Evening star., 1898-09-12

brilliant American who Married an
Italian Count and Lived Abroad.

FROM the New York World today.
The Marchesa dAllegr better known to
the literary world as Blanche Roosevelt,
y no died at her London home on Saturday
last was a fascinating woman with brains
who was much better known In London
and Paris than in her own country. Victor
Hugo called her La Belle Americaine.'' -
Her profile was that of a Greek goddess.
She was perhaps forty years of age. Her
father was William Henry Tucker of Vir-
ginia, one of an old southern family; her
mother was born Miss Letitia Roosevelt, a
knckerbocker of New York Blanche
Roosevelt was the name she adopted for
the stage and a nom de plume.
Her earlier days passed at La
Crosse Her father was the United States
senator from Wisconsin. The great fire in
Chicago swept away his fortune.
When she was seventeen years old
Blanche Roosevelt determined to complete
her musical education, with view of
adopting the operatic stage as a profession.
Her voice, although of excellent timbre
and great sweetness, was not strong
enough for grand opera. She turned to
literature.
Her Best Book.
The book upon which her literary repu-
tation will probably rest is her Life of
Gustave Dor-," which has been translated
into French. German, Swedish and Spanish.
An accomplished linguist, the author was
herself capable of making the translations.
For the Life of Dore" Blanche Roose-
Vslr was decorated and elected a member
of the Societe deS Gems de Lettres, Sardou
and Jules Claretie being her sponsors. She
wrote Longfellow's Home Life''-the poet
was her good friend-and lives of Verdi,
Sardou and Carmen Silva" Queen of
Roumania. Sardou dramatfzed her book,
The Copper Queen"
One of her books Stage Struck; or.
She Would BE an Opera Singer written
to deter American girls from going 20 Italy
to study opera and to urge the foundation
of q national conservatory of music in this
country.
Blanche Roosevelt married the Marquis
Macchetta dAllegri Italian diplomat.
Their home was in Paris, where the mar
chesa was the intimate of the claverest
| women and where her salon was crowded
by dramatists authors, politicians and Jour-
nalists.
She wrote an excellent biography of Ed
gar Allan Poe from private papers and doc
umcnts 10 which she had access, and did
much other important literary work. Her
poetry was particularly dainty, and was
not unlike that of w. S. Gilbert in it's cley-
ernesS.
| She was for years valued correspond
| ent of the Chicago Times, and sent to that
/ newspaper many important interviews. One
| Of the first WITS an interview she had with
Alfonso MI on the day he was called to
| the Spanish throne. He sent through her a
greeting of good will to the people of the
United States.
She was well acquainted with Victor
| Hugo, and he said of her TO Arsene Hous-
| saye, she is the beauty genius of the
new world"
| On the occasion of Hugo's eightieth birth
| day it was Blanche Roosevelt who was
| chosen to crown him with flowers at the
| fete in Paris, and to reci'e a poem written
| by Houssaye for the occa sion.
Spoke Several Lansuages.
| She spoke French, German and Italian
perfectly, and even learned every Italian
| patois. AT the suggestion of Lord Lytton
| (Owen Meredith) she took up the stuIy of
| Greek number of years ago and became
| quite proficient in her knowledge &C that
| language. Her memory was a mar, elcus
| one She was very witty and was the life
| Of any salon which was graced by her
| presence. She moved in the highest aristo-
| cratic circles in all the European capitals.
| She was a particularly intimate friend of
| Alice di Monaco, daughter of the Prince of
| Monaco. the owner of Monte Carlo.
| One of the most remarkable pieces OF
| work Blanche Roosevelt ever did was an
| interview she had with the pope. She her
| self said he was the greatest man she had
| ever met
| At one time she was considered the most
! beautiful woman In EIurope and when the