The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-20

Joseph. and a colonel OF Austrian cav
airy. makes It's home In Bohemia.
The English Village Countess" to
whom have made reference above
that is to say, the heroine OF Tenny.
sons poem-was the wife OF Henry
Geeil, the first MARQUIS OF Exeter. His
e ei Ema vernon to hs proSea Sa
happy After recovering his freedom
through divorce. he became mbueG
with spirit of restlesSness and ad-
venture, and spent several years trav-
cling about the country on foot. dis
guised as professional artist and
landscape painter In the course OF
ms wanderinSs he made the acquaint-
ance OF peasant girl, whom he wooed
and won without disclosing the fact
that through his fathers death he was
next heir To the earldom of Exeter. 10
the other peerages. anc to the estates
OF MS uncle, Her name was Sdllie
HoEgins. and 1t is as such that she
hgures in the marriage register OF tho
little shropshire church OF Bolas while
he Is described merely as Henry Cecil.
some months later the death of his
uncle forced MIN to emerge from his
retirement, in order 10 assume tho
administration OF the estates and TO
take his seat in the House OF Lords.
poem. THE Lord OF Burlelgh," how
Henry Cecil gradually disclosed to his
wife, woman OF singular beauty and
OF much natural refinement. mis- real
IL
from mansion TO mansion. from park
to park. to inspect the stately homes
where the wealthy mobiles dwell and
finally brings her to Burleigh tBursh-
ley) near Stamford, in Northampton
shire, where she
Sees a mansion more majestic
Than all of those she saw before,
Many a gallant. gay domestic
Bows before him at the door"
And then entering. he leads her from
hall to hall.
And while now she wonders bIindly.
Nor the meaning can divine,
Proudly turns he round and kindly,
All OF this is nine and thine!''
Sad it is TO have TO reveal the COM
paratively brief duration of the ro-
nance. The affection OF the couple
knew no abatement until Lady Exeter
her husband had been advanced from
an earldom to a marquisate-died three
years later in childbirth. The present
MARQUIS OF Exeter who is the chief
OF the historic house of Cecil, to
junior branch of which Lord. Cecil be-
longs. is the great-grandson of this
village countess. and owes his good
looks to his lovely peasant ancestress.
Among other village countesses may
be mentioned the widow of the late
Earl of Mountcashell. who was an Irish
colleen of Montrath, in Queens county.
without the slightest education when
altar; Countess Eugene Kinsky who
was one of those 'fyrolese peasant
girls that do the washing along the
banks of the Traun, at Ischl, when she
won the heart and the hand of Count
Eugene. Kinsky; Countess Octave Kin
sky, who was peasant girl OF the
name OF Stubenwoll when Count Oc-
tave Kinsky, formerly an Austrian
minister OF state. became so infatu-
ated that he led her to the altar; Lady
Grantley, the mother OF the present
Lord Grantley, and who was peasant
girl of the name OF Maria FEDERICO, of
a village on the Island OF Capri, when
she married the fourth Lord Grantley,
In complete ignorance of his rank and
wealth; Anna Plocschell, daughter of
the postmaster Of the Tyrolesc village
OF Brandhoren. who was led to tho
altar by Archduke John, the Emperor
OF Austria subsequently bestowing
upon her the title OF Countess of Meran,
still borne by her descendants; Rosina
Vercelana. the Italian Contadina whom
the late King Victor Emmanuel created
Countess of Mlratiorl when he married
her; and last, but not least, Catherine
Skavronska. who born as the daugh-
ter of peasant, and after serving as
the drudge of n village inn, was raised
by Peter the Great to the throne as
Empress of Russia.
copyright, 1910, by the Brentwood
Company.)