Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-09-17
lspeelal Commandment

~ ARTS. Sept. 6.--It isn't every
- day that an estate steward has
the chance TO adopt the son OF
king. but NJ. Emmanuel
Durieux, who has occupied that posi-
ton for some time at the Baroness
VauEhans chateau at Balincourt near
Arronville. has just adopted legally
the two sons OF the late King Leopold
Of Belgium. Durieux. OF course, is the
man whose marriage to the baroness
has created the latest sensation of the
hour in Paris, and the Baroness
vaughan is the woman whom Leopold
married shortly before his death.
after she had ruled his establishment
for four years. only the fact that the
marriage was solely religious and not
civil as well, prevented the elder Of the
two boys whom DurieuN has now
adopted from having valid claim 10
the throne OF Belgium. As Il was their
father bestowed on them the titles OF
duke OF Tervueren and count OF
Ravenstein.
whatever else may be said about
Leopold's widow no one can accuse
her of being anything but woman OF
excellent sense Eeven in the height OF
her power she kept well in the back
ground. content to be the companion
of king. and abstain from all in
reference In the politics or atairs
of his country. Since his death she has
been living quietly at her estate at
Balincourt and the notoriety which
she attained at the time OF his death
was forced on her by the efforts OF
his legitimate children 20 make her
give up some Of the property which
had been bestowed on her by her royal
lover.
WOMAN OF MYSTERY.
The baroness has always been
voman of mystery and that mystery
has not been lessened In any degree
bv her last marriage Her origin Is as
much n mystery as her life. When her
connection with King Leopold first
became public IT was stated that she
was the daughter of professor or
languages Later II was said that her
parents were oncierges-1anltors-
Paris and Il was always understood
that her real name was Caroline
Lacroix. but that she had changed the
commonplace Caroline 10 the more ro-
mantle Yolande about the time that
she met the king. Now we learn from
tho hanns OF marriage published at
the little village of Arronville, which
surely are official, that her real name
is Blanche Zelle Josephine Delacroix
Sehllle, and that she was born az
Bucharest. Roumania, in 1883. Her
maiden name Is given, of course, as
tho religious marriage 20 the king had
no legal force In Belgium.
Whatever her parents may have heen
however IL Is certain that they we're
persons In quite humble Circums tanccs.
One Of her sisters today keeps
vegetable stall In one OF the Paris
markets and one OF her brothers Is
waiter The baroness has cut herself
OF entirely from her family and has
refused 60 listen To their demands and
applications for money. on one oc-
CASTOR when her sister and her large
family Of children presented them
selves az the door OF the baroness
Paris apartment she Is said TO have
ordered n servant 10 send those
dreadful ueople" away. Another story
told OF her concerns an occasion on
which she was driving in her auto
mobile In the Bois de Boulogne. y
cab drew across the path so that the
motor car was compelled To stop. ana
the baroness looking out saw woman
waving frantically az her from the
window NJ the cab She recognized her
aunt and she Immediately ordered her
chauffeur 20 go on even n he had 70
run down the cab. and her car started
50 suddenly that collision was mar
royly averted
wAITR ESs IN \ CAFE.
To her intlmates she is said 90 have
declared that she owed her family
nothing when she was poor ana un-
known they did nothing for her and
she was left TO fight her own way In
the world. which no one viii deny
she did with uncommon success When
a waitress In a Paris cafe and II IS
said an unusually beautiful woman.
Now she is rather stout and coarse
looking. hut she is still possessed OF
great charm. Her dominance over the
old king was due as much TO her In
tellect and wit as 10 her beauty.
Leopold wac attracted 70 her at onee
ana soon she was installed at the
Chateau de LorTny near Paris where