The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-08
An Interestino Romance.

That old world nobles should WOO American heiresses has come to be &C., cepted custom, but when an American lifts his eyes to a woman ciose to the family of the Czar then the diplomats in Washington watch. it is said with keen interest.
 Such a case is that of Spencer Eddy, once a secretary of the American em- bassy at London and at Paris now first secretary of the legation at Constanti- nople.
 "Mr Eddy is young, handsome, rich, of more than ordinary talent" writes a correspondent. He served under MT. Hay when that gentleman was ambassador at the court of St. James and received the highest encomiums from his chief. But to the foreign diplomats at Washing ton this does not constitute a reason for his aspiring to the hand of the Countess Elizabeth de Nuremberg, sister-in-ldw of the Grand Duke Michael, the son of the Grand Duke Nicholas, uncle of the Czar.
 MT. Eddy first saw the lady of his choice at the time of Queen Victoria $ diamond jubilee in 1897. His friends say he told his adventures to novelist in London and that the tale afterward ap- peared in print.
 This sketch tells how a young Ameri- can aids a beautiful girl who has lost her way in London streets. They wander for time unable to extricate themselves but finally he conducts her safely to her hotel. He is chagrined that the girl does l t,4 ipera nd the hotel but cannot discover the identity of the fair unknown.
 "A friend suggests that she must be one of the royal personages attending | the jubilee, and he learns In time that ! this Is true.
 "The lady who has stolen his heart belonged to the Russian special embassy and had departed with her kinsman. So ends the written story.
 | But MT. Eddy took up the thread him. self last spring in Paris. He spent sev- eral months in the French capital with his mother and his sister, Miss Katherine Eddy They mingled with the most ex- elusive set. In the same hotel lived the | Grand Duke Michael and his beautiful wife, the Countess Torby and the ducal household and the Eddys soon became | close friends
 '"The duchess told MT. Eddy her sister would soon join them. She came, and was none other than the girl he had piloted home in London.
 MT. Eddy lost no time in declaring his | intentions. This did not please the grand duke, who promptly left Paris with his | wife and sister-ln-law. But the young American followed, and at Nice had the l good fortune to rescue the countess from a runaway automobile Even this did not incline the grand duke to his suit
 "A romantic story is connected with the marriage of the grand duke, which may influence him against MT. Eddy's suit. He fell in love with the Countess Sophie de Nuremberg, one of the loveliest women in Europe, and a member of a noble but im- poverished family of South Germany. He begged the late czar to permit the mar riage, but this was refused. He persuad- ed the countess to marry him privately The czar declared the marriage morgana- tic, dismissed the grand duke from the regiment of which he was colonel and for bade him ever to set foot on Russian soil.
 The present Czar has restored the grand duke to his regiment and permit ted him to go to court. He has also con- ferred the title of Countess Torby on his wife and a lucrative estate in the Bal kans But he has refused to consider the marriage regular, even though the grand duke offered to renounce his claims to the throne, which though dis 1 tant are still legal.
 All this may incline the grand duke and his wife to look with disfavor on the idea of the Countess Elizabeth wedding mere American. It would destroy their lost hope of gaining the Czars ap- proval of their own marriage.
 The Countess Elizabeth is described as even more beautiful than her sister. MT. Eddy is storming the citadel, and 1t is hinted here that the Czar may take part | in this romance and ask that the Amer ican lover be recalled to his own coun- | try
 It was once reported that MT. Eddy was a suitor for Miss Daisy Letter, but | she recently said this was a mistake and added that all of his friends knew he had been in love with some one else for a long time. The identity of this same one else is shown by his devotion to the | countess.