The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-08-22

friends, arrived in Tallahassee Nhe
belle of Florida was Katherine Willis
Gray, a young widow who lived with
her father, Col. Byrd Willis. who had
sought and made his fortune in the
new territory of Florida.
Mrs. Gray had married Scotsman
at the age of fifteen and was left
widow at sixteen, and as her child
also died she returned to live with her
parents at Willis hall, near. Fredericks-
burg, Va, and accompanied them
when they moved to Florida. The
Willis home in Tallahassee on South
Monroe street, near the capitol, was
a center of the social life of the state,
The beauty and charm Of the young
Virginia widow, who was then only
twenty-five years old, Immediately cap
tivated the son of Caroline Bonaparte
and his courtship seems to have been
as ardent as might be expected from
a temperamental Frenchman. How
ever the young woman was not only
beautiful and wealthy, but her mother
was Mary Lewis, a niece of George
Washington, and not even the dazzling
fact that Colonel Murat's mother was
sister of Napoleon could blind the
eyes of the blue blood Of Virginia to
the knowledge that his father, Joachim
Murat, was the son of an obscure Inn
keeper.
Beside which the prince was eccen
trio to a degree that was almost IL
bred He spoke burlesque OF the
English language and was perhaps
easily affected, but certainly often at
fected, by wine. He was, however, al
intensely interesting companion, ant
was eagerly sought socially and valued
as sincere and unchanging friend.
The courtship Of the greatest belle
and the only prince in Tallahassee wal
watched with interest by the friends
of the couple and with approval By
the parents of the young woman; ant
when the devotion and undisguised ad
miration of the prince finally VOL
there were hearty congratulations ant
good wishes for them from many part
of the United States as we'll as thei
adopted state.
, Mrs. Gray and Colonel Murat wer'
married July 80, 1926, and went to liv'
at Lipona, his large plantation In JET
| ferson county, the name Of which wa
transposed to Napoli, the city witt
/ which he had so many associations.
| Was one Of the most beautiful estate
= in Florida and near the township II
= the same country which was given Il
Lafayette by the United States gov
: eminent on his visit in 1924.
t The prince becoming restless on hi
| Florida plantation, he and his Amer
can princess went abroad, and BEN
l forbidden to enter France and Ital
; they went to Little Paris" as Brut
e sells is called, where they spent tw
! delightful years. The prince, who wa
: 1 close personal friend of King Lee
] pold. was made a colonel in the Be
= gian army and had command OF reg
ment of lancers. Both he and tn
s princess were immensely popular, to
e popular, in fact, for the fine Bonapart
: face Of Prince Achille was so muc
t like that of his uncle, the great Nj
n poleon, that he was often stopped o
e the street and embraced by old SO
s diers, who fell on their knees befor
$ him.
The Powers saw and trembled fc
/. fear that he might be able to enlii
Q soldiers enough to restore his famil
e to their former thrones, and his reg
t meht was disbanded. Prince Achill
8 made memorable address to his me-
e speaking to them In seven differeI
n languages, one after another, and the