Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-02-28
LADY LOUISA TIGHE.
She Danced at the Duke Of Bruins
wick's Ball before Waterloo.

An example CT how near to us is the
yesterday Of romance and song may be
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. Every one who has read
Byron-and it 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 Tighe in her sons house
of WOODSTOCK. She w3s of that re-
freshing type-the charming old lady.
One would easily understand how
Louisa Tighe had once been a beauty,
despite the wrinkles and crowsfeet
which carking cares had left upon her
face.
Remember the ball before Water
loop said she. my dear; could you
expect me to forget it? Everybody, l
fancy, has a supreme event in his or
her life. That was my supreme
event I 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 lis as the ap-
preaching ball. My dress-,I have it
still-was a plain white muslin, and
over it I wore a blue sash, as became
debutante. There was no fear for
any lack of partners, for Brussels was
full of young officers, and III 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 lut.er which their proximity
gave us. The great night came at
last, none too soon for us. I 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 p aspect was altogether delightful.
1t was a most enjoyable ball, but By
ron was wrong when he described us
IS 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 pIl ers would
have drowned the roar of all Bona
parties ordnance at such distance
Indeed, it was not until I missed the
Duke Of Brunswick from the ballroom
that really knew what was coming.
The hOnOred name of Brunswick S
fated cheiftain' was upon my tablets
for a dance; but when | looked
around for the duke I could see him
nowhere In going, however, he was
polite, for he left a callow aid-de-
camp to tell me the truth about the
coming battle. 1t is rather romantic,
but that callow aid-de-camp eventually
became my husband. Our acquaint-
ance began at the Brussels ball, when
he showed both tact and kindness in
setting my fears at rest, and actually
danced with me the particular number
| opposite to which the Duke of Bruins
wick's name had been set. I stayed
with Lord Clanc3rty's family until
after Waterloo had been fought and
won. We did not rejoice very much
at the victory, fear, as the thousands
Of poor fellows coming in dead and
wounded were not conducive to enjoy
ment."
Lady Louisa Tighe preserved to the
last the white ball dress in which she
danced at Brussels. The dance card
on which the ill-fated duke Of Bruins
wick's name had been inscribed was
unfortunately lost twenty-five years
! ago at fire.