The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-06

II"
TIE PRINCE AND his wISE.
them tho cntrco into tho charmed circles
of tho old world, 1t is only right and prop
or to warn them that his friendship is by
no means mn unmiXCd blessing.
The fact Is that Queen NictOria's eldest
son has tho reputation Of being "jctta-
tore, or possessed of the evil eye. 1t must
be confessed that thcrc is much to lend
color to the assertion, ridiculous rs tho he
lief in tho "jcttatura' may appear to
strong minded persons Misfortune has
overinkcn all those who have been most
conspicuous in the encourage Of the prince,
until matters have reached such point
that Intimate association with EnElnnd's
future king Is regarded ;is the inevitable
precursor of ruin and unlappincss. This
being truo, the people in London arc spec
ulnting as TO what particular form tho i'll
luck will take in the case of Mr.. William
Waldorf Astor, the vastncss of whose for.
tune seems To preclude him from any dam
ger OF financial disaster.
1t is bankruptcy thnt has ovcrtakcn tho
Countess of Warwick, better known pcr.
hars to the general public by tho name Of
Lady l}rooko, and SO celebrated not only
for her beauty, but also for her close friend
ship with the Prince of Wales Tho ruin
OF the Warwicks Is so complete that tho
countess has been compelled to part with
Easton Lodge and with nll the Essex estates
which she inherited from her father and
which have been in tho possession of his
Family, the Niaynards, for three centuries
The Warwicks arc about tho latest aidl-
tion TO tho long list Of those who have pnid
the penalty of tho PRINCES friendship with
ruin and misfortune. Thus the Muriettas
" I'm l. L.,
they arc in London, and who figure in
English society under their Spanish title
nf Marquis and AIarquise tic Santurcc, have
lost almost every penny Tint they possess
cd, graduating through tho bankruptcy
court and not only being forced to sell
their hospitablc mansion In Carlton Uogso
terrace to Mr.. William Waldorf Aston. but
also dragging Gown in their fall another
one of tho princess cronies, Lord Sudclcv,
who mt the request of his future king hnd
come to their financial assistance and had
underworld 90 stay their ruin
Mr. Reuben SassoOn, too who ever since
tho death Of the last Sir James Mackenzie.
surnamed "tho bcncfactor," has been the
principal purvcyor OF the PRINCES pleas.
urcs, is known to have been hard hlt by
financial rcvcrscs during the last ycar--rc-
verses sufficiently serious 10 compel him TO
which has been the scene Of so many enter
tainmcnts given to the prince. There AFRO
few Americans who have visited Homburr
who do not know Mr. Reuben Sassoon, the
Anglo-1ndi who presented to the prince
those wonderful bacCarat counters that tig-
urea so consPicuouSly in the trial of Sir
william Gurdon Cunmingn few years aro.
Tor at the popular German Watering place
Reuben constitutes the shadow of his fu-
turc king and spends his timo in orrauiZ
ing picnics and parties tic pllisir for his
royal highness.
The Earl of Seton. Il great crony of tho
Prince, the groun0 landlord of a consider
able portion OF Liverpool and the pccr
who "exccutcd' the late Niscount Dup
pin, brother-ir-lnw of the Duke of Fife
for playing cards for high stakes when bo
had not money To pay his differences, has
recently been forced 10 place his eldest son,
Lord Molyneux, III an asylum for tho in
sane, and it is doubtful whether tho unfor-
tunntc young noblcman will ever recover
his reason.
The Duke Of Fife himself is afflicted
with spinal trouble to such II dcrrcc ms 10
convert MIN into a confirmed hypCchnndri-
nc ana as TO seriously alarm his royal rclu.
tlves. The sun has likewise ceased TO si,ino
upon the harmless, inotlcnsiye and hosui-
table Christopher Sykes, formerly the filus
Achates OF the prince and tho tame cat"
par excellence OF Marlborough House.
Long, indeed, IS the list OF these Of tho
princes associates who hayo fallen bv the
waysdc-Sir William Gordon Cumming.
George Russell and the Hon. Walter liar
bori We're all overtakcn by fate worse than
death in being branded ms card cheats: the
late Earl joey" Aylesford, who. after
losing his wife by ciopcmcnt ana his for
tune by extravaganza, was forced 10 cx.
patriatc hnscl: and died mystcriously in
Texas: Sir George Chctwynd. COMPROMISED
in what is known rs the Gimcracli club
scandal; the late Duke OF Sutherland. who
died practically disgraced and ostraoixcl
after having been ono of the most Intimate
friends of the prince; Count .Jaraciwski.
who committed suicide on the revelation
to London society OF his queer antcccdcnts:
Colonel Oliver Montague, who, after hav.
Sng had IN eye shot out while staying at