Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-01

A NEW version of the word-od mother
a in-law joke has happened in Europe
4 = 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
a slave 81 her feet. The Deacon sisters have
worked .lOre havoc among the European
aristocL .cy than any American girls who
ever IL liked at it.
Dor thy Deacon married Prince Anton
Radz win, member of a very ancient Russian
family that is almost royal, The marriage
was opposed by kings and mobiles and all
sorts of dignitaries, and especially by the
mother of the young Prince Anton the wife
of the reigning Prince. This reigning Prince
had adopted the thoroughly aristocratic
course of becoming insane.
When Dorothy Deacon finally married her
Prince it was regarded as a great social
triumph for her. She had little money for
an American girl, and it was distinctly vic
tory for beauty and cleverness. As the wife
of the old Princes heir, without conditions,
it 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 it.
But now the old Prince is dead and TO
everybodys surprise, his widow, who hates
Dorothy Deacon, has succeeded in holding
on to the Radziwill castle and estates in
Russia. 1t 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-iaw occupies the castle and daugh
terIn-law lives in any old hotel That is why
European society regards Dorothy Deacon as
the victim of a motherinlaw joke.
This is the latest act of one of the most
interesting social dramas of recent years.
Mother-inlaW appears to have the best OF it,
but Dorothy Deacon has never yet been
beaten. We may expect new developments.
At the time of the marriage, in 1910, the
bride was only eighteen years old. She had
been wooed for months by young Prince Anton
Radziwill with remarkable persistency. 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
rejected him several times, but no doubt in
a very kindly manner. He continued to WOO
her with an ardor that maiden could
sst and they became engaged, to the
great chagrin of his princess mother.
The young couple planned to be married i'll
London, because there they would be farthest
away from the influence of the Radziwill
family The Radzwis have estates in many
parts of Europe. They have a position that
is almost royal. The head of the family en-
joys the great distinction of being called
Serene Highness."
The grandmother of the young prince was
a princess of the royal house. of Prussia, the
Kaiser's family This in itself raises the Rad
ZiWillS far above ordinary nODle IdulllleS, Muo'
in turn, consider ordinary American families
infinitely beneath them, except when they
are in need of ready money.
The young mans mother who opposed the
marriage so bitterly was by birth Countess
Branicka In addition to her blue blood, she
possessed immense wealth in her own right,
which of course made her a great deal haugh-
tier than she would otherwise have been She
is worth $20,000,000
Just as the marriage was expected TO take
place in London an announcement appeared
in the most socially authoritative newspapers
there that it had been postponed IL ap,
reared that this was inserted by members Oh
the Radziwill family opposing the marriage.
Along with it came explanations that the
bride could not share the princes rank, arg
it was even suggested that owing TO the ulI-
ference in their social station the marriage
might not be legal. 1850.
Mrs. Edward Parker Deacon the orlae
mother was naturally greatly annoyed anu
perturbed by these reports. A..
The young prince, however, convinced MIS-.