Waited Twenty Years for His Bride

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 714, 13 July 1929, Page 2

Waited Twenty Years for His Bride

Romantic Engagement of King of Spain’s Cousin to Beautiful Ex-Actress . . . Unparalleled Magnificence of Former Marriage . . . Over £2,000 Spent on Wedding Breakfast .. .

■apMßci WEN'TV years ago the Don Luis Ferdinand Bourbon, a relative o£ the King of Spain, met Mabelle Gilman on her honeymoon. He could not fail to admire her —she ■was truly beautiful, clever and famous •—but, honourably, he concealed his emotions. Mabelle Gilman went her way, but he never forgot her. Sixteen years later she and her husband were divorced, and the Don was free to court her. Now they are to be married. At one time it seemed as if their romance was not to be ended so happily; but between them they have overcome all difficulties, religious and otherwise. In itself Mabelle Gilman's life is a romance. An actress of extraordinary beauty, she was world-

famous. The magnificence of her first marriage is still remembered. The wedding breakfast alone cost £2,500. In the flower of her youth and beauty, at the height of her fame, and wedded to a multi - millionaire,

Mabelle Gilman, who had set New York and London, Paris and Berlin aflame with her praise, found herself snubbed by the alleged Four Hundred of her adopted city, and resenting this, she shook the dust from her dainty feet and vowed she would never again reside within the city boundary. Now this brilliant woman, who is In her 48th year, has risen in the social scale to such a height that she can, from the eminence of her semi-Roval position look down upon her old enemies and smile, as she only can Bmile, at their discomfiture. For Mabelle Gilman is to become a relative of the King of Spain through her marriage with Don Luis Ferdinand d'Orleans Bourbon, son of the -Infanta Eulalia, and cousin to Alfonso. Obstacles Removed It has taken many years to bring iibout this happy state of affairs, for at the very beginning of the romance there were obstacles which at the time were thought to be insurmountable. Now, however, all objections to the marriage have been overcome, and the Roman Catholic Church has set its seal upon the forthcoming marriage by receiving the lady into its fold. It was in the beautiful chateau owned by Mrs. Corey, that the impos- , ing ceremony took place, and the mother of the Don Luis Ferdinand was the religious sponsor. So all is set for the most romantic courtship of the century. The story of this famous lady’, if written by a writer of fiction, would be turned down by nine out of ten publishers. The truth in this romance is stranger than any fiction ever written. Mabelle Gilman was born in San Francisco. From early girlhood she had a longing to go on the stage, and

was well aware even then of her power to hold her own in that sphere of life. Beautiful of face and figure, possessing a glorious voice, fame was hers from the start. In England she entranced the audiences at the Gaiety. In the 'nineties she stirred the city by ber talent in the “Belle of New York,” and later on created a sensation -when at the Shaftesbury Theatre she appeared in “The Casino Girl.” Filled with ambition to show her countrymen and ■women that her triumphs in London had a real basis in talent, she returned to New York, and on Broadway carried all before her. She was as modest as she was brilliant, and before long she had won the heart of the richest man in the city— Mr. Corey, a nephew of the late Andrew Carnegie—and the announcement of her engagement caused a stir in the social world that had a tinge of bitterness in its “congratulations.” The marriage took place at one minute past twelve on May 14. A hunt to procure a clergyman was set in motion and great difficulty was experienced in obtaining the services of a cleric willing to perform the ceremony at such an unusual hour. But money won, for when a great fee was announced as the reward of whoever would officiate at the marriage the number of those now anxious to “have the honour” was so great that much difficulty was

experienced in choosing from among the persistent throng. No marriage in history ever had such setting. The room in which the fair Mabelle said “Yes” was a veritable garden of flowers. So great was the power of the perfume that men were staggered by the scent, and even the bride had to have-the windows thrown wido open to recover from the overpowering effects.

Strange features marked this unusual marriage. The bride carried no bouquet, there were no best man and no bridesmaids, and only 40 persons were present. But the breakfast! Princes might vie w-ith its magnificence, and stage something after the ancient glories of a dead past in setting forth such a banquet, but nothing in history ever came near to being anyway like the grandeur of display that marked this initial meal. It cost a little over £2,500. Tile present given his bride by the happy husband was one million dollars in securities. That was apart from the treasures in jewellery he lavished upon his actress-bride, and each of the 40 guests had presents that represented a modest fortune. Truly an event to be remembered, and one to overshadow the legendary magnificence of the Arabian Nights. A pity that the spirit of the people could not have added a little to the joyous occasion. But as a matter of cold fact the alleged leaders of the Four Hundred turned the cold shoulder to the beautiful and talented Mabelle and she resented this slight so much that she never again, except for short periods, resided in the city that had seen her triumph. Secret Admiration Sixteen years of wedded life passed. Then it was announced that the couple were divorced. This was in November, 1923. And now we come to the beginning of the present romance. About twenty years ago, when she was on her honeymoon trip, she was the guest of Mrs. Charles Carroll. Among the guests was the man she will shortly marry, Don Luis Ferdinand. He was then in his teens, being a little less than 19 years old. The Prince at that time was a very handsome youth. Dark-eyed, with an abundance of dark hair, his features were chiselled in a delicate mould. He saw and loved, hut kept his secret all the long years. Rumour has linked these two names for over four years, but whenever the Prince was asked definitely to say if reports were true he would make an evasive reply, and allow the public to think what it pleased. Paris Adventure Don Luis, now settled into the calm waters, was at one time a wild and roving youngster. He was affectionately known in the Bohemian circles of Paris as “L’Enfant,” and loved to pay visits to- the more hectic rendezvous to be found in the neighbourhood of Montmarte. Youth, and a plentiful supply of cash were the ingredients that made up the dish of his daily round of pleasure. But even princes must not outstep the bounds of the recognised laws of society. In time this youth came under the ban of all offenders against the set code, and was hailed before the officials who carry out the behest of the Minister of the Interior. Having been accused of certain wild acts in the underworld of the Montmartre; the Minister of the Interior signed an order compelling him and his bosom friend, M. Vasconelos, to quit French soil. But the accused were not taking the decree lying down! They demanded proof, and were hailed before the Prefect of Police, who confronted them with two Secret Service agents, and these were convincing, with issued, and the two offenders were duly escorted to the frontier. They were forbidden to cuter France again, but the fact that the King of Spain took drastic steps on that occasion to punish the youth may have acted as a sop to the French susceptiA warrant of expulsion was forthbilities.