Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-04-23

married to the Princess Catherine, of
Wurtemburg, in March, 1907, the
French Senate, Immediately after the
Baltimore marriage, having passed de-
cree by which any registry was prohibit
ed in France "of the act of tbs celebra-
ton of a pretended marriage that Jer-
ONE Bonaparte had contracted in
strange country during the age of mi
nority, without the consent of his
mother and without previous publica-
ton in the land of his nativity. Napo-
leon declared the marriage null and
void and the offspring illegitimate. Jer-
ONE was afterward made King of Wur-
temburg, and had three children by his
second wife-one, the Well-known
Prince "Plou PIon." After the birth of
her child the young wite-then only 20
years old-was advised by Jerome to
return to the United States, Napoleon
directing him to write that on condition
that she did return, and would not as
sumo the name of Bonaparte, he would
allow her a pension during her life of
10000 francs year. Still with the
hope that her husband would prove
faithful she sailed for America three
months after the birth of her son, and
reached Baltimore after a voyage of
thirty-two days. It does not appear
that she ever called herself ANYTHING
but Nine. Bonaparte, but the pension
was regularly paid and received by her
until the fall of the emperor. She re-
ceived about 100000 in all, and this
was the beginning of her large fortune,
for her father left her in his will only
a few small houses and the wines in his
cellar, the value of the property being
not over $4,000 in all. This remark
able passage was inserted by Mr.. Patter-
son in his will: "The conduct of my
daughter Betsey, has through life been
so disObedient that in no instance has
she ever consulted my opinion or feel
ings; indeed, she has caused me more
trouble and anxiety than all my ether
children put together. Her folly and
of experience that, first to last, has cost
me much money" Almost immedi-
ately uoon her return to Baltimore,
Nine. Bonaparte began the economi-
cal, almost niggardly habits of life that
with increasing intensity-especially
after the second marriage of her hus-
band abused her indomitable spirit to
provide her son with the means TO
prosecute his claims to recognition
were maintained to the day of her death.
Her savings were regularly invested,
not in risky stocks or wild speculations,
which offered large dividends and high
rates of interest, but in United States
bonds and other securities, which were
perfectly safe. She was satisfied with
six per cent, and as a consequence was
never carried away by ,alluring specu-
lations which promised splendid returns,
but generally ended, as she said, Gin
smoke" AS examples of her extreme
penuriousness, it may be mentioned
that while abroad in 1920 she
discontinued corresponding with
one of her dearest friends
in fact, one of her very few friends
in Baltimore in order to save the ex-
pense of foreign postage. While living
in the society of princes and mobiles, she
wrote notes on the backs Of letters to
save the price of paper, suffered from
cold in order to economic in fuel, and
lived on plain fare in order to avoid the
expense of luxurious food. But she al
self in order to promote her ambitious
views for her son-his marriage into
some one Of the influential European
families. For this purpose she lived in
boarding house in Paris and IN lodg-
ings at Rome. For this purpose she
gave her son the best education that
this country could bestow. Economi-
cal in all else, she spared no money
where the advancement of his future
was in question. She wished him to
make figure in the world-to shine in
society-to marry into that high circle
which she believed belonged to the son
Of king and the nephew of an emper-
or.
After Jerome had completed his edu-
cation at Harvard, she took him to Ed
rope, where he was we'll received by all
the members of his fathers family, par
ticularly Nine. Letitla and Pauline Bon
aparte, who was at that time living in
great splendor at Rope at the Princess
Borghese's. Jerome was now hand
some, tall young man, about % years
of age. But he loved America better
than Europe, and was very glad to re-
turn to his mothers home in Baltimore
after about two years absence; and soon
after his return he married Miss Susan
May Williams, the daughter of mer-
chant who had moved to Baltimore
from Newburyport, Mass. Her fortune
was large for that period, and has made
Jerome's sons independently rich. not
counting what they will receive from
their grandmother.
Nine. Bonaparte returned to the
United States in 1884, after nearly ten
years absence. She had never had
many friends in the home of ner child
hood, and those few were either dead,
dispersed, or estranged. Occasionally
she might be seen at the opera, where
her beauty and her diamonds always
made her the most notable present. At
the age of 80 she was still one of the
most beautiful women in America, and
even to the last years of her life her
eyes still retained the brilliant express
sion that was once their greatest charm.