The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-01-28
OUR, WOMEN ABROAD.
The Experience Of Some American Girls
Who Married Italian Nobiemeu.


who Married Italian NoblemeuL
II Is now ten years since "a former
Consul Of She United States in Italy
said TO me; "Anerican parents and
guardians ought never 20 allow their
daughters on wards TO come over and
pass one, two or three years, as the
case may be. in the study Of music for
the opera, or other professional sing
ing, without some elderly female rela-
tive TO accompany and protect them.
and also that they may appear respect
able in the eyes Of respectable people
here" This same Consul told me Of
instances where great trials, and, in
one case, how positive harm had come
10 those either ncglecting or being
ignorant Of European manners and
customers. A young lady might travel
from one end OF the United States 10
the other, or might stop any length Of
time for study or any other purpose
wherever she pleased, with perfect
impunity. and without any imprOprie-
ty; but il Is different here, and the
Consul's word Of caution and warming
had reason in IL.
But wish n word Of caution and
warning might be raised for the benefit
Of marIiagcable young American ladies
and widows, who do not come here 10
study. Many such come accompanied
by weak maternal relative, who is
dazzlcd by the title and the show Of
some Baron, Count or Duke, who, ten
20 one, is an impccunious younger son
Of some old family run 10 seed. If he
had money besides titles he would
marry one Of his own country
women and ask no favor Of the
foreigner Recently "A most eminent
professor Of one of our universities was
over here for the purpose Of seeing
young lady relative Of his, who was on
the Continent with her mother, and had
been carried away by one Of these noble
men (D. whose affections had scented
money from afar But no change was
made despite the good professors
counsels. and as he left Italy he dropped
me line from Como, saying that
nor any thing else could prevail with
an American girl when the noble bee
got under her bonnet
All this is too true. Some of your
readers may have seen an account of
the way one Of our Consuls in Tuscany
found. in n madhouse, an American
lady who had truly given her heart and
money TO one of those impecunious adj
vcnturcrs. and who then had had her
shut up in an asylum, when she was no
more insane tnan the soundest person
in Florence.
All Italian husbands arc not bad men.
| have seen some rs happy domestic
relations between husband and wife as
| have ever seen anywhere, and should
judge that there is greater domestic
felicity hero than in any other Latin
nation; but rs whole. the standard Of
family life and happiness. from the very
mannero of contracting marriage, is far
below that of Anglo-SlXon countries.
The impccunious dandics with roman
tic noble title. have found out the weak
ness of the American and tho English
girl, and they take advantage of it, In
1882 l noticed in the bank OF
Mcssrs. Turner d Go. nm English lady,
| should say of twenty-five, who,
accompanied by II poor, sckly-
looking father. was engaged
in dcpositing some money. could see
that she was the stronger character OF
the two. aud II person of determined
will. | was informed that she was
"dcad in love " with an Italian, but
that he would not come to terms until
he had made il n condition of marriage
that all her money should be assigned
TO him. rs he knew how To invest it i'm
Italy to the best advantage! And she
turned over every ccntimc To him.
Not six months after her marriage this
poor lady, from opulcncc, was turned
adrift with only sufficient money to
hire a few furnished rooms ut Sorrento.
and | was applied To to recommend
persons to go there for pension. in
order that she might earn her living.
Only this year II respectable widow
lady, residing here in Naples, allowed
herself To be carried away by the atton-
tions and the polite bearing toward her
of IN Italian gentleman. She consult
ed more tHan one person, and among
Others Mr.. tamphausrn, our present
American Consul, and they all, in
answer to her question" Shall | mar
ry himP "-rcspondcd in the language
of Mr. Punch's celebrated letter,
Don't 1t was, however, of no use;
she event and did it, aud in less than
a month the scoundrcl tried To strangle
her, and has since heaped all manner
of indignitics upon her. In one sense
she was little wiser than her English
sister and many of her own. She did
not assign him her money, aud hence
the great ire of Mr.. Impccunious. -
Jy1llu, Ing I,pg,.,.y., Ds.,,sy,c