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Lola Montez.

To those who still remember the freaks and escapades of this strangely-fascinating woman her presence among the noble dames of the Royal House may seem to be, to say the least, a little strange. The younger generation, who may have but a dim idea as to who Lola Montez really was, may be interested in the following sketch of the career of that remarkable adventuress. Lola was born at Limerick, Ireland, in 1818, her mother being a Creole of notable beauty. After havig passed the early years of her life in an English boarding-school at Bath, her beauty and vivacity of spirit attracted a young Anglo-Indian officer, Captain James, who married her and took her with him to the Far East. But Lola found Eastern life rather dull and, secretly leaving her husband, she embarked for Europe. Struggling poverty assailed the adventuress in London, and after a most chequered career as a street singer Lola went to Madrid. She obtained an engagement in the ballet at the Porte St. Martin Théâtre, in Paris, in 1830, but the director found himself bound to dismiss the irrepressible ballerina. We hear of her again in Berlin, where, mounted on a spirited thoroughbred, she assisted at some grand military manœuvres, at which the King of Prussia and the Emperor of Russia were present. The firing of the cannon frightened the animal, which bolted among the suite of the Emperor of Russia. A zealous policeman caught hold of the horse's head just in time to stop its mad flight, but, not content with having done his duty, he felt called upon to administer a rebuke to the fair rider. Immediately the hot-blooded Lola belaboured the astonished guardian of the law with such a shower of blows from her whip that he had to call for assistance. She escaped imprisonment on the plea of severe provocation, but had to leave Berlin. Paris, the scene of her former exploits, was of course her goal. Press and public received her with acclamation, and Pillet enzaged her as première danseuse at the Opéra. Soon, however, the old spirit of recklessness broke louse, and when in a fit of daring she threw one of her satin shippers among the public she got hissed off the stage. She returned to Germany. Ludwig II. of Bavaria, meeting her apparently by chance at the house of a Courtier, expressed a wish to see her dance a fandango. Completely fascinated by her feline grace and witty repartees, the Royal enthusiast presented her to his Court as "my best friend." She was made Baroness von Rosenthal and Countess Landsfeld. A pension of 20,000 florins and a magnificent villa gave suitable atmosphere to the newly-created titles. But when he proposed that Queen Therese should invest her with the dignity of a Chanoinesse of the Theresian Order all the King's Ministers sent in their resignations and were replaced by new ones chosen by Lola herself. The student corps Allemania saw in Lola a sort of goddess of liberty and espoused her cause. This led to such riots that all lectures at the University had to be suspended. Lola, with her usual dare-devil temperament, ventured to walk right through the excited street mob. She was greeted with hisses and groans, and only escaped violent treatment thanks to the