The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-04
AMERICAN COUNTESS .PENN|LESS IN PARIS
Countess De Chayanne Was
 Once International Pet IN CHARITY HOSPITAL
At Age of Fl She Is Receiving Bounty of French Republic-Husband Gambled Away Fortune.
 Short Story Writer

Paris, May Special )-Lying i'll in the free ward of the American hos l ptal at Neuilly is the Countess de Chavanhe, who before her marriage was Miss Quirda Benson of Brooklyn known to two continents for her keen 1 wit, beauty and fascination of manner Countess de Chavanne, at the age of 7i, still retains these three gifts, put | alas! her fortune is gone; misfortune that has broken her health. Today the I countess has not sou in the world l and the mental torture of losing her household belongings on account of a rent many months in arrears, the pos sibility of being dispossessed like a shiftless underdog has brought her to this state of nervous collapse. Can anything be more pathetic?
 , The father of Countess de Chavanne was John Benson, who was an officer | in the United States navy. Branches of the family tree bear conspicuous marks of distinction. Frank Carpenter, | the artist, who was a friend of Lincoln, l and painted his picture which now hangs in the White House, was her ! cousin. Winslow Homer. whose repu- 1 tatlon as an American painter is un- surpassed was another cousin. To go 1 further back in her genealogy, one learns that the great grandfather of 1 her father and the great grandfather | of the Archbishop of Canterbury were brothers.
 1 When her husband, Count Lovjeau de | Chavanne, died some years ago 1t was found that love of the gaming table | he was a member of the Jockey club | had so gorged on their fortune that l nothing much remained but accumu- | lated debts, mansion to be maintained with retinue of servants and the l chest of old family jewels. | It was such a rosy beginning for 1 the young American girl who came to | Paris for her education. Her marriage | to Count de Chavanne was not cold calculat ting international marriage, it was marriage of the heart. The bolts of the tight locked doors of the ultra exclusive set of the Faubourg St Germain, the fashionable quarter of | that period, were unfastened for her.
 GUEST AT COURT
 The American countess, with her quick repartee and charm of manner, was in demand at every important so- cial function and was an oft seen guest at the court of the Emperor America took great pride in the leadership of one of her countrywomen among the unbending French aristoc- racy. The papers kept careful tally of her social exploits Columns upon columns were written about her Then came the reverses.
 Faced with sunken fortune, Countess de Chavanne, with indomita- ble courage, searched a way to make living. The pen was to be the source from which she was to eke out an in come. After some months of labor novel which she called "Quirda" was accepted by Drexel Riddle and was pub lished. This book brought the editors attention to her and pressing demands came from them to write for different ma gazines. She became regular con tributor to American magazines
 In connection with her writing, Countess de Chavanne tells of an in- cident that is not unique in literary experiences, but it is oHe that invaria- bly, causes amusement and a certain amount of exultation in the being of an author.
 She wrote a sketch that she called "The Artists Story" and submitted it to an American weekly. It was re- turned with the usual polite letter of nonacceptance. Now, the countess had so arranged silk floss in the leaves that if the novelette, were read, the floss would be displaced. On the re- turn of the manuscript nasty survey of the snares set proved that the story had not been read possibly farther than the first page. The floss was in tact.
 WON PRIZE IN CONTEST
 At this time, in 1903, another maga- zine was having a contest for the best short story and with it went cash prize of $100. Countess de Chavanne sent the returned manuscript of The Artists Story to be entered in the com petition. It took the prize.
 - Before her marriage the countess had been introduced by friends to the great
 
 Milan when Aida was first given at the La Scala.
 It so happuened that she arrived in the city too late to procure seats, the house having been sold out. Verdi vas appealed to. He asked her if she dared a masquerade, in other words. had she the nerve to dress up in mems clothing and go to the opera as young hoy" Youth laughs at obstacles The fear Of detection only lent zest to the adventure. She went. There was then and there is now at the La Scala. certain portion of the house where men only car go. Here was where Verdi was to listen to his opera and here is where Countess de Chavannne sat be- side him in regulation dress suit and top hat, consumed by the excitement of the thrilling ovation given the be- loved composer. It was an easy feat to slip away unnoticed during the clamOr for verdi to mount the stage. Her night, too, had been great suc- cess.
 As a souvenir of this eventful oc- casion Verdi gave Miss Benson beau tiful little Roman dog that she prompt ly christened Ida. after the opera. Fifty years have passed since then and with them have gone the social glories, how erlng parasites and fauning friends.
 Today Countess de Chavanne is a pa tient in an endowed bed at the Ameri- can hospital. Nothing will restore her health unless she is relieved of the strain of not having Hvable income. While I sat by her bedside she scrubbed this verse:
 What's the use of fretting,
 Of things that seem so small,
 What's the use
 Of anything at all!"
 Unfortunately. she does not follow her philosophy. for she does fret
 It issher intention to write her auto she can be induced to do it the pub lie will have in it's hands book worth reading. Much she can tell of the prom inent personages of Europe and Amerc- ca who have been associated with her. >~~~~~~-~--~-~~-~o-~4o. time still to looking after the national finance.
 It is impossible to say whether Eng land will profit by this lesson after the war. Probably she will not for the req son that each member of the cabinet must have seat in Parliament-prefer-