The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-22
A SENSATIONAL DIyoRCE.-A New York
of the Cincinnati Enquirer


correspondent of the Cincinnati Enquirer
writes:
A subject of gossip in literary circles
here of late has been the approaching di-
yorce of a well-known lecturer-I think
he has figured in some of your Mercantile
Library courses-from his wife, an accom-
plished woman, o native Of Switzerland,
but for many years resident of this coun-
try: 1t seems he met her IN Paris durin
one of his tours Of the Continent, was
pleased with her, paid his deyoirs for few
weeks, proposed, was accepted, and imme-
diately became the happiest of mortals.
He brought her, bride, to his home, not
far from Massachusetts, and for two years
they lived like turtle-doves in an enchanted
garden.
Children were born to them, and they
deemed themselves blessed. They read
and talked poems, and called the gods to
witness their felicity. The gentleman and
his wife visited New York and made the
acquaintance Of young artist and writer
of mu. / promise. Mrs. - seems to have
fallen desperately in love with the painter,
and he with her. How long it was before
he or she revealed his or her passion am
unaware but she invited him to her home
the following summer. Ere the summer
came the lecturer, fell heir by the death of
his father, to aprincely fortune, and he i'm
mediately purchased beautiful site, on
which he erected magnificent mansion,
the admiration and wonder Of all the coun-
try round.
To that palatial abode the artist went
often and stayed long. Much of the time
the husband was absent, and SO marked
was the attentions of the friend that the
staid neighborhood was shocked. The good
people were not suspicious, but they could
not resist the belief that Madame was dis
loyal to her liege in the deepest sense.
Everybody held her as light except her
lord. Though he saw every day what would
have made almost any one doubt, he kept
his faith, and appeared unconscious she was
ever imprudent.
The friend was evidently ten times more
her husband than he whose name she bore.
Many women ceased to visit Mrs. - ;
but she went to see them was always so
amiable, pleasant, and kind that they often
thought they must do her injustice. The
charitable explained her conduct by saying
she was foreigner, and her manners,
therefore, different from ours that great
allowance must be made for European free
doms, &c.
A year ago last spring the artist went
abroad, and in n few weeks Mrs. - did
likewise. They met in Paris, bya rare CO.
incidence of course, and travelled all over
the continent, assuming her lovers name.
The lecturer was apprised of this again and
again, and from such various and trust
worthy sources that he could no longer deem
her other than untrue. He has discovered
that for several years she has expended
money so recklessly that his ample fortune
has been impaired, and that he will be OBJ
liged to sell his house and grounds that have
been the pride of his heart. The lecturer
has accused her of infdelity, and she has
resented the accusation with indignation.
He has threatened divorce, and she has as
sured him that she was quite as desirous az
he of separation. He is now absent in the
West, to obtain divorce in the courts of
Indiana, | believe. If the case should be
made public it would delight the pruriently
curious.
The parties are known everywhere; the
lover more by his contributions to the At
lantiC, Galdry and other magazines, than
by MS paintings. lie Is very Ionu VI uie
cussing the spirit of Paganism which runs
through French art, philosophy, and life
but it is quite possible he could study his
own morals to some advantage, with view
of mcnding them. The wife is not hand
some in the usually-rcceived sense, nor is
she young. But she is deemed very inter
esting, is called fascinating, and charms all
she meets. Her husband is related to some
of the best families in New England; and
he is an able and estimable man; his self
suficiency and self-satisfaction being the
chief causes of his long blindness to his
wife's almost transparent frailties.
The lover, it is said, will marry his mis-
tress when she is divorced from her hus-
band. Under the circumstances he could
hardly do less.