The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life, 1875-1912Hegermann-Lindencrone, L. de (Lillie de)
History
The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life, 1875-1912
Hegermann-Lindencrone, L. de (Lillie de)
Courts and courtiers; Europe -- Social life and customs
Three performances were arranged for the afternoon. To the right was a
Japanese theater where Sadi-Jako and her troupe played their
_répertoire_. In the center was a Grecian temple, before which a
ballet of pretty girls danced on the grass in Grecian dresses. The
effect was charming. To the left was a little Renaissance theater
where people of different nationalities danced and sang in their
national costumes. I never saw anything so wonderfully complete. Only
the French can do things like that. When the moment arrived for the
official promenade, you may imagine how I felt when I saw Monsieur
Loubet approach me and offer me his arm. After all, I was the first
lady! Why was I not dressed in my best?
Monsieur and I walked at the head of the procession. We made the tour
of the gardens and through the whole palace, gazed on and stared at by
the entire crowd of the twelve thousand spectators, until at last we
reached the _salon_ where the buffet was established.
PARIS, _1902_.
Dear L.,--You might think that we are nearly exhausted, but health and
energy seem to assert themselves, and we bob up like those weighted
playthings children have. We have turned heads-up from our journey to
Denmark. We celebrated our silver wedding at Aalholm. I won't bother
you with the usual phrase, "How the time has flown!" Twenty-five
years! You have seen what an ordinary wedding in Denmark is like. You
can coat this one with silver, and then you will but know half the
excitement. The setting being Aalholm, the chief actors J. and I, the
chorus being family and friends, you may imagine that this _fête_ left
nothing to be desired. Guests came from everywhere to the number of
forty. Even our best man came from Norway. Deputations and telegrams
dropped on us by the hundreds; presents of silver in every form and
shape. My dress was silver, and silver sprays in my hair, and J. wore
them in his buttonhole. The dinner arranged by Frederick on viking
lines was splendid. Speeches at every change of plates. I wept tears
of pathos. An address of five hundred names, adorned with water-color
sketches of our different Legations, bearing a silver cover and a coat
of arms, was presented by the Danish colony in Paris. It was all very
touching and gratifying.
The famous beauty, Countess Castiglione, departed this world a few
days ago. She was the woman most talked of in the sixties.
When I first saw her she was already _passée_. There is nothing that
has not been said about her, but of this I know absolutely very
little. She used to live in Passy, and was called "_La recluse du
passé_." She was so extraordinarily dressed and always created a
sensation.
For the last thirty years no notice had been taken of her. I quote the
_Figaro_:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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