The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-21
VICTOR E,,lNUEps FRIEND.
Madame de SoIms, Born at Borden
fo.Yn. NeNN JerseN.

Madame de SOlus. Born at Borden
town. New Jersey.
WASHINGTON. May l9-"Time's whiriigig
never brought in "A revenge neater, or COM
pleter than it allotted TO my old friead,
Madame lie Solms said veteran diplo-
mat. who had fallen into a reminiscen,
mood perhaps you do not know of her.
She was the Madame de Stael of the third
empire. a republican, and a Red of the
Reds. although she was close kin 20 the
Emperor Her mother was a daughter
OF Lncien Bouaparte, born, 1 think, while
that gentleman had residence in Borden
town. n j. Her father was a certain Sir
Henry Wise. British minister TO the king
com OF Greece The girl grew up so full
OF whims and fancies, her natural guar
dams heaved a sigh Of relief when they
had her safely married at Il to De Solms,
q German prnceling. who had precious
little beside his sixteen quarterings.
Madame. his wife, was cut out for
anything else than an obscure German
husfrau, miscalied priucess. After she
had borne a son, there was an amicable
separation. She left her princelet. and
her Title, and went back to Paris-Paris
lust then palpably republican, yet on the
edge of the coup detat. When ii came
she joined with her chosen friends, Victor
Hugo, Lamartine Mazzini and AlphOnse
Tarr, in denouncing IL, and its author
Perhaps she relied on her Bonaparte blood
to protect her More likely she coveted
the picturesque martyrdom of Punishment
Whatever the fact, she was banished to
Aix-le- Bains Her menage there was a
fair rival 10 the De Stael establishment at
Coppet.
IN those days Nice was Italian. Unit
ed Italy dream mentioned only below the
breath, the Pope sovereign in Rome, and
Victor Emanuel simply the King of Sar-
DINA II re gaantuomo had an eye for
a pretty woman He made friends in
hearty fashion with Madame de Solms
Not so his court officials. They could not
be persuaded to overlook her foibles. 1t
was her radicalism, her friendships, her
magazine and her habit of writing things
which those staid officials resented.
THE magazine in especial Its title was
Matinee oak. I venture 10 say no other
publication with only the capital of beauty
behind Il ever showed such a list of con-
tributors. Theophile Guatier wrote for it
regularly-Victor Hugo pretty often. So
did Eugene Sue, who had written a life
OF HldOdlue. IOuSdIu appeared Twice OF
thrice in each number. Madame was a
most fascinating creature, then about g.
and in the early ripeness of full-colored
beauty. She was often in Turin-and half
the italian world crowded into her salon
at AK. Plenty of Americans went down
before her. One of them who held high
official position came near fighting a duel
on her account. 1t was Alphonse Kari
who had fallen out of love with madame.
He was then publishing in the safe har-
borage of Nice his so famous Wasp"
which stung impartially all it touched
The American was not used to such things
as seeing a woman stung and no hand
raised IN her defense. But the affair was
arranged, I believe, by madames own in
PREVENTION, and an International compllca-
ton avoided.
lone favorite diversion with Madame de
Solms was to write plays, and have them
acted by herself and friends in the theater
of her chateau. They were clever-clever
enough to win, in sevral cases, great favor
when professionally produced on the
boards of Turin. Indeed their writer
came very near to genius The poems and
essays she wrote for her own magazine
were much beyond the amateur level Yet
she was fond of outdoor sport-rode and
shot like a man, went Devastating some
times, and climbed mountains when she
had a mind. She danced, of course,
sang fairly, and played on several instru-
ments, though L think her favorite was
the violin.
Yet she could not go to court Even
the Kings friendship did not avail And
she wanted TO go to court very, very bad
ly particularly when her mothers and
the Emperor's cousin, "Plon Plon," off,
ciaily Prince Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte.
came there to marry Victor EmanueFs
daughter, Clodlde. Of course. that
meant court ball-an especially splendid
function, in honor of thus cementing the
alliance with France that meant so much
10 Italy. Madame de Solms was wild to
go 10 At. She besought the King, and ac-
tually wrung from him half promise, but
the day drew on and no invitation came.
Then in desperation she appealed to the
American minister claiming TO be an
American citizen. No, it was not be-
cause of her mother and Bordentown. 1t
is just charming European habit, this
OF claiming American citizenship without
ever seeing our shores. have lived
abroad twenty years and in half of CONT
MENTAL Europe. Everywhere have chanc-
ed upon some individual who gravely as
serted American citizenship and claimed
that IL had been conferred special by
the Congress" OF course no such claim
NNhN bOHn WIN Nnt American legation,
but as the head of 1t was kindly fell
low, he went to Count Cavour asking sn
invitation for Madame de Solms.
"Cavour temporized. lie would Sec
what he could see Next day came a
beautifully diplomatic document, regret
ting the difficulties in the way II would
give his majesty's government the great
est pleasure to please 90 good friend as
the minister-but court regulations were
like laws of Modes and Persians. immov-
able. and as madame did not appear there.
II would be impossible to include her among
the guests at the BAH That ought to
have settled it, but did not. Madame ac-
tually went to the palace the evening of
the ball. and was turned away by the
lackeys
This was in So Now for her revenge.
About 1870 l spent some years in Rome.
One day, driving along just outside the
vatican gardens, I saw magnificent
equippage, with four horses postillious
and outriders. in liverics little less than
royal. woman sat back in the open
carriage. The front seat was given up
to a small boy and his bonnie Madame
de Solms was taking the air-only she was
no longer Madame de Solms, but Madame
L. MaTpIfsa de Rattavz{ ,,ifa I-t,a