The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-23

reptitiously kissing her portrait She
learned that he had been secretly in love
with her for ye-rs. Here at least was a
man about whose devotion there could be
no doubt. That settled it. She married
sim.
The countess is no longer in her first
youth, but her beauty has been rather
ripened than diminished by advancing
maturity. OF her it may be said, as of
the most Fascinating woman in all his
tory that "age cannot wither nor custom
stale her infinite variety" The coun-
tess life has certainly not been lacking
IN variety.
She was born in Poland, whose daugh-
rs are famous for their beauty and for
ceir romantic and ardent natures. At
--e age of IS she married Count Wyanoff,
- Russian noble of fabulous wealth
Among his many possessions he had a
palace near st. Petersburg and another
in Paris.
All his riches he lavished upon his
young wife, whom he adored She took
the fullest advantage of his generosity
She wore the most splendid jewels at the
Russian court which is probably the only
place in the world where one may see
more of them than at the Metropolitan
opera house In New York.
She had a priceless collection OF furs,
including a set of Russian sables that the
czarina herself might well envy.
She had 200 horses in her stables, and
sleighs Of every shape, size and style,
many being beautifully ornamented and
fitted with silver.
The countess was always a creature OF
reckless generosity and unrestrained i'm
pulse. At the opera one night she threw
necklace of three strands of great
pearls to a singer who pleased her.
Her fame was not confined to ST. Pc
tersburg or Russia. She was equally
well known in Paris, the Riviera, Pau,
Hamburg and wherever wealth and
fashion congregate. Her horses. her dia-
monds and her sables were objects of
universal admiration and envy
The countess early developed a fond
ness for the society Of artists Paint
ers. musicians and actors were well
coined at her board wherever she might
be- Naturally they showed a profound
artistic appreciation of a countess who
was amiable, beautiful and inexhausti-
bly, rich. Their presence was d source OF
annoyance to some of her aristocratic
friends. but her indulgent husband did
not rebel.
At last the husband died and left his
whole vast fortune to his wife IT in
Guided gold. silver. copper, maIachite
iron and coal mines, the income of which
Is almost incalculable. The beautiful
widow found herself the sole possessor of
fortune which placed all the Iuxuries
in the world within her reach. She had a
large capacity for enjoying them.
She entered into the artistic life with
more zest than she had ever done be-
fore. She spent more time in Paris than
III St Petersburg. She became a shining
figure in the upper Bohemia of Paris
Her house on the Pare Monceau. near
that OF MISSIONER. was the rendezvous
OF all that was famous in art.
Among the countess's friends was Caro-
lus Duran, sometimes called the spIan-
did CaIolus," the painter of beantifuI
and fashionable women, and the REGIMENT
OF the largest income earned by any Iiv-
ing artist. Many say that Carolus has
done wrong to his natural genius In his
pursuit Of the dollar
He first knew the countess in the davs
when he was painting the works of art
simply, and not portraits Of fashionable
women faG the largest sums of money
obtainable
The countess is a perfect example Of