Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-02-24
LADY LOUISA TIGHE.
She Danced at the Duke of Bruins
wick's Ball before Waterloo.

An example of how near to us is the
found in the recent death at her quiet
home in Ireland of Lady Louisa Tighe
one of the women who danced at the
famous Brussels ball before the battle
of Waterloo. Eve. y one who has read
Byron-and ii is getting fashionable
to read Byron once more-remembers
the poets description of the ball; but
it is given to few nowadays to have
actually met and conversed with a
belle of that stirring occasion. Not
many months ago it was the writer's
fortune to spend an hour or two with
Lady Louisa Tishe in her sons house
of Woodstock. She WAS of that re-
freshing type-the charming old lady.
One would easily understand how
Louisa Tighe had once been beauty,
despite the wrinkles and crowsfeet
which carking cares had left upon her
face
Remember the ball before Water
loo?" said she. My dear, could you
expect me to forget 1t? Everybody, |
fancy, has a supreme event in his or
her life. That Was my supreme
event | was staying at the British
embassy, and in our party there were
many lovely girls, now long since
dead and gone. For weeks we had
talked of the ball, and Of what we
should wear. Girls were much the
same then as they are today and not
even the return of Napoleon from
Elba and the renewal of war seemed
| half so important to us as the APP
1 preaching ball. My dress--l have ii
| still--was a plain white muslin, and
over it | wore a blue sash, as became
debutante. There was no fear for
any lack of partners, for Brussels was
/ full of young officers, and in the army
of occupation no less than twenty five
of my own near relatives-all young
men, and nearly all of some dancing
ability. You can easily picture, my
dear, the flut,er which heir proximity
gave us. The great night came at
. last, none too soon for us. | knew
quite well that Napoleon was march
ing upon Brussels; but the thought
disturbed me little, for / had already
ten names upon my dancing list, ana
the aspect was altogether delightful.
1t was a most enjoyable ball, but By
ron was wrong when he described us
8 turning pale and listening with hor-
ror to the distant roar of cannon. The
truth was that we heard no cannon at
/ all; indeed, the three bands and the
company of Highland pi. ers would
have drowned the roar of all Bona
! parties ordnance at such distance
| Indeed, it was not until / missed the
Duke of b unswick from the ballroom
that really knew what was coming
| The honored name of Brunswick
/ fated cheiftain' was upon my tablets
| for a Dance but when | looked
around for the duke | could see him
nowhere. In going, however, he wa
polite, for he left callow abide
mp to tell me the truth about the
coming battle It is rather romantic
but that callow aid-de-c amp eventually
became my husband. Our acquaint
lance began at the Brussels ball, wher
he showed both tact and kindness II
setting my fears at rest, and actually
danced with me the particular number
lopposite to which the Duke of Bruins
wick's name had been set. stayed
with Lord Clancarty's family unit
after Waterloo had been fought ant
won. We did not rejoice very mucl
at the victory l fear, as the thousand
of poor fellows coming in dead ant
wounded were not conducive to enjoy
ment"
Lady Louisa Tighe preserved to The
last the white ball dress in which sh,
danced at Brussels. The dance care
on which the Inflated duke of Bruins
wicks name had been inscribed wa
, unfortunately lost twenty-five yeal
!. ago at fire.