Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-02-21
GROWN PRINCE FERDlNkNp,s
LovELESS MARRIAGE.
How He Hos Fallen Desperately In Love
With His Handsome Wife,
Who Docs Not Return
His Passion.

6ouman1a Is the man who has had the
curious experience OF falling in love
with his own wife. When they mar
ried, In 1893, she was In love with him
and he did not care for her. After q
Few years she grew tired of loving in
vain and began to amuse herself. She
startled the courts OF Europe by her
indiscretions. She paid visits incognito
to Vienna and played various pranks
there. She was a leader in the gave
ties Of Monte Carlo and the Rivera.
At Bucharest, the capital of Roumania,
she showed so much kindness to
handsome young American named
Sumner Horton that her husband had
him sent out of the country.
Then this husband astonished every
body by falling desperately in love
with his own wife, whom he had 80
long neglected. He is now madly de-
voted to her.
And she spurns him.
This strange affair is agitating all
the courts and high social circles of
Europe.
Queen Victoria is a model of queens
and mothers. Her antipathy to di-
vorce is so great that she will not
speak to a person who has been con-
taminated by 1t.
Neither romance nor scandal is or
dinarily concerned with the women of
portion of the splintered bone it was
her family. Nevertheless, the daugh-
tiers Of her second son, the duke of Ed
inburg, are startling exceptions to this
rule.
This prince, who is now the reigning
duke of SAKE Coburg- Gotha, married a
sister OF the late car Of Russia. She
never received the honors which she
considered her due in England. When
her husband fell heir to his uncle's
duchy of Saxe-Coburg-G otha, she in
sisted that she should take 1t in order
that she might be reigning soyer-
elgn, and technically the superior of
the idolized princess of Wales, whom
she disliked. The duke would have pre-
ferred to remain an Englishman and
rellnquish the German duchy to his
son, but he was overruled.
Inc duchess has several pretty
daughters. The eldest was Princess
Marie, with whom this history is
chiefly concerned. She married in 1898,
when less than 10, the Crown Prince
Ferdinand of Roumania, the nephew
OF King Charles Of Roumania, whose
wife Is the poetess, Carmen Sylvia.
Prince Ferdlnand's engagement to
the Princess Marie ended the Vacares-
co intrigue that nearly cost his uncle
MS throne. The prince accepted wife
as political necessity, but he was still
IN love with Helene vacaresco. The
beauty Of the Princess Marie did not
touch him.
Helene Vacaresco, Roumanian lady
OF ancient Roman descent and yery
solid charms, was a maid Of honor to
Queen Elizabeth, better known as
Carmen Sylvia. The queen adored her
and encouraged her husbands yo,,r
nephew and heir in his attentions
the maid of honor. She announce,
publicly that the marriage would take
place. and through her secretary in
dulged In poettcal rhapsodies on this
union of youth, love and beauty.
Inc promised marriage raised a
STORM IN Roumania, and Carmen Sylvia
was compelled to leave the country.
King Charles needed all his wits and
energy to save his Kingdom from
oemg summarily turned into a repub-
Tic. He made it clear that there would
De no marriage between Prince Ferdi-
mana ana Helene Vacaresco. At the
same time he looked for suitable
partner for the prince, and found the
Prlncess Marie of Sake Coburg- Gotha.
ihe prince did not love his wife and
dld not conceal the fact He continued
ms devotions to Mile. yacaresco, and
when she was removed he found con-
ISOLATION elsewhere.
The princess grieved at first and
1nen 'hought IT would be better to for
get her love and be Indifferent.
hn
was little more than a well-fitting uni
form ana an empty head. To distract
her thoughts more completely from
him she had two children, Prince Coroi
born in 1893, and Princess Elizah atb
born In 1894, to look after.
The children did not occupv tho min
cess exclusively. She plunged into dis
slpation. When the social resources of
houmanla palied on her she would pay
visits to the not distant CITY OF Wien.
ma, called the harem of Europe.
She also passed much time in the Ri
veria. At Nice, Cannes. and Monte
Carlo she was center Of atrroction
A princess of such beauty and such
lineage who deigned to enter info tho
amusements Of the gay and reckless
throng at Monte Carlo soon gained non,
ularity and notoriety as we'll.
All the time she was growing mora
charming to the eye. She is only %
today, and the full flower of her beauty
Is only beginning to bloom.
Suddenly the heart and mind Of tho
not overindulgent Prince Ferdinand
underwent a change. He fell in love
with his own wife. Her absorption In
worldly gayeties and her evident indif.
ference helped to make this change IN
him. Her beauty did the rest.
But the princess love is dead and
she is said to be utterly Indifferent to
her husbands passion.
While this romance has been enacted
In Roumania the affairs of the grand
duke and duchess of Hesse have
reached climax. Once she lef. her
husband for months, and once she was
induced to return. But the estranrn'
ment still lasts.
Queen Victoria is reported to liza
greatly chagrined and saddened hv
these unwonted infelicities In her fam.
lily.
Was After Accomplishments