GAMBLING EXPLOITS OF A PRINCESS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1601, 5 February 1884, Page 2

GAMBLING EXPLOITS OF A PRINCESS.

Within a day or two, says a Paris letter, society has been considerably interested over the reappearance of the Princess Souwaroff. This handsome Russian lady was, during many seasons, the reigning star at Nice and at Monaco; and was not the less remarkablo on account of hor frequent attempts to break the bank. She has not been seen at any of those places or in Paris since 1878. She lived so fast here and gambled so heavily at Monte Carlo that the late Czar forbade her to leave the empire until she repaired her fortunes. Whether she has.done so or not is more than one can tell, but she is certainly back in Paris, whero she I has already rented a magnificent house in which she is going to havo some fun before the winter is over. Tho Princess, whose maiden name was BalileWska, was enormously wealthy when she married the Prince Souwaroff, whoso fortune was very moderate. After a few years of matrimony they agreed to disagree, and an amicable separation took place. The Prince devoted himself to travelling and the Princess went to Monaco in search ot excitement. She played with largo stakes, and her boldness, her coolness, ) and her altornate heavy losses fetfr / winnings were the sensation of Monte Carlo. Every evening, when the gamblingroom closed, she entertained a large party of guests at supper in her villa on the Promenade de Anglaie. Some'rather racy anecdotes are related about her,'and'her many decidedly eccentric associates gave her rather a scandalous reputation. One of these tales is that after one of her suppers the Princess, taking off her slipper, threw it across tho room, whereupon an actress of the Palais Theatre, who was among her gueats, picked it up, filled it with champagne, and emptied it at a draught to the health of the hostess, This so pleased the Princess that she exclaimed, as she embraced the actress—'' To-morrow, my dear, you shall have a villa of your own, next door to mine," This promise was kept and the actress has now tho slipper under a glass case. A very stylish young man, who got ckaned out at trente-et-quarante at Monaco, amused himself one evening by marking game for the rich Russian lady who being pleased with his appearance, accepted his services, although he was a stranger. That day she was a heavy winner, when she left tho table she offered this gentleman a thousand franc note in so delicate a manner that a refusal was impossible. The next day the same transaction was repeated, and again and again during the whole week. Then luck turned against tho Princess, and the strango gentleman placed his purse at her disposal, who accepted the offer, and was soon able to pay the loan with interest. This gave rise to a sort of partnership, and at tho end of the season her cavaliero servante left Monaco with a clear profit of 10,000 dols.