The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-10-28
Our 0lio.
A BRAZILIAN ROMANCE.

Marriage of the Daughter of a Diamond King-Ex-
traordinary and Enthusiastic Account of an As
tonishing Display-How the Invitations were
{. sent and the House Decorated.
The hour is midnight, and | have just
come in trife jaded, but before retiring l
purpose, while yet the facts are vivid in my
mind, to give you some account of we'd
ding I attended this evening Itwas we'd
ding, make bold to say, the like Of which
was never celebrated on either continent.
The high contracting parties to the marriage
were Malta, only daughter of De Souza Ca
bral, the great diamond king of South
America, and George Arthur Throckmor-
ton, native of Kentucky, United States of
America, who for the past five years, has
been successfully engaged in railroading in
this country, with headquarters at Rio ia
metro. De Souza Cabral is principal owner
of nine of the richest diamond mines in
South America, and from them, in the ag
gregate, he derives an annual income of not
! less than 500 900, 900. His interests in gold
mines probably amount to as much more,
and | am cognizant of the fact that last
August he sold one-tenth interest in the
celebrated Bahia Mine-of which, until
then, he had been sole proprietor, for
So, 500, 900, gold. His diamond interests in
South Africa and Siberia he lately estimated
under oath (in some legal proceedings before
court in Minas Geraes) at the enormous sum
of $50 O,O00,000! He has, besides, great
penchant for real estate, and [ was but re-
Gently informed by one of his agents,
thoroughly trustworthy man, that Cabral's
rentals in London and Glasgow alone yielded
over e15O,000 annually. In 1868 he pur-
chased the patent of machine for making
eyelets from poor fellow whom he found
starving in garret at Marranham, for such
bagatelle as $193. To-day the machine
is extensively used all over the world, and
Cabral draws $500 day from this source
alone. And then there are his sewing ma
chine royalties that yield him something
over $4,000 a day. (The correctness of
this last item is vouched for by friend of
mine, who is the manager of the leading
sewing machine company in Brazil.) In
Decd it is easy to tell what he is interested
in, but hard to think of something that is
anything in which he is not 1t would be
puzzle to name leading railroad in South
America or England in which he has not
stake He takes in something over mil
lion and half year from his steamboat
stock, and probably twice as much more
from other sources. A cool, clear-headed
man of sixty, six feet high, straight as an
arrow, with an eye like an eagle, judg-
ment as unerring as fate and decision as
quick as the lightning, with superb nerve,
unconquerable boldness and an apparent in
capacity for blundering, De Souza Cabral
stands to-day the wealthiest man on the
globe. He was lately asked by an intimate
friend, in my presence, if he had any con-
ception of the sum total of his possessions ?
He thought for moment and then quietly
replied: II could not swear that was not
worth-pr -presuming that could realize on all
my property-$50, 0,OO0,000,000. He made
this astounding exhibit with perfect sang
froid, but must confess that as he spoke
1 felt something very like pity for him. I
could not but think how specially difficult
it might be for him to satisfactorily solve
the problem of the camel and the needles
eye. t.-
| would not have devoted so much space
to the father of the bride of this evening
were it not for the fact that otherwise the
account that follows of the wedding might
be received with incredulity. The bride
groom, young Throckmorton, is descended
from one of the Oldest and wealthiest fami-
lies of the "blue grass country" ashe loves
to call it. He came to Brazil with matter
of half million in his own right, and since
has prospered famously, SO that to-day he
cannot be worth less than 100000. But
apoor rpittance in comparison with his father
in-law's overwhelmingly gigantic fortune,
but still quite sufficient to relieve him from
the imputation of marrying the fair Malta
Cabral for money. He met her first year
ago at ball at Pernambuco, and the result
was case of love at first sight on both their
parts, at least SO "they say. They make
an exceedingly prepossessing couple-he
tall, broadshouldered, yellow of hair and
moustache, and she tiny, graceful, lovely
faced brunette.
And now if I but had the pen of ready
writer to describe to you in fitting terms the
unqualified and immeasurable pomp and
circumstance of their wedding. But, alas
l cannot, and as [ cast about for begin
ming of my narrative I am much embar-
rassed with the riches that wait to be treated
Of There were the invitations, for in
stance. They were written ON parchment
by artistic hands, in quaint text, exquisitely
Illuminated. Instead of being inclosed in
paper envelopes they were sent to their
favored recipients each in its dainty box of
sandal-wood. These boxes, 200 in num-
Der, were manufactured to order expressly
for this wedding at Canton. Each one of
them was furnished with lock and key of
solid gold, was exquisitely carved with
cupids and hearts and other designs appro-
pirate to the occasion, and cost $3.50. My
own invitation lies beside me as I write,
and catch the delicate scent of the sandal.
The residence of the great Diamond
King, at which the wedding took place, is
situated little over half mile from Dia-
mentina, which is, you know, the chief
town of the diamond district / may at
tempt to describe its magnifcence in an
other letter; let it suffice to say now that
the house is the complete realization of the
ideal castles of the regulation English
novels, and that the grounds connected with
it are the last expression of nature at her
loveliest reinforced by art at its most con-
summate. This evening the place seemed
paradise. Wax candles by the thousand,
each caught and held in its place by
bronze figure, flooded the rooms within and
the miles of grounds without, with soft
yet brilliant light. Here and there, on the
green slopes, or in the rustic bowers, or at
the edge of some romantic ravine, large
music-boxes imbedded and completely hid
den from view in moss, played soft and
dreamy accompaniment to the voice of the
f0untainS Ono h1,ndrod un,,eio hovoo xuort