Middletown transcript., 1883-11-09
An Italian Prince.

Some reference has been made in this
series to the eager desire of Italian
princes and noblemen Of various degrees
to marry wealthy English or American
women. There are no more affable beings
on earth, to foreigners, than Italian
nobility. Almost any one can associ-
ate with a prince, which is a great
comfort to the shoddyites, who dearly
love to write home that " Last evening
Prince Tinzumy called upon us, and we
spent a few hours delightfully."- with
him y or that " Yesterday | took
Prince Whatdecallum out riding"
Many tourists never would write home
were it not for the privilege of having
their friends know that they had got
into the very best society.
The Italian prince who is so affable
to strangers has motive for his
affability. He rather likes to descend
from the high pedestal of birth on
which fortune placed him, and be
familiar with untitled Americans and
Englishmen. For it is a convenient
thing for him to have another man pay
for the carriage in which he rides and
it is likewise convenient to have some
one of whom he can always borrow a
hundred francs, without ever being
asked topayi it. Borrowing he has no OBJ
lection to, but paying back That is
when the iron enters his soul. And,
as it would hurt his feelings, he has too
much respect for them ever to think Of
such a thing. And, as to the poor
asses who consider it great thing to
be seen with nobleman and to have
the privilege of talking Of "my friend
Prince Macaroni,' they make these
little advances not only willingly but
gladly, and never think of asking them
back again. The prince never thinks
Of SO small matter and so they manage
to get on.
There was an Italian prince who laid
siege to an American girl with very
rich papa and as the girl did appear to
be very much in love with him, and as
he was very good sort Of fellow at
bottom, as italian princes go, and as he
captured the bluff old man by frankly
confessing that he hadn't dollar in
the world, and as the prince business
was not very remunerative, and that
was the only trade he had, and as the
old man could not bear to see his
daughter unhappy, he consented to the
marriage and the bargain was made.
The father agreed to give for the
support of the pair 100000 francs a
year, and the papers were signed in a
hurry and the marriage was celebrated
with great pomp and circumstance.
There was a great and vital mistake
in the whole arrangement. The prince
understood it to be 100000 dollars a
year, whereas it was 100000 francs as
it stood in the contract, and as the old
man had intended, which made an enor-
nous difference.
Neither Rome nor Florence was
large enough for prince with a
100000 a year and so they came to
Paris and launched out in great style
the old gentleman advancing him the
first years allowance, $4,000.
At the end of the first three month
the prince came and asked for his next
quarters allowance.
"Next quarters allowance Why,
gave you the first years allowance il
advance ~
Monsieur is mistaken. 1t wa'
only $4,000, one quarters allowance.
And have you spent 5000 in three
months ?''
Certainly, | am a gentleman, ;
nobleman, and must live according K
my means. 1t is all gone.''
The old gentleman then whipped
out the contract and showed that i
was 100000 francs a year and not 500,
600.
why, that is only $4,000 year
Do you think 1 would marry you
daughter for a beggarly $4,000 {
year ?"
And then he was foolish enough tx
get angry, and he termed the transac
tion a swindle on the old mans part
and threatened him and demanded
that the contract be changed, and
finally offered to strike his father-in
law.
That was where he made his mistake
The old gentleman had long since tired
of his princely son-in-law, and the
daughter had chafed somewhat under
the fact that she knew her fathers
money had gone partly to the gaming
table, and partly what was worse, to
support another woman, after the fash
ion Of the italian nobility, notably q
great opera singer then the fashion, and
things were ripe all around for an ex.
plOsion.
And so when he raised his princely
fist against him, the old gentleman,
who had been hog-driver in his youth,
quietly knocked him down the stairs,
and forgot his dignity en- ough to open
the door himself, and he kicked him into
the street and around the corner, leav,
ing him the most bruised and battered
prince that ever borrowed a dollar OF
married an American. And then he
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