The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-04-15
ROMANTIC LIFE
BARONESS HELENE DE Won
MiERZYNSKA
HAS SISTER IN CANTON
Her Son Has Many
Friends in the City.

AS the final ending of a romantic
career, word has been received in the
city of the death of the Baroness de
Won Mierzynska, which occurred in
Cracow, Austria, during the latter
part of March. The baroness Is
sister of Mrs. David Weintraub, of S15
South Cherry street.
Her life story has been strange
one. Wandering restlessly from cline
to cline, seeking to expiate what sne
considered a sin that weigned heavily
on her conscience,-the remuneration
OF her childhood taitn-the baroness,
once known as one of the most
rope,-died alone and among stran-
gers.
Forty.five years ago in little viii
lage near the boundary of Russian Po-
land and Germany dwelt happy
carefree young girl, Of humble parent
age but possessing fortune in her
face and figure.
Into her dreams one day came the
fairy prince, only instead of prince
it happened to be the Baron Ferdi-
nand de Won Mierzynska, an attache
of the German emperor's court and
owner of vast estates in Germany and
Russia. He was a handsome man of
soldierly bearing twice the age of the
little village girl. He had already
been married and was the father Of
grown sons and daughters.
He at once became infatuated with
the beautiful girl and despite the diff
ference in age and the strenuous OBJ
jections of her parents she slipped
away one day and became his wife.
Before taking this step she renounc-
ed the faith of her father's-orthodox
Jews--and became convert to Ro-
man Catholicism with all the old
world ceremony and grandeur.
She left behind the little village
home and the heartbroken parents
and went with her husband to Paris
to taste of the splendors of court life
in the gay capital. During this time
she was under the tutelage of corps
of instructors who impaired to her
the airs and graces that are necessary
to the ladies of the nobility.
While in the height of her splendor
the husband suddenly became i'll and
died, leaving, despite the remon-
strances of his children, his entire
fortune to the young wife and little
boy.
She was millionaire over and over
again but deprived of her protector
his sons and daughters facing her in
bitter antagonism she Jonged for the
home folks again.
But to the little village where her
conversion was regarded as a crime
she did not dare to return.
An exile from the dearest spot on
earth, speeding over the continent,
spending money lavishly, feverishly
seeking getfulneps-remorse came
at last and with fearful penitence she
again embraced her childhood faith.
the father and mother having died
just before.
The son grown to manhood was
shSh III ehS AoiytCcHniQut lnStltutc III
Paris.
His sister, Mrs. Weintraub hearing
OF the morbid restless existence the
woman was pursuing, left about five
years ago for Europe and persuaded
her to accompany her (Mrs. Vein.
traub) to America. She did so resid.
Ing for a few months In the Hotel
Schenley in Pittsburg.
She afterward resumed her travels
and word had been heard of her at
rare intervals until the time Of her
death.
A large portion of her fortune, prob
ably amounting, to a mission still re-
mains and the Austrian government
has communicated with relatives to
that effect.
Her son resides in New York city
and has been designated as the sole
heir He has frequently visited and
has many friends in Canton.