The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-03-31

| conceded to be only thirty-fve at present
but had already a longing for adventure
that found too little scope within the
| somewhat conservative limits of New
York society. On the death Of Mr.. TIL
ton, therefore, the young widow went to
London, thence to Paris. She was re-
ceived with acclaim in both capitals.
Let the woman who yearns to become
socially famous study the three means
by which young Mrs. Tilton became in
short time one of the most envied women
in Europe.
She had in the first place. singular per-
sonal charm. But there are countless
modern aras which claim to surpass ma
ture in this regard
She was apt to be the best gowned wo-
men wherever she might be. Sobe wo-
men viii tell you this is distinction
money can buy. But this is as it may
be. She had the power of exciting ro-
mantle devotion in every man she saw.
Thus equipped Mrs. Tilton chose as g
promising field the Riviera, where she
shortly became a sensation and first ac-
quired her sobriquet of the beautiful
American"
Here her isolation, a certain dashing in
dependence and the grace of her Wild
ow's garments drew to her men of all
nationalities. most of whom lost no time
in falling in love with her
Moreover she was far from being
mere figurehead and staked recklessly
enormous sums at Monte Carlo. Whether
she won or lost apparently made little
difference. She was always serene, com
posed, piquantly charming.
AS to her costumes. they were very
considered nothing short OF marvels and
were the despair even of the Crown Prin-
cess of Bulgaria, who is considered the
best dressed princess in Europe. Indeed
the story is still re peated on the Riviera
of the princess having forbidden her
dressmaker to copy exactly several Of
Mrs. Tiltons gowns.
Bent on literally carrying out the royal
decree. the royal dressmaker Swallowed
Mrs. Tilton for weeks until she was able
to execute exact duplicates. which Her
Royal Highness unblushingly carried
back to ROumania.
Meanwhile the young widow trod a YER
table hearts highway" Never a month
passed that she was not the heroine of
the most interesting affair on the spot
pointed lovers marked the capricious
lady's pathway.
1t was only a few seasons ago that the
son of a Paris banker, who had wandered
to Monte Carlo in search of distraction
found it in the person of the charming
American, to whom he paid desperate
but unavailing court He had first seen
her at the gaming table-an inscruta bic,
self-contained but maddeningiy bewitch-
ing creature. Love at first sight is but
a tame expression for the food of emo
ton that overcame the young Partisan.
And just as it seemed that she began
to unbend a little, that her attitude to-
ward him, alone of her host of lovers,
became a little less disdainful, along
came Count Stavra, whereupon the pref
" widow became so tolerant of his at
tentions that the bankers young son
perceived his own case to be hopeless.
After writing one last passionate love
letter and inclosing in it a jeweled heart
of fabulous value the despairing lover
sought a dark corner of the Monte Carlo
gardens at midnight and aimed a bullet
so well that they found him there limp
and lifeless a half hour later.
But you must not fancy that this mel
ancholy incident cast any shadow on the
wooing of the beautiful American, and
her new count.
Georges Alexandra, Count Stavra. was
a Greek. a native of Zante ThessaIy. He
was enormously rich. an aristocrat and a
soldier, and had reached the mellow age
of two score. The most thoroughgoing
Of cosmopolitans, he had nevertheless an
in r,fi
a magnificent town house in London and
another in Paris.
With all these admirable points in his
favor, and with the additional attraction
of being genuinely in love, you would
imagine perhaps prompt succumbing on
the part of Mrs. Tilton.
On the contrary it was with consider
able difficulty that the most conspicuous |
" eligible man on the Riviera succeeded
even in gaining her attention. And it
was by the most gradual degrees that he |
established himself as an acquaintance.
There are so many who pretend to |
feel just the same way" sighed Mrs. |
Tilton. How in the world can they
expect me TO single out any one of |
them?"
But the death of the Paris bankers son |
Iessened the number of importunate suit |
ars by one. And after the gentle wrinkle /
caused by this occurrence had disappear !
ed from the lady's brow-you must not |
suppose that it lasted more than day !
or so-observers fancied her a shade more |
enient toward the assidulously devoted |
nobleman.
Patience. if not the counts supreme !
virtue, was in this case his most telling |
one, for the siege he laid was so deliber-
ate and unrelenting that there was at |
last fair show Of yielding
IF youll wait year. my dear Count" |
was the crumb Mrs. Tilton finally flung |
to him, Il win marry you then"
Stavra was in a frame of mind to &C +
cept any conditions and agreed TO wait. /
Whereupon Mrs. Titon sailed for Ameri- |
"a, landed in New York and looked about I
her for the next subject Of diversion
A week later considerable surprise /
oefel her. Count Stavra landed. afre |
with a tremendous determination. which |
was, after all, SO distinctly compliment |
,ary that Mrs. Tnton decided TO indulge !
him.
Wherefore-this was in February, a |
year ago-they quietly took the train for
New burg one day and were secretly mar
RED by the Rev. F. c. Ingiehart OF the
Methodist church.
Shortly after they returned % Europe.
But if the new countess of Stavra had
3een observed to her second marriage,
she positively riveted attention row.
More magnincenty gowned than ever.
md surrounded by every luxury that
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