Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-23
LOVE AFFAIRS OF CLARA WARD
Deserted Her Prince and Welded Bliss for a
Wandering Gypsy.
ASTONISHING cAPRIcES OF DETROIT BELLE
Her Marriage I'm $500 nm international
Evcnt-Iier EIopcment Fruit
fuI source of Intcrnn=
tionnl Gossip.

Is that beautiful, whimsical and seif-wlled
child OF romance, christened on the shores
OF Lake Michigan as Clara Ward, who be-
came the bride OF the Prince Joseph OF
Chimay and Caraman, of the illustrious
Belgian house and who is now the paramour
of an Hungarian Tzgane GYPSY muslclan)
also a child OF misfortune? The beautiful
creature would have it appear so.
From Hungary comes her lament that she
would not have her countrywomen do as she
has done, relates the New York Herald
She feels now that she has left the life oil
hypocrisy and lies and has found true love
in a gypsy musician of low birth, with no
social and financial position
As there is no shadow without light, so this
high strung woman would have 1t appear
that she has shaken off the shackles of mis-
fortune which she wore as the consort OF
noble prince, and has achieved her ideal OF
happiness as tie paramour OF strollihs
minstrel
The life of that little girl who many times
went rolicking along the rocky shores OF
Lake Michigan forms network OF caprice.
There was nothing that she did not nave OF
felt sure of having in the essentials OF happl-
ness Her father Captain Eber Ward, was
the wealthiest man in Michigan, who owned
great tracts OF pine land, and built the
largest fleet of ships on the great lakes.
lie was many times a millionaire.
HER EARLY LIFE.
From him the future princess of Chimay
and Caraman inherited most OF her tral'S
which have made her famous. 1t was salu
of CAPTAIN Ward that before he sent out a
ship he always would consult spiritual
istic medium. What the father Lacked IN
storehouse of whimsicalnese, 1t was supplleu
in the daughter She was born at Detroit
during the panic of 1873, which, though II
diminished Captain Wards great wealth, lelt
him still multi-millionaire When he dleu
his widow who was his second wie' closeu
IN the house and started on extensive traN-
els. She did not return to Detroit iot thIeS
years shortly after Mrs. Ward married
Alexander Cameron, a banker and lawyer
of Windsor Canada. While in windsor
Clara would not associate with the girls Oh
the town. But they all knew her as a hlsh
spIrited girl who would brook no restraint
Later the Camerons moved to Toronto,
where Clara lived until she was Ia years
old.
1t is from this period that the daughter OF
the Michigan ship builder truly started on
her career of adventure and romance. She
was sent to school in London. But great
city did not overawe her impetuous, reckless
mind 1t was field of pleasure, not OF WORK
Just what she needed. Here was a chance
to spend her large income.
clara received from her fathers estate
100000 a year. She spent all that and more,
too Her schoolmates were overpowered by
the eXtrayagance, but at the same time
they felt the force of her ardent nature
in many gifts Three years Of school ire
were all she could stand she hauBhtllE
told her mother she would remain there no
longer As had always been the case, the
wilful. capricious girl had her own way.
The school girl was no longer Her mother
began to think the time had come for
suitable alliance. Clara was an heiress OF
SO ,OOO, OOO Her wealth was sufficient mag
net for title. But add to this her great
beauty. the charm Of an impetuous and
interesting glrl-a sort of daredevil crea-
turc, who had no history, but was willing
to make one. The few previous chapters
In her life had no episodes thrilling enough |
to show the real character Of the girl.
MAKING HER HISTORY.
T, did mot take Miss Ward the American |
heiress as we shall now call her, long to |
make history. Her mother was waiting pa
tlently for the next chapter, and she helped
her daughter to write 1t.
They sought Italian sky and sunlight the |
home where so many romances have been |
written for centuries. At Nice MISS Ward
met the Belgian nobleman OF high degree,
who was to make her princess oil the |
great house of Chimay and Caraman. He |
was handsome and distinguished at ga |
man of the world with sufficient history |
to make him fascinating to girl OF II.
1t only required a little coaXing on the
part of the mother. She pressed the princes
suit and the daughter was won.
The betrothal interesting to cont-
mental society, particularly to the circle IN
which the prince moved. His life had been
gay and interviewer with experiences, which
render men attrictive and fascinating to
many women. The house of Chimay was
made by woman The family are descend
ants of the Caramans, and date back to the
aF rrtfr hat of
Their history is interviewer with the Bona
parties.
1t was through that celebrated woman,
known successfully as Mile. Theresa de Ca
barrus Nine. de Fontenay Nine. Tallien,
then Countess de Caraman, and finally Prin-
cess de Chimay, that the dukes OF Caraman
became princes of Chimay. She counted
among her friends Josephine, Nine. Re
camier Napoleon, Hoche. By her good
deeds she won the title of "Notre Dame de
Bon Secours." Women have made history
for the house of Chimay in the past, and the
last princess has not failed to contribute
her quota to the annals, however unpalat-
able II may be-
The mansion of the family is in the little
city of Chmay, in the rich country of South
Belgium called the Hainaut. The city is
nu central plateau. and the atmosphere
is refreshed by the air which comes from
the snow mountains of the Ardennes. The
mansion OF the family Is worthy OF the IL
lustrious house The exterior of the chateau
has been restored to its early Gothic con-
structlons and the interior is luxuriously
furnished. II was to this beautiful country
and magnificent chateau that the prince was
to bring his bride. What more could sat
isfy the self-wiled daughter of the king
of the Lakes"
The nuptals were held on Tuesday. May
30 1890, at the Nunciature in the Rue dc
Varennes Paris Mgr Rotelle, the papal I
Nunclo, gave the benediction The bride
wore a $4,000 wedding dress, Her trous-
seau was one Of the finest of the year, which
was celebrated for brilliant weddings The |
famous dres makers of Paris We'd with one
another in the fashion and beauty of their
fabrics. The guests at the wedding included
many representatives OF the best families
In Europe The wedding presents were
gorgeous and II Is even said that a
brougham together with a pair OF horses
. eoaehman and groom. was given to the ~,
bride. .
Lord Lytton and Mr.. Whitelaw Reid
American minister to France were Wit l