Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-10
Copyright. 1908. by Curtis Brown.)

Copyright 1905 by Curtis Brown9
BUDAPEST, August 2O.-Three weeks ago
strange and sensational rumors were In cir
cuIation regarding a romantic affair which
was said TO have taken place In the neigh
borhood of Grosswardein. in which a youth
full nobieman and fascinating young lady
vera said TO have played the principal
parts The first intimation of this romance
reached us here via London through a dis
patch which the enterprlsing Budapest cor
respondent of the Daily Express sent to
his paper as he was the first to get wind
OF the matter Inquiries were Immediately
Instituted by the Hungarian papers, and
several of them now publish details OF the
affair, which turns out to be as romantic
AS any one could wish The reports pub
lished in different newspapers vary In some
details but they agree regarding the main
outlines so that the following particulars
may be accepted authentic:
The hero of this romance is Count Sigis-
rnund Zendovsky aged twenty-three, heir
10 one of the foremost arlstocratc posi-
tons in Hungary. The wonderful doings of
his warlike ancestors were first chroncled
by the monks of the eleventh century. and
ever since that remote period the Zendovsky
family has occupied a prominent place In
Hungarian history. During the later mid
die ages they possessed and governed large
territory In Pennsylvania, over which they
ruled as Independent sovereigns. Count
SiEsmund trace his direct line of de-
scent back to a knight who performed deeds
Of valor in 1920. During the intervening
nine hundred years every one OF his male
ancestors has married a woman of noble
blood, so that his descent is perhaps the
YUrest in Europe.
tates In Pennsylvania and in the remote
northeastern provinces OF Hungary, which
yield an annual revenue of many thousands
OF dollars. Their three ancestral castles,
one situated in Pennsylvania. another high
UP among the Carpathian mountains, and
third IN Croatia. are among the oldest me-
dlaeval buildings in existence in Europe
They are filled with portraits of dozens of
byEOne members of the family. with the
arms and armor worn by the Zendovsky
warriors all through the ages and with
many other priceless treasures OF personal
and historic value.
Amid this historic environment the Zen
GOvsky family has taken exceptional
pride in the maintenance of the family ira
ditions and of many relics of other ages.
Life on their estates Is carried on in the old
ftudal style. and the head of the family
eXacts from his retainers those marks Of
respect which nowadays are usually re-
served for royal personages Above every
thing 1t has become a point of honor In the
family to maintain the purity Of the blue
blood created by nine centuries Of aristo-
cratic ancestors. and there Is family ira
ditlon handed down from the sixteenth CEN
fury that terrible curse will blight the
whole clan of the Zendovskys when one of
the scons OF the house contracts marriage
with person of unnoble birth.
Count Sigismund Zendovsky was brought
up with great care to respect all these fam
fly traditions. During his boyhood he was
educated by a staff Of twelve tutors. One
OF these tutors was engaged exclusively for
the purpose OF instructing the boy IN the
history and traditions OF his own family.
Riding. shooting, hunting and fencing were
quite as important features in his system Of
education classics and mathematics. At
the age of eighteen he was sent to the Uni
versity of Budapest and at the expiration
OF his three years period Of study he was
recalled home to undergo a course Of train