The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-25
La Marquise de Foneenoy
, HE whirllgig of time brings about
~ years ago, the fascinating

IT. HE whirllgig of time brings about
many odd changes. Some thir-
i " years ago. the fascinating
c untess Alexandra Hutton
Czapska. wife OF young Nicholas dc
Koiomine. secretary OF the Russian
legation a. Berne. was the toast OF
the town in the Swiss capital. All
the young men, and many of the old
ones as well. were at her feet. An
arrant firt and hcartless coquettc.
she seemed TO delight in provoking,
trouble. and so many duels were fought
on her account. not only among the
members OF the foreign diplomatic
phlegmatIc Bcrncsc, (who arc very
patrician in their preJudices and ideas)
ana so much domestic happiness was
either seriously disturbed or entirely
wrecked that the Hclvet!an govern
ment at last rcsorted to the extra
ordinary step OF requesting the Rus
transfer young Dc KolomIne and,
above all his wife. to some other post
Evidently the Car was not consult,
ed about the matter. Otherwise 1t
is improbable In the extreme that he
would have sanctioned the appointment
OF the KolominCs TO the court OF his
nephew. the late Grand Duke Louis
OF Hesse. For no sooner was Nine dc
kolomine established at Darmstndt
than she straightway began to set her
cap at the grand duke. who. a widowcr
~ lonely. In course of lime he Iiolo-
mine was transferred 10 Japan. at tho
instance of the grand duke. who pos
sessed many powerful and influential
friends at St. Petersburg. Nine de
kolomne remained behind at Darn
stadt, and when they had thus been
separated. their marriage was equally
The grand duke would have married
Nine. de Kolomine at once-morganati-
cally, az Gourse-had he not been
Victoria. lie was largely depend
upon her, In q financial sense and also
was aware of the benefits which MS
children were to receive under the
since she had remained faithful to tho
memory OF her own husband, the late
Prince Consort, she viewed With pro-
nounced dlsfavor second marriages.
on his part with Nine. de Kolominc
as an almost objectionable aHront.
When, however. the marriage of his
daughter, Princess Elizabeth. to the
late Grand Duke Sergius OF Russia.
took place at Darmstadt. in the pres
ence OF the old Queen herself. of the
OF Germany, and of royal and imperial
personages from all the courts OF Eu-
rope, he piucked up courage and on
the morning OF the day OF his daught-
cret ceremony of morganatic marriage
with Nine. de Kolomlne.
Some one betrayed him TO tho old
queen lie was summoned to her
presence near midnight on the same
day from his brides apartment. and
under the threat OF ostracism by the
lin, the s,oppage of his allowance
from the Queens privy purse and the
elimination of his own name and that
OF his children from her will. he gave
his consent to the deportation that
same night Of Nine. de Kolomine from
his don1inions. by the police. without
ever seeing her again. Shortly after,
Inc marriage was annuiled by the
iiessian and German tribunals as
illegal. on the ground that the grand
duke, being general of the German
army. had married without previously
obtaining the sanction of his superior
William. Mime. dc I<olomine received
as a solacc the Hessiun title of Count
esS OF Romrod, and an annuity of
$4,000 year for the remainder, Of
with the grand duke was brought up
by her half-sister. the present Empress
OF Russia. and is now serving as al
officer in the Russian army.
after her brief marriage to the Grand
Duke of IIesse married the Russian
diplomat De Eacheracht. who has re
Gently been appointed as envoy extra
of Russia. at Berne. whittier the
former Nine. dc Kolomine, now Nine.
dc Bacharacht and Countess of Rom
rod, has returned as Muscovite min
OF her former beauty. is as witty and
as clever as ever. but is no longer
considered dangerous by the Swiss
government, except In the role of
Lord Carnarvon, who repeatedly Wis
tied this country as Lord Porchester