Year: 1876

York Times of the carnival at Rome,
SAYS: A few days after the grand
dress review of princes, patricians and
eouipages we met on the Chiais, driv-
ing alone in an elegant Victoria, a young
woman, richly but simply dressed,
graceful and beautiful, with wonderful
ewes set in long, thick lashes of the sort
that entangle men s soul. Fair and soft,
and red-lipped and smiling as the wo-
man was, there was about her a certain
air of isolation, q something quietly de-
fiant, a look as far from innocence as
from insolence, and we were not sur
prised when the friend with whom we
we're driving told us that this was the
famous Fanny Lear" the heroine of
the great Russian scandal and of the
diamond intrigue. Since she was ex-
PEELED from France she has been travel
ing in Italy, over the same classic
ground she traversed with the young
Grand Duke in the days of his infatua-
ton and her poor triumph. We have
since seen her in Rome, driving on the
Pincio alone, looking o little passive
and weary, but as pretty and cool and
bewitching as ever. If the little honess
is on the lookout for rich and royal prey,
if she goeth up and down seeking whom
she may devour, heart and substance,
she has come to q poor hunting ground.
Grand Dukes, though without duchies,
may be obtainable in Italy, but dia-
monds are scarcely to be had for love
or larceny. Whenever 1 meet this
strange woman in her solitary airings
en- rOitatre, or when think of her roll
ing along luxuriously over the great
pleasure drives Of the old world, there
rises before me a vision of quite an
other sort, of a vepsrable New England
divine of the strictest sect of the Puri-
tans, and his sweet-faced, gentle and
sanity wife, driving quietly through
the wide, grassy streets of quaint lit
tie village, or out over the picturesque
hills which surround it, in an imme-
mortal chaise, heavy-topped and high


wheeled, drawn by an elderly horse Of
the most grave, staid, circumspect and
couple in their drives seldom seemed to
be in lively conversation, but there was
always on their serene conntenances q
look of quiet understanding and per-
feet content with one another and their
lot, and so they logged on till the old
chaise came to the long halt, these ex-
emplary, excellent grandparents of this
Nine. Blackford, to whom a novel read
ing, princely lover gave the name Of
Fanny Lear, which she hath given
to fame" and the police. All, what
true woman would not thousand times
rather have been that quiet, blameless
little lady of the parsonage, knowing
not much, even by heresay, of the great
world, but going about her simple daily
duties with great peace in her gentle
eyes, her hveliest recreation, perhaps,
driving beside her silent husband up
and down the windy Windham hills,
than be her beautiful, restless, ambi-
tious and audacious descendant, making
the world ring with o romantic scandal,
driving along the Mediterranean, or
over the hills. of Rome with her cap
tured Grand Duke, who unhappily
could be carried off. but not married of,
out of his caste. I was about to ask
what true man would not rather be the
Puritan parson, jogging along in his
one horse shay" with his true and
honorable wife by his side, though his
pay for years hard labor and harder
theology would not equal the value of
the least of the diamonds the mad
young Prince stole from his mother to
give to his mistress, than be that same
gallant imperial offshoot, seated by the
lovely American adventures, and for
getting honor, heaven and the Czar, for
the sake of her sweet eyes. Twas going
to ask all this, but on second thought I
won't.