South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-19

i Wnlcn was L more TO be wondered
, at that il extended only 10 that one
single question and matter
Her life had been a kind Of TO
nance, IL only on account Of those
(which composed the existence Of her
numerous children. but this sircum-
stance had not interfered with h-r
| personal appreciation Of the del4s rs
which she could get out Of it. UGrI
/ her death she remained faithful TO
her love for pretty things. for art in
all its manifestations; and also if
/ the truth need be said. for intrigue,
no matter in what shape and form
\ IL could be conducted. In that re-
spect she was true persOnificatiOn
Of this type OF Russian woman,
I which before here time had been in
lcarnated in great ladies such as the
! Princess Daschko6 in the days of
Catherine the Great. and the famous
! Princess Lieven in tie first half OF
the last century A personal friend
OF almost every crowned head in
/ Europe. she affected TO disdain
them. while at heart craving their
Iattention and delighting in their in
timacy She was a grand dame"
10 her finger tips, and a politician
into the bargain. II is TO be ques-
toned whether she ever showed her
self an amiable woman. or even a
charitable and indulgent one, in re-
gard to those whom she did not like.
Youthful Love Affairs.
In her youth. the episodes Of
which no living creature now re-
members. and which it is likely she
had forgotten herself. she had been
accused of many frailties. and had
been the heroine Of several love af-
fairs that at the time they occurred
had been the talk of Europe. They
had, however, in no way impaired
her position as leader of one Of the
most select aristocratic sets of that
exalted society amid which she
moved, and the world had ignored
them just as she had ignored them
herself. When she had passed mid
die age she became one of the most
severe judges of the conduct of
other women that had ever existed,
and she seemed to take "A particular
pleasure in throwing at others the
stones which by a lucky chance had
never been thrown at her though
she had richly deserved them.
When she became a widow, in
1866. she had been parted from her
husband. Prince Louis Frederick OF
Sayn- Wittgenstein. for more years
than could have been counted The
separation had been perfectly
iamiable one, acceptable TO both par
ties. and. when the prince died. his
cOnsOrt put on mourning, accord
ing TO custom. and wore it for the
usual period sanctioned by this GUS
tom while making no secret of the
fact that in doing so she was per
formed a social duty. and nothing
else The various love adventures
Of her sons were engrossing her at
tentiOn at the time. The eldest one
had married, to her horror and that
4 of his other relatives. the daughter
Of a Jew usurer, who had compelled
him to acquit himself in that way of
the debts which he had incurred.
This marriage gave rise TO many re-
ordinations. together with a con-
! siderable number OF lawsuits, and,
after the death Of the prince. his
widow married again a Baron Won
ReischaCh and settled in Berlin.
much to the renewed disgust Of the
! Wittgenstein family.
The two other sons of Princess
LeoniHe also forgot 10 follow the
Iexigencies OF their rank, the second
{ claims TO the cutaiIed castle of Sayn,
near Coblenz, in favor of his broth
err. Prince Alexander, and taking
over the Russian estates, after the
death of his first wife. a French
woman, Mademoiselle de Blacas.
took TO himself for consort the gov
erness of his children. with whom
/ he had been in love for a long time.
After giving over these same estates
TO his eldest son he assumed the
title of count of Hachenburg.
Life in Lausanne.
In Lausanne the Princess Witt
genstein became fixture. and was
( known by everybody, though few
people were admitted into her pres
ence. She was very generous i'm re-
gard TO the needs Of the poor. and
also gave large sums OF money for
many improvements I'm the town.
where she was considered as a kind
OF small sovereign, before whom
everybody bowed with deep respect.
When she celebrated the Tooth an
niversary of her birth. or May 9.
1916. she was the recipient Of many
cougratulatory messages, and the
mayor and other authorities Of Lau-
same came in pOmp 10 wish her all
kinds of prosperity II is said that
she replied 90 the addresses which
were presented 10 her that she
hoped she would live for another
. century. which would perhaps allow
her 20 see the town i'm a better con-
dition than il was AT the time. a
compliment which il seems was not
appreciated 10y those 10 whom it was
/ addressed.
The Princess Leonille hated all