The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-07-01
The Courtship of Jerome Bonaparte.


A correspondent of the New York World
thus tells this story of the wooing and wed.
ding of Madame Patterson -BOnaparte by
Jerome, the brother of the first Napoleon
The captivating of Jerome Bonaparte was
done of malice prepelSe. She had heard OF
his arrival in Baltimore, and when the Lady
who tells the story went to visit her at heI
fathers country seat, few miles from that
city, on the York road, the conversation
turned upon the newly arrived Frenehmen.
Said the visitor: "You must come to see me
soon, Betsey, and meet Bonaparte." 81
shall come, replied the young lady, ''pre-
pared for conquest. Oh, to go to France
as his wife, and 0e the admiration of all
Europei" A few days afterwards she went
TO Baltimore. 81 heard voices in the street,
says the lady friend, ''and looking ont the
window saw Betsey coming onR jackass. y
In this way it seems the beauty rode on to
glory. The next day there wereraces, and
Betsey attended them. wearing a white
wig. 1t was the fashion in those days for
ladies to wear wigs of every imaginable
color. A belle might appear in the morn
ing with red hair, at noon with white, at
night with brown, her own perhaps be-
ing black, rs was the case with Miss Pat
terson's, which was of a beautiful shade,
of black-not the inky-black, or yet
the blue black. Wearing her white
wig and seated in the carriage with 9TH
er ladies, she was introduced by CommO-
dore Barney to Jerome Bonaparte, who
was at once struck with admiration of the
'.Grecinn beauty" as she was called, while
a rival belle who afterward married one OF
Jerome's suite, General Rubell, was known
as the "Roman beauty" The same day
General Smith, ''the hero of Mudfort, gave
a dinner to the Frenchmen at which Miss
Patterson appeared, wearing her own hair,
and completed her conquest on the spot,
Jerome told her she was so much more
beautiful when adorned by her natural
tresses than she could possibly be in any
wig that she never again donned one OF
those monstrosities.
In the course of few days young Bona
parte gave a grand ball, and Miss Patterson
was his partner. In the dance he threw
over her head gold chain, to which was
attached a miniature likeness OF himself,
set in diamonds, and the lady bore it of in
triumph. Thus the engagement was made.
Mrs. Patterson's father, however, disap-
proved, and sent her away to what is termed
the wilds of Virginia. Jerome's love pen
etrated even to that secluded spot, and he
succeeded in having letters carried to her.
When Mr.. Patterson discovered this he
made no further violent opposition, but
brought his daughter home, and IN p short
time the marriage took place. When the
Young couple were ready to go to Europe,
Mr.. Patterson, who was merchant and
shin-owner. fitted out one of his own Ves-
sells TO convey his daughter in regal style
to that France which she hophd to con-
ouer by her beauty. Alas alas she
reached it only to find every port clesde
against her by reason of the Emperors
order. A message from Napoleon, that his
brother should come at once to Paris to
consult with His Majesty, was conveyed
TO the ship, and, hoping all things, the
bridegroom departed, making sure he could
win ais sovereign's consent to his marriage
in a personal interview. He never saw his
wife again. The Emperor forbade his re-
turn to her, and she, after awaiting him In
vain. was taken to London by her brother.
There her son was born. She met jerome
once wears afterward, in Florence, in pic
ture gallery. They recognized each other
instantly; but the gentleman who had ac-
companied the deserted wife led her away
at once. and the next morning Jerome Bo-
naparte left the city.