The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03

Then European Women Weep and Untitled
Husbands seek safety In silence.

Here is the story OF a European happen
ing which illustrates many features Of life on
the Continent. 1t illustrates most notably the
great gulf fixed between the Prince and the
merchant and between the nobility and the
bourgeoisie. 1t illustrates also the emasculat-
ing influence of Continental custom and tradi.
ton upon the manhood OF the husband and the
brother. tanning their arms and bunting their
sense OF sbamca against the insults that come
from titled sources.
Prince Fasula-Mirsa was a Lieutenant in the
Forty-third Russian Dragons, stationed at
Twor. Last month he went on his summer fur
Tough with Count Sheremeteff. They rode a
little and drank n little. and eventually took n
train at Patigorsk to continue their spree in a
large town at the other end OF the line. They
entered n irst.class compartment. in which they
found n young merchant and his attractive
wife. The Prince threw kisses at the young
wife, kissed her hand. and made as il to en-
brace her. She shrank away toward her hus-
band. ana the Prince desisted. The Count and
the Prince had some testing conversation as re-
gardcd the young woman's offishness. They fell
To betting on the size of her ankle. The Prince
dived down and grasped her foot, pulled away
her skirts. and tried TO take the measure OF her
ankle. The train was drawing into a station
at this stage OF the princcly diversion. Tho
husband had made no effort to protect his wife.
for he had heard the Prince addressed as 1.-THE
serene and apparently felt helpless in such an
august presence. But the young woman was
not ready to offer herself up in public to n
Princes pleasure. and screaming and weeping.
conductor OF the train came She told him Of
hcr.eNperiencc. The Prince laughed and showed
Prince laughed. showed his card. and called
the group at the compartment door canaille.
Eventually the conductor declared he could do
nothing except give the merchant and his wife
seats in anOlhcr compartment. This he did,
He was punished, however, for depriving tho
Prince OF his amusement. The Prince seized
him by the collar, shook him, waved his drawn
sword over him, and called him an impcrtinent
Before the train started the Prince and Count
moved into another trst.Class compartment.
There they found II Muocovitc school teacher
sh0T WAS neither young nor pretty. as was tho
merchants wife, but as a woman OF the hour
nobility. and all the insults and familiarity
that had been tried in the other compartment
were repeated by the Prince and the Count.
Mr.. !icVaahotf, began TO protest. bn! one Wow
of the serene ones card calmcd him. so that
he allowed his wife to be insultcd and handled
without making further protest.
At the next, station, Osscntuki, Mrs. Geva-
shor appeared at the compartment window,
guards. and the general public gathered nj the
compartment door, heard her story, AMI tried
To- redress ms her arN wrong, put promptly Welded to
forced by the crested card Of the Count Of
S%hcrcmetcff.
NV "s' " h'lNN VI HlN'
Tho train was held while the police were CON
suited. Tho Chief of Police approached the an
gust persons who had caused all the trouble.
The Prince drew his sword and shouted:
Back. back, canaillc! Back or | will hcw
yOu down.
The upshot of the scrimlnagc was that the
second pair of the Princes victims had 10 fol
low the example OF. the fret pair; they ,ncd 10
another coupe. an locked the door behind
them 20 ar In. keep the two tiIlcd rowdiCs out.
Then the train started on, Al the next sta
lion the Count embraced u waiting passrngcr's
wife and kissed her. When the IN band called
TO him TO stop the Count drew n short driving
whip from his cavalry boot and ,ut the hus-
baud over the check with It. The Prince dis
PLAYED is card. and the ndirnnn populnCC.
suddenly humblcd. SUNK into the background
once more.
II is not necessary 20 follow this precious
10 the terminus If the rund; the rest OF the Jour
ney WAS like the part already described. Two
or three more wives were insmitcd, but no hua-
bands hand Was raised To aycngc them. How.
serenity" and titles and cNaltcd associations
at court. His conduct was complained Of in
81. Petersburg. The Wa Dep rtmcnt sent out
AN order for u court martial. The COurt-nartiai
was held and, like most Ot!cr Russian things or
dcrcd from -. Peter hurs. i; was no joke OF
mere fornIallty.. The Prince was found guilty
lac was dCprivcd Of his commission, and he wa
degraded 10 the rank u! private soldier. SINH,
lar punishment was melted ON 10 the Count,
Thus the husbands who allowed their wives Ia
be handled and insultcd md terrified by n Htran'
ger. merely because he rorc the title ~ Il Prince
have their royrnSc AT last, such as IL l.. Oi
course II might have been even less satisfactory
than this. In Germany, for instance, n mere count
or baron after such u debauCh often gctS moth,
ing more than IA transfer 10 another garrison
so, from the European point OF view, these
amiablc husbands may be regarded as subjects
for congratulations