Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-07-14
HER RICHNESS
[Original.l

[Original.l
Some forty years ago an American
who had made a fortune in organizing
wrecked railroads appeared at Baden
Baden, Germany. Baden Baden at
that time was what Monte Carlo is
now, the gambling resort for all Eu-
rope. The American, Benedict Wuf-
1es, was in fact smart fellow He
had unlimited means, with which he
set to work to break the bank at
Baden Baden, and it was not long be-
fore he found the secret of how to do
SO. His play soon attracted universal
attention, and his operations were
watched intently by every one present
till he had accomplished his object.
Then Mr.. Wufles suddenly sank into
condition of ennui, awaiting some 9TH
er point of attack for his tremendous
brain.
One morning he was sitting on a
bench in the grounds where the casino
stood, when lady with her maid
came and sat on a neighboring bench.
The women spoke in the French Ian
guage, and Mr.. Wufles did not under
stand what they said, but there was
one word he had learned while gaping
at royalty in Paris, the prefix "high-
ness" or .'altesse," in French. Wufhes
noticed that the lady's maid constantly
addressed her as "altesse." The first
time she did so Wuffles pricked up his
oorc Tho cooond tirpn bo ynovo1
lessly in his seat, and after that he got
up and walked before the lady in or
der to observe her face. He saw a
very beautiful woman. Then he sat
down again. Presently her highness
arose and moved away, leaving her
handkerchief on the bench. Wuffles
seized it and followed her, appearing
suddenly at her side holding his hat
in one hand and in the other the hand
kerchief.
"Oh, monsieur exclaimed the lady
and followed up the exclamation by
rafting off lot of French.
II don't understand, altesse. l don't
speak French. I am an American"
"Oh, see," replied the lady in bro
ken English. 81 am much obliged for
my handkerchief, but l am troubled
that you should know my rank. am
travelling incognito."
Well, to make long story short, the
lady turned out to be the Princess Ma
RE Ernestina Amelia Wilhelmina of
Sake Weimar Holstein = that is, she
was the princess to Wuff1es and her
maid, though to all else at Baden she
was plain Fraulein Won Witzenburg.
She was stopping at hotel, but soon
after Wuffles met her rented for q
month small furnished villa. She had
heard of Wuftles' coup at the casino.
and, all Europeans being either gam
blers or interested in gamblers, she
conceived a great admiration for the
American. She invited Wuffles to her
villa, and Wuftles pfumed himself in
the anticipation Of love affair, but
she soon showed him that, although
she permitted him to call on her, she
did not forget the difference in their
rank. An attendant of some sort was
always present at their meetings.
Her highEess desired to know Wuf-
f1es' method of breaking the bank, and
he tried to explain it to her, but she
couldn't understand it, and, to tell tho
truth, the success was largely due to
his unlimited means, which he knew
by instinct how to handle.
You shall break the bank again"
said the princess. II will be there to
see. and after 1t is all over you shall
come to sup with me, and we will cele-
brate the event"
Wuff1es agreed, and the next evening
he appeared at the gambling tables,
while the princess sat behind watching
him. He would bet on one card, losing,
and continue to bet without change on
the same card, doubling the amount,
till he won. This was all of his plan
that was apparent, the rest of it being
based on certain mental calculations of
probabilities. Nevertheless he seemed
confident that he would break the bank
and did so about 2 o'clock in the morn
ing. He stuffed his winnings in his
pockets. The princess slipped her little
hand within his arm and led him to
her carriage. In ten minutes they
We're in her supper room before a table
loaded with delicacies. Two or three
acquaintance We're also present for
propriety's sake.
Wuffles was in glory. Once he forgot
the difference in rank between himself
and his hostess and squeezed her hand,
but was sharply recalled to himself by
hauteur that chilled him to the mar
row.
Pardon HE, your highness," he said.
81 forgot myself"
The princess smiled kindly and in
token of her forgiveness offered him
her own unfinished glass Of wine.
Wut11es drank it off in an ecstasy.
The next thing Wuft1es knew it was
morning. He was in bed, and man
was standing over him with paper in
his hand. 1t proved to be an unpaid