The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-12-02
~ Graf Won ~
Blum en- = SchIoSs.

Dlu ever lell you now l was hon.
ored by an invitation from the emperor
and empress and was thereby made
part of Berlin society," Nol Wen, I'll
tell you now.
While in Vienna | was invited to a
state ball at the palace My partner
for the cotilon was "A young German,
Graf Won Blumen-Schloss. lie was
handsome, refined and of a noble bear.
ing. His social position sas Of the
very best not only from his personal
ity, but because he represented one of
the oldest families of Prussia. | was
an untitled American whose father had
been a pork packer and whose hus.
band was manufactures of shoes
Nevertheless Graf Won. Blumen- -Schloss
treated me with as much attention as
If had been n duchess. When with
me no attraction elsewhere could in
duce him to deslst from listening to
what had to say to him or to suspend
for n moment his attentive gaze upon
my face. True was then young and
had some good looks. but ! knew 1t
was not | who held his attention. but a
courtesy inherited from long line of
mobiles Besides, when he was with
other women he was apparently quite
as much wrapped in them.
He wore an army uniform and on
his breast several decorations. did
not know what they represented, but
| understood that one OF them had
been bestowed upon him for bravery
in battle. ] think | should have fallen
and given an opportunity. But | did
not see him again while in Vienna. and
shortly afterward we left for America
Two or three years after this, while
in Philadelphia, stopping at one of the
finest hotels in that city, on entering
an elevator one evening to go up to
my rooms | was ushured in by man
wearing the hotel uniform. There was
something about him that was familiar
to me. The uniform of a servant seem.
ed to resolve itself into that Of an
army officer heard the strains Of
dance music and was whlrllng in the
german cotillon | raised my glance
TO the servants face. Could | believe
It? lie was the Graf Won Blumen.
Schloss.
His flaming face told me that IL was
indeed he and that he knew me, but he
made no other sign of recognition
Nor did ]. The elevator door toward
which he waved his hand stood open
[ entered and was lifted TO the fifth
story. could not bear to run the
risk OF continually meeting my pre-
vious cotillon partner reduced to n
servant, and the next morning | left
the hotel.
Three years after that my husband
gave up business. and we again went
abroad Being wealthy and abundant
ly able TO keep up position in any
foreign city. we desired especially to
spend winter In Berlin. but on arriv-
| ing there my husband, who Is an i'm.
/ patient. independent. thorough Amer.
| lean. gave offcnse TO our minister, and
there was a deadlock upon our en-
tering society. We were about TO give
the matter up and go elsewhere when
something occurred to change our reso-
luton. An Invitation came one morn
ing to nttcId "A bah to be given by
Graf and Grafin Won Blumen.Schloss.
1t was evident, first, that the graf had
resumed his original position In the
world and. second, that he knew ! was
in Berlin. assumed that he must
have seen me, ,ho gh | had not seen
him. We made in,. tries and learned
, that he had married wealthy and
refined American lady and had recent
/ ~ been appointed an ald-de-camp to
/ the emperor.
| We went 10 the ball and we're very
| graciously received by tue grafin, who
/ gave as a reason for inviting us that
/ we were her fellow countrymcn. My
/ meeting with her husband in his own
home was naturally constrained. He
! made no mention OF having met me In
/ America, but asked me II he had not
met me In Europe | told him that he
| had been my partner at state ball in
| Vienna. Then he appeared To remem-
| Der. He may have been sincere In
not giving evidence Of rccollecting just
/ where he had first seen me.
Later an Invitation came TO dine
! with the emperor aud empress. which,
Of course, was Inspired by his aid-de.
camp, the Won Blumcn-SchlosSes be-
| ing of the dinner party. After this
we were welcome everywhere.
Never did either Won Blumen'
/ Schloss or his wife make the slightest
nlIuslon to his having been in Ameri'
| ca as well ignored having met him
/ in hotel livery. What inspired his
kindness TO me do not know. II
may have been intended to keep me
silent on his past. or It might have
been token Of gratitude for my fail
ure to recognize him while In II mental
position. Indeed, he might have been
Influenced by both of these causes.
In time ! came upon his story, Soon
after had danced with him In Vienna
financial reyerses deprived him of his
fortune. Like many an EUROPEAN aris
tocrat I'm the same circumstances he
went 10 America and became serv'
ant. From the hotel he went TO serve
gentleman as chauffeur and while
acting in that capacity won the heart
Of his daughter learning who he
was, she had married him with heI