Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-01-31
DAILY DEMOCRAT.



Correspondence Of the Chicsso Times.
BosToS, January 10
Perhaps the connection may not be evil
dent, bui am impelied to breathe word
concerning the gossip about tue Honorable
Charles Sumner. However, as that is in IL
self matter Of disconneetion there can be
10 fault II is seriously ard sadly true
that the great prophet Of the higher Law
is not so much married as he once as
The announcement has been going the
rounds, couched in Inc tender,st terms.
that 'ineompatihiity Of temperament,
difference Of option On certain SEGA
questions" which were discovered only too
late, have "precluded the possibility Of Mr.
and Mrs. Summers living gether as msa
and wife" The simple..fact 10 that Sens,or
Sumner and his young wife discovered their
"iosempatibility" long ago. They had been
bUe . few Denths married when personal
friend Of the part;es-who, l need hardly
mention, Was herself Of the gentle ssx-in-
fos med me in confidence that Charlss Sum-
me- and his wife "wcre not happy" II was
not strange.
Mrs. Sturgis gave up fortune Of $100,
600 to become the bride Of the distinguish
81 Senator, Who, indeed, had little 10 offer
her besides his obstruction" She was
young and gay he was at least middle
aged and ineffably stupid She was born
to be queen Of society newell, no one
can call Mr. Sumner brilliant society man.
Their tastes and their inclinations were to-
tally at variance. The Senator would have
liked for wife one who could live upon the
breath Of his lips-who could find in his
cold nature all that fervent woman de-
sires. lie would have been satisfied with
one who would 90 homo early and read his
latest speech, instead Of leading the last
German-who preferred stupidity to bril-
Iiancy, and dead rhetoric to living small
talk From the commencement Of his mar
ried life, the Senator found that he had
made mistake. His wife naturally claim
ed her right to the enjoyment Of society to
which she had been accustomed; while he
grumbled at what he was pleased to con-
strue intoineg'ect Of his precious self. In
addition TO this, Mr. Sumner was not able
pecuniar'y to maintain such IN establish
ment as was expected. and his erdeavors to
cut down family expenses were not prcduc
tive Of an increased good feeling.
In this eminently unpleasant way matters
went on until that Holstcin affair. when the
caused the arrangement which has never
been patched up, the result Of which is the
present separation. The main facts OF the
d fficulty alluded to are well knoxn, and it
is unnecessary to repeat them. The part
which Mrs. sumper took. however. is not
go generally known. She is a lady in every
respect, high-spirited and weli-bred-which
can hardly be said Of the Senator-and is is
l. - a
ali. Let i. suffice 10 say that, when Mr..
Summers foolish jealousy led him to cast
reflections upon her fair name--to foul his
own nest-with virtuous indignation she
denounced him, and. after singing re-
buke for his lack Of manly dignity and re-
spect fos himself and for his wife, she an
nounced her determination Of quitting his
roof. She told him she would 60 TO Europe
and remain Ave years, ct tho end Of which
period he would be entitled to q divorce.
and she expected he would procure il. Tho
witness OF this scene tells me that the Sena-
tor WINGED like . whipped spaniel under the
merited and dignifed rebuke Of the insult
ed lady. Mrs. Sumner went to Europe,
where she remained with her sister at
Paris. But Count Holsten was ct Vienna,
and Mrs Grundy. who knew there was q
railroad between the two capitals, began to
remark that perhaps the Senator was right
after all. No one who knows the lady
would give breath to such suspicion (; but
10 save appearance. Mrs. Summers friends
urged her to return-in fact Almost com
manded it-and she came back But not to
the arms Of the Senator, as was so triumph
antly announced at the time. She never for
nom mt retracted the indignant words
spoken when so stung BY her husbands
meanness and folly at Washington and
those best acquainted with her say she
never will swerve from her determination.
Such is the history of the 'incompatibli.
ty" in the household Of Sena.or Sumner. 1t
is no new thing, nor is the separation re-
Gently effected. The former was discover, d
a. soon as the Senator'S narrow and selfish
character began to manifest itself after mar.
rage. and the latter dates from his con-
, temptible exposure in Washington. Mrs.
Sumner has meantime, understand. be-
come possessed, through hereditary be-
quests, Of much OF the fortune to which she
lost her claim by marrying and, - she
also hiss property in her own right, will
doubtless lead quite as pleasant and COM
Portable life as when mistress Of the Sen
ator's establishment. subject to his whims
And sel6shness Hup BuB.