Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-06-01
The American Mania for
Catching Counts.


The American Mania for
Catching Counts.
The Russian minister, Barren Ofenbsrg,
10 unmarried. That 10 apparently not an
announcement Of very great importance, but
ere provsrbially dsOsitful.
There are about forty unmarried foreign
ministers, secretaries aud attaches in Wash
iugIon, aud il 10 vssy demoFAlizing TO society !
that such 10 the cAss. Add vhy2 Because
American giris unfortunately have mania !
for foreigners, and either break their hearts
10 secure them ~ husbands, or have that
little ceremony performed for them after
marriage by the husbands thus secured. IL
10 not ouly thai few foreigners are Gi TO
marry American girls, buI few American
girls are he 10 marry foreigners. To mOsI
romantic young creatures . foreign match
means q title, enormous wealth, . chateau
somewhere, the locality being inds6nite, but
ever and always q gay, happy life during
most Of the year In dear, delightful Paris.
Then . foreign match gives sclat. II is town
talk, thanks 10 the newspapers, IN half the
cities OF America, and how 10 sxoiiss the
envy Of the unmatched bellies, aud what Q
heroine 10 makes Of one. All these things
ere Intoxicating. The very thought Of them
sIhilaraiss. 10 10 NOT 90 surprising after oil
that girls should imagine such marriages
desirable, nor is il more Surprising IhsJ
sensible people should regret the impseu-
mostly in the matter Of wives which dis
iinEuiahsd the corps diplomdtiqUe - Ai pres
snt 10 be found in Washington. A severe
lesson vas read the younE ladies OF that and
succeeding generations Gs TO the danger Of
making ambitious marriages with foreign
gentlemen OF rank, when Betsey Patterson,
young, beautiful, accomplished and wealthy,
was separated forever from jerome Bona
pNr1s, broshsT Of the emperor Of France.
Misc Patterson, or Madame BOnaparIe, mar
Fisd, say those Who knew her we'll in youth,
partly from ambition. Before she met
jerome BonapArie she determined 70 have
him 81 her feet, and meeting him, ct once
laid herself out for oonq She succeeded,
bat 81 what . cost. 10 year she was a
widow with living husband, . mother with
. son who must never learn TO know aud
love his father. Living IN Baltimore now at
the age Of lightweight, or perhaps nearer
ninety, Madame Bonaparts speaks with
pride Of her career" Her career, indeed,
and her former beauty, ere the memories of
her life Of which she most delights to con
verse. Her bright black eyes and the erect
carriage Of her head yet remain 10 her. She
is now quite stout, and her once beautiful
hair replaced BY Q black "fronl." Yet,
though she is said 10 detsss me memory of
her husband, she never speaks bot with
pride Of the past when she vas "lhs talk Of
IWo continents" The vas, difference iu the
modS.of life in America and Europs;.hs still
greater difference in the mode Of viewing
ltfa - nhiiwa I'D a..
chAncss for happiness of "a American girl
Welded TO foreigner slight indeed. She il
unit BY nature aud education for being the
wife OF foreigner Of any rank. The unfit.
ness OF the majority Of foreigners Who marry
in this country for making good husbands is
beyoud dispute. Young men Of rank,
wealth and exemplary habits are not
too often TO be found in the foreign
legations. Such usually marry OF home
and stay there. Certain young ladies will
tolerate no other attendants, aud spare no
pains to surround themselves with The for
eign element to tbs exclusion of any other
IL has come TO DO common saying in
Washington among young men, "IIs no
use TO visit Miss -, she always has lot
Of those foreigners around her." The
girls Who are bellies among the
foreign legations gensrAlly remain uumar.
ried until they are decidedly pGsse, il they
ever marry at ell, and few OF them bu,
what are a. some period of their existence
compromised BY az extreme Irritation with
some diplomatic funotiOnary, who regards
the gi-la he meets in Washington society as
the Only amusement our capital has to offer.
"a Irritation with one or more of them
amounts to Just nothing at all. One niue.
Amuse ones self, and what would you have?
The girls are pretty attractive aud not averae
to . fiirIa,iOn. Marriage Ny very good
friend, you dream. Can ask one OF these
charming orsAIurss to starve for me2 She
has noi sou, nor more have |, independent
Of my parents, and they would never listsn
TO . union with an Amsrioan Protestant -
But these foreign matches are sometimes
made, and this 10 about hOw il is done The
hirtation has gone on until both sides are
aware that u can 20 no further without
causing remark. Both have become too
much attached TO each other TO endure the
thought Of brsaking Of, and so the young
man writes urgent letters one after another
20 hiG parents, and after q time they relsnl
and AddrssS supercilious letter to the
young ladys papa, offering to permit the
marriage If . certain portion be given the
young lady as . marriage settlement. That
10 TO say 1--WE will allow our son TO become
the husband Of an unknown American If
she can be made Of some Importance BY
good hard oash. The price Of our son
name and portion are so much" Judge
then IL such Injuries are for your child.
The loving father, who has, for lack Of judg
msnt or lack of resolution to thWari his
idolizsd daughter, oountsnanoed the affair
lhua Tar, mat swallow his wrath, raise the
required sun, or suffer her TO be left with
0hshtsd prospects and an aching heart TO
wear out her life in hopeless longinRs. This
Is not an exaggerated view. Scarcely .
SlaISr passes that We do not hear Of such
Eases from present Appearances there are
nsv 70 be an increase Of them, rather
tnAn the reverse. Nov and then vs baya .
snnPse Of Tue ludicious side Of the picture.
az Amsnoan girl marriss . secrs.ary. goss
WIZ nun aoroAa' aad he returns after a fev
years As minister to Washington. or .hs
meets him abroad aud he il .ah,aoo.n|o
appointed 10 the Uaitsd States, R.,nsJ
20 her native country with title. a. =, 49,,
with the position given her a. Fo,.;-.
minister's wife. madame almost iuyay;.hI.
speaks her native language With q M. =,
At any rate With . slight accent. Wea s.v.
have sueh . specimen Of the prom ,tsd
AmSTIeAn In our midst, and II IL Astonishiuv
TO see how quickly abe remembers thai !,
would Dc ~ veil not 20 lisp or have toe
seeded an scos0a In speaking English, when
mssu some one Who has known he,