ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

Southland Times, Issue 656, 12 April 1867, Page 3

ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

I A strange change of fortune has occurred to a young man known by the name of Greorge Olson, and occupying the humble position of a lamp trimmer and " Jack of the dust " on board the United States steamship Madaviaska, by which he has suddenly come into possession of 300,000 dels, in gold, together with the ; Hungarian title of Edward Louis, Count Batthyanyi, and the extensive estates attached thereto. It appears that Olson, or the Count, left his country in the year 1848, when very young, after his father had been executed for being concerned in the rebellion under Xossuth (to whom he is nearly related), and has since been in the United States. He knew little of his family or their real position, and'supposed that, in consequence of his father's disloyalty, all their possessions had been confiscated.' OPinding it difiicult to get a livelihood? "he joined the United States j navy, was drafted on board the United States steamer Madawaska as a landsman, and iwas employed, as lamp- trimmer and j assistant to the captain of the hold.; He never jhinted to his messmates that he was j of noble birth or had ever held a higher position, in life than the one he now occupied. In fact it does not appear that his cbuntship, had any . very, clear notions j himself of the matter. Believing his father to be a disgraced man, he troubled himself liitle. about family matters, and betook himself with industry to the care of his , lamps and all other duties on board. Happening to get hold of a newspaper a short time since, he discovered an advertisement requesting Edward Louis Batthyanyi to "Communicate with certain j parties, and he would hear of something to his advantage. ' ' Our young blueblooded Hungarian lamp-trimmer lost no time in complying ; and having proved his identity, received an instalment of 300,000 dols. Instead of informing his commanding officer of this strange; vicissitude of fortune, which had. metamorphosed a United States naval lamptrimmer and " Jack of the Dust" into a Hungarian nobleman, with a revenue of 500,000 dols. a year, Batthyanyi or Olson deserted from the Madawaska. . He is now in Washington, under the patronage of the Austrian ambassador, endeavoring to procure a formal discharge from the service. That he will succeed we have not the slightest doubt ; and it is to be hoped that this sudden elevation to rank and tortune will have the effect of making him reap the advantage of the trying experience he has had of the roughest side of life. While on board the Madawaska he was remarkable for his good behaviour and the regular discharge of his laborious duties; and now when exalted to the rank of a Hungarian grandee, we expect he will become as he always promised, a respectable and worthy member of society. — " New York Tribune."