THE ENGLISH DUKE AND THE

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1900, 17 February 1870, Page 7

THE ENGLISH DUKE AND THE

FKENCH ACTRESS. Owe of the Paris correspondents of the Belgian Independence tells the following romantic story : — It is this dull time that a very ricli Englishman has chosen in which to display some of the most silly eccentrictues i hat ever an islander could have imagined. They say that this Englishman, who wears r great and what is still more important, an historical name, for a lon ll time wished to be behind the scenes of "a great theatre, but not like an ordinary visitor, or from curiosity; he wished to study for himself artistic life as followed by actors, actresses, and •' figurautes." In a word, to do for pleasure what stage heroes have to do for

necessity, ft in stated, and this is simply truth, that this Englishman, in order to satisfy his Jstrnnge cnprice, took a situation as a buffoon, and for eight days exposed himself to the laughter of the public in tiie character of an ostrich. Mr feilow members of the Press have stated the case, which, in fact, is not to be denied. They hare, however, been mistaken i;i the motives wimh inducod this rich gentleman to appear on the stage. Jc was not for studying artistic lmi>ils Jjint lie consented t-O nuike himself ri lienlous; it was simply :this. he was head over ear* i* love with a young person who played in the piece. He loved like I" ni/lishmen can Jove —it was fierce ami uncontrollable. Ho wished to guanl lii.< incognito, tnake the aquaintance of the young lady, and see if she was worthy of liim —in fact that she could love liirn tor himself alone. This is why lie distinguished himself as an ostrich. What woman, no matter how intelligent, W' \ild ever suppose that the winas of ail ostrich evar concealed Ja millionaire, and the bearer of an lrNtoricul name. My feliow members of the Press have not only been mistaken as to the reason of the Kngli.shnian. but they have also been mistaken as to the denouement of this strange and fantastic adventure. They say he had rcturn-d quietly to England, his eccentricity accomplished. This is not the case; the Englishman had not returned the same .'as he came, and his valet de chambre has been the cause of this. " One is never betrayed but by one's own." Imagine to yourself that this gentleman could not entirely do away with all his aristocratic habits even I when 011 the stage, and though wishing | to pass as a p. o- actor, he gave orders to his servants to come and dress hitn night and put on his " bird uniform. On the v*ry first evening the servant was met by the loved one of his master, who questioned him closely. She asked him who the new actor was, and how it came to pass that lie had servants. The valet, feeling embarrassed, tried to answer evasively. At last he uttered this awkward sentence: " I caunot tell you anything positively, but you may feel quite certain it is an ostrich of rank." Nothing more was required. 'llie beautiful child (?) understood it all, and resolved to completely turn the haad of he l- adorer. I need hardly tell you that she succeeded admirably. She enacted the shy and modest girl, cave it out that she came of good family reduced in circumstances, and that siie had taken to the career of an actress' for tho love of I her father, whom an unfortunate speculation had ruined. All this inflamed the gentleman. The fancy for the moment changed for a serious passion—!%nfin, the ostrich, proposed to the little actress on ■ » Saturday, 2nd October. Ihe marriage is to be celebrated in eight days. Ihe trosseau ha« been purchased, the banns published, and the future looms with joy. Everything tends to predict that in a short time the little actress w.ll be presented to the Qtiscn.of Kngland under the title of a duchess.