The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-26
Mny BE a PRINCESS.

A Bucharest letter in the New York
/ World says:
For the hand of beautiful Pauline
Astor, daughter of William Waldorf
Aston, two powerful rivals are con-
tending-Prince Ferdinand of Bulga-
ria and "Tonel' Bratiano. Roumanian
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Prince Ferdinand is heir to the Bull
garian throne He is most anxious to
have the daughter of the Astors as a
stepmother to his four motherless
children and to have the benefit of the
millions she will inherit. He is not
prepossessing and his reputation has
been clouded by many escapdes. He
is more than so years of age.
On the other hand, "ToneP' Bratiano
is young, vigorous, manly and unmer-
cenary. That he will become the lead
er of the Liberal party as his father
was, is generally admitted. He is
only 80 years old. His ambitions are
lofty and his motives disinterested and
high. He cannot offer Miss Astor the
rainbow promise of a throne but his
power, If not his title, is likely, in the
course of a year or two, to exceed that
of Prince Ferdinand, even should the
Prince become King.
Between the claims of these two suit
ors Miss Pauline Astor has expressed
cant. For four months she has lin
gered with her brother in Bucharest,
where Bratiano is assiduous in press
ing his suit for her hand. The two
are very often seen together, and 1t is
evident to the most careless observer
that his attentions are not unwelcome.
The atmosphere surrounding her Is
one which might be expected to in
huence her in his favor. She is the
.V,fr zf he
Princess of Roumania. whose guest she
is, and is on terms of close friendship
with King Carol. She dimes en- famille
at the royal palace. Both the Prin-
cess and the King are ardent support
ers of Bratiano. If Miss AStor should
want a title the King would doubtless
be glad to bestow one on his favorite
minister.
Besides all this, 1t is very we'll
known that Prince Ferdinand has used
every means to induce Miss Aston to
visit Sophia, but has failed.
Taken altogether, it is strange po-
sition for this young woman, who was
born in New York and who has passed
the greater part of her life in London,
where her fathers wealth and his pas
sion for titles and aristocratic society
have hedged in her life. The enor-
NOUS riches that will some day be hers
nave attracted SCOTeS Ol OlSllnRulSncQ
suitors, and she could have been
duchess had she and her father so
wished.
If she desires to have real power, to
be a force in the world, to play the
game of international politics, as the
wife of the young Roumanian minister
she could have abundant opportuni-
ties IS
The report that Miss Astor was to
wed "ToneP' Bratiano was first pub
lished In the Vienna newspapers.
When the Independence Roumaine, of
Bucharest, published a short denial
the following day no one took 1t seri-
ously. In fact, one of Bratiano's
friends and political supporters walk
ed up to him during a sitting of the
chamber and congratulated him on his
engagement. The young man was
painfully embarrassed and seemed in
doubt whether to deny the report or
accept the Fluctuations. After a few
moments of hesitation he said serious
ly that there was no cause for con-
gratulations.
A few days ago King Carol asked