The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-08
THE ROMANCE OF
 A COURT BEAUTY Countess Castiglione Dazzles All By Beauty and Wit BORN IN FLORENTlNE In Royal Palace, But Spent Early Years in Rustic Environments.
 Is Europe's Most Beautiful
 Woman.

From Cassell's Journal.
 In all the brilliant pageant of courts no figure has moved with more queenly beauty and more captivating grace than Virginie, Countess Castiglione who for a few years in the middle of the last century dazzled the world by her charms and conquered hearts by a glance, and few have drunk more deeply of life's delights and its bitterness.
 romantic story tells us that the peer less woman was cradled in a farmhause and spent her early years in rustic environment of cows and hens, but, in fact. her origin was much more exalted and less romantic. Virginia first opened her beautiful eyes in a Florentine pal ace, the daughter of the Marquis Oldoini, an Itaan diplomat, and his marchioness. one of the most graceful and charming women of her day. Beauty and rank were thus her heritage and seldom has woman turned them to better account.
 As child she exhibited rare prom ise of loveliness and of that indescriba- ble gift of fascination which in later years made her rsupdeme among her sex She was born to inspire the passion and devotion of men, and before she had emerged from short frocks she was be- sieged by wooers. At 12 her beauty was the talk of Florence. When she accom- panied her mother to the theatre her tall, graceful figure. her brilliant eyes and her exquisite complexion, fresh and fragrant as half-opened rose, attracted all eyes to her, and when she walked abroad she was followed by an embar- rassing retinue of admirers She was even, at this early age, by universal as- sent the most beautiful girl in all Italy One day in 1854, so the story Is told by Frederic Loliee, the youthful Count Castiglione was present in London at a reception given by the Duchess of In verness and as he gazed at the galaxies l of the beautiful women around him, he | said to his friend, Count Walewslxi. T | suppose you do not know what has brought me to London? I have come l in search of a wife" My dear Castig- | lione." the count answered. If that is so you have made a great mistake in leaving Italy. Go back. get an introduc- tion to the Marchioness Oldoni and win
 her daughter. You will then have the
 most beautiful wife in Europe
 An Unhappy Bride.
 l The count followed this friendly ad- | vice; fell hopelessly in love with the fair 1 Nlrglme the moment he set eyes on her | radiant young charms, and after a brief | wooing won her consent to be his wife.
 But the girls heart was far from &C.,
 companying her hand. T will marry | you" she said, because my mother | wishes it. But remember, do not love 1 you. shall never love you. In fact.
 I know l shall always be indifferent to l you"
 It was under such unpromising con-
 ditions that Virglnie was led to the altar,
 an unwilling and unhappy bride, by the
 perfect gravity. "Yes. I fell in love
 twice. Once I fell in love with tn e
 daughter of a farmer in northern Mich 1 igan The second time it was with
 the daughter of Missouri farmer They
 were nice girls and their fathers
 owned big farms. But their relatives
 did not like me. And what is love
 without peace? Some day I shall find