The Saint Paul globe., 1904-12-27
RICH WIDOW NEDS
A POOR YIOL|N|ST
Vienna Finds Spicy Gossip in
Love Affair of Wealthy Wo.
man and Musician

VIENNA. Dec 26.-All Vienna is talk
ing about the. romantic marriage between
the bass violin player in the orchestra OF
the Imperial opera and an enormously
wealthy Russian widow, Nine. Sachsa.
The members of this orchestra are
known as musicians to the emperor ana
all are members of the Philharmonic So
ciety.
After the performance on a "Wednesday
or a Saturday night the grand duke who
has the commanding figure, big frame
and broad shoulders which characterized
the Romanoff family until the time OF
the present czar, walks up to fine car
riage from which a glimpse OF a wom-
ans face in billowy hood, glitter of
diamonds, and a little ungloved hand that
presses the grand dukes muscular
fingers, may be seen.
Then the carriage drives off and the
grand duke having lifted his hat with
some ceremony, joins his friends and soon
becomes absorbed in beer and smoke and
theater talk.
Called "The Bass VioT'
Though his fellow musicians never call
him anything but 'the grand duke" or
the bass viol." his real name is George
Beuesch. He has always played the bass
viol with great talent and honest en-
thusiasm But the bass viol has its
drawbacks, for amateurs do not learn the
bass VOL and so Beuesch, who had
poor old mother to support in a distant
village, had to live on his salary alone
which amounts to only $500 year
A wealthy young Russian widow fell in
love with Beuesch and managed to make
his quaintance and he visited her some
times. Then she bought an exquisite old
bass viol, on which she asked him to play
for her
One fine summer morning Nine Sachsa,
wishing to spend day in the country
with her hero, drove to call for him at
the address which Beuesch had given her.
He lodged in a poverty stricken suburb.
The elegant carriage attracted all the
urchins of the neighborhood.
The magnificently attired Russian turn
out passed through a squalid courtyard,
where dairy did not improve matters,
and going up a narrow, winding stair
case. found herself knocking at dilap-
idated door.
Rich Woman Proposes
Beuesch. who was in bed, recognized
her voice Immediately. asked her to wait
made hasty toilet, tidied the room.
opened the door, and led his lady love in.
She had in the meantime taken In all
the Sordid details of the miserable brick
fioored kitchen, had detected the odors
from the dairy, and had made up her
mind to a heroic resolve. She carried
him off for a day in the country, and
before she again left him at his lodgings
had proposed to him, and he had accepted
under certain conditions.
She told him she would have waited
any time until it pleased him to confess
his love if she had not by chance dis
covered that he lived in manner so un-
worthy of his genius
The conditions of his consent to the
marriage were that he should be allowed
to remain member of the orchestra and
OF the Philharmonic society, and that he
should be free to spend Wednesday and
Saturday nights in the beer house with
his friends. She agreed, and in six weeks
they were married
In the orchestra he is the grand duke
and his fellow musicians envy him his
apartment on the ho1owratting, for which
he pays a rent of $500; his carriage and
pair, his good dinners, and even his wife.
She has taken a box on the lowest tier
at the opera house, where she sits watch
ing her beloved on every night on which
he plays