The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-01

IN
~ nlaw joke has happened III Europe.
Dorothy Deacon. the noted Amer
lean beauty, is the victim OF IT, She is the
sister OF the equally famous Gladys Deacon
who once had the Crown Prince of Germany
slave Al her feet. The Deacon sisters have
worked more havoc among the European
aristocracy than any American girls who
ever looked at il.
Dorothy Deacon married Prince Anton
Radziwl. member OF a very ancient Russian
family that is almost royal The marriage
was opposed by kings and mobiles and ali
sorts OF digritaries. and especially BY the
mother OF the young Prince Anton, the wife
OF the reigning Prince. This regning Prince
had adopted the thoroughly aristocratic
course oil becoming insane.
When Dorothy Deacon finally married her
Prince 1t was regarded as a great social
triumph for her She had little money for
I'm American girl and it was distinctly a vic.
tory for beauty and cleverness. As the wife
Of the old Princes heir. without conditions.
1t seemed certain that she would eventually
share the substantive title with the estates,
the ancient family castle and all the digni-
ties that Went With IL.
But now the old Prince is dead and 10
everybody's surprise. his widow, who hates
Dorothy Deacon has succeeded In holding
TO the Radziwili castle and estates iii
Russia. il appears that she paid the debts
OF her lively son on condition that she
should remain in possession OF the castle
and estates during her lifetime although
they pass by entail to the son She is only
forty nine years old and very healthy.
Mother-in-law occupies the castle and daugh-
ter-naH lives in an. old hotel. That Is why
European society regards Dorothy Deacon as
the victim OF a nother-in-law joke.
This IS the latest act of one OF the most
Interesting social dramas OF recent years.
Mother-in-,aw appears 10 have the best of it.
but Dorothy Deacon has never yet been
beaten. We may expect Developments
Al the time OF the marriage, in 1910, the
bride only eighteen years old. She had
4 M ~ he hy p.tp
Radziwill with remarkable persistoncy He
was only twenty-five years old The Deacons
were aware that the princes mother did not
approve of the match. and the Young beauty
a very kindly manner. He continued TO WOO
her With an ardor that no maiden could
sst and they became engaged. TO the
great chagrin OF his princess mother.
The young couple planned to b. married in
London, because there they would be farthest
away from the influence of the Radaiwill
family. The Radziwills have estates In many
parts of Europe. They have position that
is almost royal. The head or the family en-.
Joys the great distinction Of being called
Serene Ilighness.''
The grandmother of the young prince was
princess of the royal house Of Prussia, the
kaisers family. This in itself raises the Rad
Ziwills far above ordinary noble families, who.
In turn, consider ordinary American families
Infinitely beneath them, except when they
are in need of ready money
The young man mother. who opposed the
marriage so bitterly, WAS by birth Countess
Branicka. III addition to her blue blood. she
possessed immense wealth in her own right
which OF course, made her Il grea, deal hauGh-
tier than she would otherwise have been She
IS worth s20.000.0oo.
Just as the marriage was expected 10 take
place in London an announcement appeared
in the most socially. authoritative newspapers
there that il had been postponed. II ap
peared that this was inserted by members oi
the Radziwil family opposing the marriage
Along with il came explanations that tbs
bride could not share the princes rank. al.
it even suggested that owing to the diff
ference III their social station the marriage
might not he legal.
Mrs. Edward Parker Deacon. the brides
mother, naturally greatly annoyed and
perturbed by these reports
The young prince. however convinced Mrs