemen We're
really shaver and the ladies arrayed In the
prescribed English fashion" There were
grumblers at these innovations, for there
always have been and always will be people
who cling to old customs as something sa-
cred
Wise, but Obstinate,
But Peter was a very wise king, and
also a very obstinate man. To prove TO
his subjects that changes were constantly
going on, though almost imperceptibly, he
made the occasion of a marriage at his
court the opportunity to show the courtiers
that "the fashion of this world passeth
away He ordered all his principal nobil-
ity and distinguished foreigners to be in