The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-05
BARON GEROLTs DAUGHTER.
A Diplomatic Romance.

Chicago Tribune the following gossip about
the seclusion of Baron Gerolt's daughter, In
convent at Georgetown, D. C. He says:
One of the romances Of Washington City
was recently enacted in the diplomatic corps;
For nearly thirty years Baron Gegols seIve0
City, and he lived long enough to rear native.
born American children under the shadow
Of our capitol, one OF whom married
Mr.. Rangabe, the Greek minister: Gerolt
owed bis appointment to this country to
Baron Humboldt, who had been entertained
by him while charge In Mexico, and who
recommended him to the King OF Prussia.
Gerolt was an afable, Republican sort Of a
man In society, fond OF the American people,
and his social associates were men like
Charles Sumner and others who inclined him
toward the Federal side In the war Of the re-
belion. He probably got considerable credit
for original principle during the war. when he
was really subordinate to acquaintances OF
stronger will, who impressed the claims Of the
North upon him. 1t Is charged that at home
he was somewhat tyrannical with his family. as
is the German custom, and that he and bis wife
wished to assert too much authority over their
children, who had inhaled the breath Of the
western hemisphere. Whatever the interior
side of his lie might have been, Gerolt Is
remembered enthusiastically by some of the
best people in Washington, Republicans and
Democrats alike. He resides at Linz, near
Bonn, 10 Rhenish Prussia, and is permanently
out of'the diplomatic service Of North Ger
many.
The Gerolts, although Prussians are Calho-
lies, and the girls were strictly brought up un-
der the tuition of the Sisters at Georgetown.
Bertha the youngest daughter of the Baron,
rich and handsome type OF the young Ger
man girl, fell in love three or four years ago
with her fathers secretary Of legation, q tall,
handsome, dashiDg, and somewhat reckless
Prussan, and connection or relative OF
Bismarck. This young secretary belonged to
fine old Braudenburg Protestant family,
which had decided notions against forming
have fallen heir, In time, to large estates
in North Prussia, but these were In some
manner, as 1t is stated, made conditional upon
his keeping up the ancestral Lutheran faith.
This young Prussian chap you may recol-
lect as being the adversary of one of our min
listers, Lawrence, OF Central America, some
two or three years ago, when the two met on
what Is called the field Of honor, exchanged
shots, and then patched up the aght without
bloodshed. he paid court to Bertha Gerolt,
and she was Intensely. enamored Of him. In
order 10 make the nupials easy on both sides,
Gerolt applied to the Catholic Church authors
ties for an indulgence, or something warrant
Ing the marriage of this hereditary Protestant
with his Catholic daughter; but asit was spect-
fed that The children issuing from such mar
rlage were to be brought up Protestants, the
Roman dignitarles refused.
Gerolt, who appears sincerely to have wish.
ed to please his child, had also intentions
upon the Popei but, while these ecclesiastical
efforts were being made, the domestic cores
pondence between the secretary and h!s
mother In Germany, and some ensuing letters
from Madame Gerolt to the other family,
growing warmer and more indignant from
lime to time, had the effect of .rackiug the
poor girls feelings, and. In the end, the hand
some Prussian went off home. This Is the
end to the matter up to the present. Bertha
Gerolt refused 10 accompany either her father
or mother to Germany, and has retired to the
Georgetown Convent, where, some say, she
will take the last veil; and others, that she will
repent after awhile and reappear In the world
Opinion is divided In this city as to why
Gerolt was remanded to his own country;
hands of our State Department.. Others al
lege that he was inefficient, particularly about
the time that American arms were shipped tt
France to be used against the Prussians. It II
said that, on that occasion, Bismarck asked
Mr.. Bancroft why our government permitted
such things; and Bancroft, to make 1t easy fol
himself, retorted that there was Baron Gerolt
In washington, ana, II ne naQ Deen dttenu
ing to his business, the arms would
have been detained. Others say thai
Catacazy drew Gerolt into an intrigue
and got him to work against the late
treaty which we made about the Alabama
GLAZING. Whatever the facts the Baron ha!
gone for good, and his admirers here are pre-
pairing to forward him an elaborate service o.
silver, to show that what he did for the coun
try In Its crisis is remembered at least by Its
private citizens.
[All such gossip as the above should be
taken with due allowance. There may be
some fact mixed with much fiction In the
story.1