Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-23
MATRIMONY AND AGE.


rapidly even the great fall out of notice.
Carlyle and George Eliot were literary
wonders, and they are already dropping
from observation. The latter was buried
at Highgate, which is already known as
the resting place Of Coleridge The fact
that her husband John Walter Cross)
was so much younger (twenty years) than
herself occasioned much comment This,
however, is not without precedent in
literary and social life. One of the lead
ing clergy Of this city is married to a
woman ten years his senior, aud the
union appears congenial. Mohammed's
wife was twenty years Older than her hus-
band, and it is much to the credit of the
latter that he honored her to the last.
He ascribed much of his success to her
assistance and influence. John Howard,
the philanthropist, married out of graft
tude woman who was equally his senior
She died in few years, however, and
his second union was one of love. 1t
was, however, also dissolved by the
death of his wife, and then he devoted
himself to philanthropy. Napoleon's
first wife, Josephine, was his senior by
six years, being 80 at the time of their
marriage, while he was 25. 1t would
have been well for him had he valued
her conjugal love, whose violation was
the beginning of his ruin Aaron Burr
also married widow, who, like Josephine,
had two children. Mrs. Burr was ten
years older than her husband, but the
union was very harmonious. She pro-
badly allowed that large liberty with the
fair sex to which he had been accustomed
and thus avoided domestic quarrels. John
Wilkes, the famous London agitator of
the last century, married lady who was
ten years his senior, but she was not will
ing to overlook his irregularities, and
hence obtained a divorce.
johnson, the photographer, married
the widow Porter, who had small pro-
perty. He was acquainted with the
family before the death of her husband,
and this helped in the matter of court
ship. Mrs. Porter was 4S, while her
husband was only 81 at the time of the
wedding. The latter was certainly one
Of very peculiar character. The parties
started horseback for the place where the
ceremony was to be performed, and
johnson thus describes the journey to
Boswell: ''Sir, she had got it into her
head from old romances, that a woman of
spirit should use her lover like dog
At first she told me | rode too fast, and
she could not keep up with me, but when
Stacked my space she passed me, and
complained that I Jagged. I was not to
be made the slave of caprice, and, there
fore, pushed OH till | was out of her
sight. When she got to the destination
L observed she was in tears" johnson
always mourned the loss of his wife, and
though he was forty three at the time of
her death he never married again. How
often In his subsequent writings he refers
to his lost companion in the most affec-
tionate manner!
When only Is Shakespeare was mar
ried to Anne Hathaway, whose age was
70. Six months from the wedding day
the hrst son was born to this ill-mated
pair. The husband a father had no
means OF supporting family, and when
the latter had increased to the number
OF son and two daughters he fed to
London. The deserted wife supported
her children as best she could, and twenty
years afterward her husband returned,
and by his subsequent conduct strove to
atone for his early error. Such facts as
these prove that John Walter Cross in
marrying Marion Evans had some strik-
ing precedents.
On the 18th ult. William Ashmead
Bartlett, aged 81, married Miss Burdett
Coutts, aged 81. The wedding, which
took place in London, has made no small
sensation, since the bride was one of the
richest women in the world. She inherit
ed from the Duchess of St. Adams a sum
of ready money equal to 100000 in
the banking house ofCoutts & Co. The
terms of the will were that if she mar
ried an alien the aforementioned item
was to pass to another heir, and it is,
therefore, forfeited. The groom was born
in Philadelphia. His father died early,
and he was then taken to England by
his mother, who had some wealth. He
became the brides private secretary and
confidential friend, which gradually led
to the marriage. Miss Coutts is one of
the most beneicent ladies of the prese 1T
age. Her donations have reached an ag-
gregate which is almost marvellous and
the groom was very useful in dispensing
her charities. They expect to continue
the latter, and the groom will probably
have plenty of occupation. He is a fine
looking young man, respectable talent,
and has written a clever book on the
Russo-Turkish war He retains his
home citizenship, and may be mention
ed as the most remarkable American
fortune in the records of society