Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-07-08
e.r,haIdl,s second Marriage.


account of Garibaldis second marriage,
of which nothing but the most meagre
details, and those for the most part in
correct, ever appeared In print. The
history is so curious, so marvelously
romantic, that i think it worth sending
to you. It was in 1859, while on a cam
paign against the Austrians, that news
appeared in the public journals of Gar
ibaldi having married young and beau
tiful lady of high rank. Two DAYS af-
forwards it was said that she left him at
the church door, aud this is pretty near,
" all that the public ever heard on the
subject. That the marriage, SO far as
the ceremony went, took place, is true;
that the lady was young aud beautiful
is also Hneontroxertad;sa and that, but for
a bar sinister on her escutcheon, she
would have been of high rank, may
likewise be admitted. But so far as her
having quilted Garibaldi at the church
door, she did her utmost to keep the
victim whom she had hooked by very
artful means, and it was he who, acct
denfally having his eyes opened IN time,
escaped from her. q 8 sEse
1t appears that Gen. Garibaldi is SUBJ
iect to periodical fits of low nervousde-
preston, during which his friends, when
possible, prevent any. strangers from
seeing him. But one of these attacks
coming on while he was under canvas
in Lombardy with troops under his or
de1s, it was impossible to conceal his
illness-which, moreover, lasted on this
occasion longer time than usual The
Marquis de Ramundi, man of ancient
family, being burdened with three il
legitimate daughters, the mother of
whom was of a very low origin, sudden
Nv conceived the project of marrying the
eldest of the three to Garibaldi, and
thus not only getting her off his hands,
but placing the other two il, better
position in the world. He contrived
that the young lady should be sent to
Garibaldi as q messenger bearing dis
patches, at moment when he was lying
PROSTATE in his tent and extremely I'LL.
She acted the part of O sister of charity,
AID insisted upon nursing him till he
cot well. Garibaldi's susceptible and
affectionate nature was worked upon as
had been calculated, by these attentions,
and he, with many expressions of graft
tude, invited his fair young friend to
come and see him frequently. 81
In very short time she began to
complain of her own health, and excited
Garibaldi's uneasinessa about it, In re-
ply TO his anxious questions, the Mar
ouis de Ramundi said he feared his
daughter was going into consumption
and when very much pressed SIS 10 what
he thought would be the best treatment
of her case, stated, with sigh, that he
feared it was incurable, because she had
confessed to him that she was dying of
love for him, General Garibaldi. The
General, with considerable warmth and
animation, told the father that this
could not be.
II am he said, San old and wither-
ed man, in whom all amorous passion
is extinct moreover, my thoughts are
completely absorbed in my conutry's
cause, andit is impossible that / can
have inspired any young girl with love-"
The energy and conviction with which
these sentences were uttered, made the
latter think it prudent to modify his
tactics, aud he accordingly explained
that it was not so much Garibaldi's per-
son that his daughter was in love with,
as the cause of which he was the glori-
Gus representative, and that she sighed
the sake of that cause.
swell" said Garibaldi, quite inno-
cently,.''let her stay with me as much
as she likes" lyon are infinitely good,
General" said the Marquis de Ramun-
di; ''but will please to observe that nei-
ther her mother nor myself could always
be with her, and herreputationwould suf-
ferif she remained alone with you. 1t
would be impossible for nae to concent to
your generous request unless some sort
of a. marriage ceremony wero gone
through and then she would in reality,
and in accordance with your wishes and
feelings, be to you not wife but
daughter" Strange as it may appear,
Galibaldi actually consented to this ar
rangement, upon the Marquis de Ra-
mundi giving him his solemn word
and honor that he believed his daugh.
ters life could be saved by no other
means. The wedding was hastily solem-
nized; but just as everything was ready
for Church, Garibaldi received a letter
from a ndinforming him of the lille
gitimacy of his .faacee, and, moreover,
| that she herself had for some time had
lover, whom she was about to present
with pledge of her affection In the shape
of baby, whose advent could scarcely
be delayed more than a couple of
months. Garibaldi. though greatly
shocked at these tidings, did not think
fit to create a scandal by staying the
marriage ceremony, or making any accu-
sation against the lady without proof.
But he was aware that by the laws of
Italy a marriage ceremony went for
nothing if it could be proved that the
parties were not subsequently alone to-
gether for at least the space of an hour,
SO as to afford presumption of con-
summation. Before going to the. altar
he gave orders to three Of his officers to
accompany him, to follow him from
church, to sleep in his bedroom, and
not to loose sight of him day OF night,
until he should release them from that
special duty. Two days after the SOL
emnization of the marriage he was put
in possession of O letter addressed to
Mile Ramundi, by her lover. He sent
for and told her he was going to open
the letter in her presence, and he did
SO and read the contents. These show
ed proof of her guilt so conclusive that
she did not attempt to deny it. Carl
baldi then sent her at once about her
business, and has never seen her since,
and he contends that he is at this mo-
ment as free from her as if he had new
er gone through the form of marrying
her. One cannot approve the levity with
which Garibaldi allowed himself to tri-
~ : II n