The Washington herald., 1908-01-27
WEDS COUNT TO-DAY.
Continued from Page One.

| In a few weeks from now Miss Wander
b1t will cross the Hungarian frontier as
one of the first ladies' OF the kingdom. A
/ Countess Szechenyi occupies an excellent
position in Hungarian society. And If
Miss Vanderbilt had not TO complain
about her reception as a guest IN the
country of the Magyars, as Countess
Szechenyi she can be sure Of a really en-
thusiastic reception BY her marriage she
becomes "A Hungarian lady, and society
will welcome her as a daughter Of the
country To Countess Laszlo Szechenyi
every door IS open AS the wife of an
imperial and royal chamberlain she has
entrce OF the court. either at Vienna or
Budapest
/ Social life IN Budapest. where the new
/ countess is 20 make her debut has not
been particularly lively during recent
years. The aristOcracy did not entertain
as lavishly as in former years. when the
gorgeous mansions and palatial dwellings
around the National Museum on the
1 Danube front. and in the neighbOThOod
/ of the Royal Palace We're hlled every
night during the winter season with
guests. The agricultural crisis compelled
the avistocracv 10 devote most Of It's time
TO the management Of its large estates.
the critical economic conditions neCessi-
Itaung an uninterrupted attendance on the
1 part of the land owners. Nor We're the
unsettled political conditions of the cOun-
! try during recent years favorable for
| social gayeties on a large scale There
are. however signs that indicate the ad-
vent OF a livelier era.
budapest Season Divided.
The social season in Budapest is dlvid-
ed into two sections. The winter season.
beginning about the middle Of December.
closes with the Mardi Gras. The spring
season begins IN the second half Of april
and coUes to an end in the first days Of
June, after the Kings Prize, one of the
biggest races. has been run.
During the winter season dances are
the chief entertainment Comparatively
few dinner parties are given by society
people, and most OF these dinners are
usually of a somewhat political character.
Prominent politicians who don't belong
10 the aristocratic social set are enter
tained al these dinner parties. but with
out their wives The Hungarian aris-
tocracy is willing TO mingle. 10 certain
extent. with men who, although not
IaristoCrats. have made their mark in puD-
lie life, science, OF art But they never
meet any women outside the closely
drawn pale of society. Even ladies' Of
the minor nobility. the so-caued gentry,
could not get an invitation 10 a party
arranged by an aTistUcratic hostess.
I Consequently the aristocrsuc society NUM-
bers only "a few hundred. everybody
is rather pleasant On the other hand.
IL excludes every new element, and
brains. talent. or even genius are unable
to break down the bnrs that separate
their wives and daughters from the so
ciety of the aristoCTats.
I The fact that the new countess does
not descend from the nobility viii not
affect In the least her position as the wife
Of Hungarian ngbleman. Only. ia ease
. that she should become the mother OF a
son. the latter could not be made a cham
beriaiu. According 10 the regulations of
/ the HapsbWg court, the dignity of a
chamberlain can only be conferred on
those who can prove noble descent FOR
eight generations on both their parents
side. The new Countess SzeChenyI not
being of noble origin. her issue could not
produce the necessary proof of nobil-
ity. The sovereign however, is entitled
to overlook some slight flaw IN the geneal-
ogy and the Szechenyi family is sufti-
lCiently influential TO obtain any such grace
| from the sovereign should the appoint
ment of Count Szechenyfs son as a cham
berlain appear desirable.
The Counts Family.
The Szechenyi family is one OF the
great historic families in Hungary. Since
the foundation OF the kingdom In 1905
A. u. the Szechenyis were. prominent at
court in the church. and on the battle
field During the sixteenth and seven
teenth centuries. when the Hungarian
nation had to check the advance Of the
Turkish hordes threatening Christendom
as well as Western culture and civlliza-
tion-during those 200 years of unceasing
fight with bloodthirsty, destructive bar
barism many a Szechenyi paid with his
life in protecting the cause OF ChTisten-
DOM
At the court of the Empress Maria
Theresa the Szechenyis played a most
prominent part But the climax of the
faniily's fame and glory was reached at
the beginning of the nineteenth century.
when Count Stephen Szechenyi, called
the greatest Hungarian" man of
genius exceptional culture. and wonder
fUI character, started the reform move
ment that made a modern. up-to-date
/ country Of Hungary, politically as well
as socially. Count Stephen Szechenyi
founded the Hungarian Academy of Sci
/ ences and the National Club, which since
| 1873 has been an exclusive social organi-
/ cation of considerable political influence.
fie made arrangements with William
/ Clark, a famous English engineer. for the
construction Cf the suspension bridge
across the Danube connecting the two
sister cities. Buda and Pest
Politically Count Stephen Szechenyi was
a rival of Louis KOssuth, the famous
leader Of the Hungarian war of independ-
ence of 1S4S-49 Count Stephen was in ia
vor of systematic, gradual completion of
social and political reforms, such as the
liberation of the serfs and the establish
ment of a parliamentary government af-
ter the English pattern; whereas Kossuth
strived to accomplish everything by a
bold. sudden stroke. The passionate, en-
thusiastic nature of the Hungarian pOpu-
lation sympathized more with Kossuth' S
plans than with Count Szechenyrs sys-
tematic but slower procedure Future de-
Iyelopmeuts, however, justified the count s
Ipolitics. and. although the country emerg-
ed fairly prosperous after the turmoil of
the war of independence, much sorrow and
Humiliation could have been spared had
the nation followed Count SzechenyTs s
! advice.
Prominent in Politics.
IN the latter days the Szechenyi family
has been prominent in politics as well as
in social life. Several members occupied
positions in different cabinets. Count
I.asZlO's father concluded a distinguished
diplomatic career as Austro-H Hungarian
ambassador to the imperial court at Ber-
lin, while Counts Bella, Emerich, and Vic