The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-02
TIM Grnndest OF Titles.

Another marriage Of an American lady to
a European Of title took place In Philadel-
ph!a on Wednesday. 1t was very grand
wedding, with beautiful bride. and stall
wart German count as groom, and IL the
glory and splendor OF the entrance OF tho
pair into matrimony are typical Of their
future 1t will be brilliant beyond measure.
The Countess PAPPKrHEIM joins nu-
merous and constantly increasing company
OF American women who have entered by
marriage into the ranks OF the aristocracy
OF England. OF France. Germany, and Italy.
In beauty and In wealth these ladies are usu-
ally OF distinguished endowments, some OF
the choicest OF the flowers In our garden OF
girls; for even the ambition leading them
into such alliances may be evidence Of an
aspiration In itself deserving OF respect.
| They want to stand at O higher elevation
and play larger and more important part
than the republic gems to them to offer.
It Is not all vanity with them.
Yet this ambition is misdirected, II It be
ambition alone which moves them. for, OF
course true and genuine affection may be q
law unto itself. 1t Is misdirected because an
American woman loses rather than gains In
elevation by marrying foreigner OF aristo-
CkdblO blbS, uO hhoJUOL hO" hAbh ~ AhoJ W.
She gives up her place Of privilege as cih
zen OF tho republic and becomes a subject OF
the monarch to whom her husband
renders allegiance. She falls into graded
system and Is releRated to o subordinate
rank. Here in the republic she stands OF the
top. Nobody Is above her. There IL no rank
before which she must bow. There is no
scale OF precedence in which she must be Of
inferior degree She is the queen, and by
right OF womanhood alone she yields the
sceptre.
As an American citizen sojourniDg In
monarchical country, she Is the equal Of tho
highest, or rather she Is free from the dis
tinctions and restrictions Of feudalism.
wholly outside Of them. and the advantage
Is great. The woman who gives 1t up makes
heavy sacrifice, no matter what aristo-
cratic title she wins in return. The title,
too. she must always hold. not by the right
Of birth, which gives 1t Its real value, II
value 1t has, In the estimation Of the foreign
society. but by reason Of her marriage
merely. She Is an interloper In tho ranks,
and during her whole life she 10 sure to
suffer in consequence, and to o greater or
less degree. She Is out Of place. and has
descended from her real dignity e an
American citizen.
Yet We do not wonder that the glamour Of
feudal title dazzles the eyes Of 80 many
American girls. They read Of the splendorS
OF aristocracy In novels through which
marches an endless procession Of lords and
ladies, pictured as II they were Of different
species from ordinary mortals, of higher
mould. They sec about them republican
adulation OF tho gewgaws Of coronets and
feudal orders, excusable only 30 far
as 1t is an expression of curiosity
and admiration touching the strange
and novel, Nowhere else In the world
than New York would the people rush out
in such crowds to see Queen VICTORIA or the
Emperor WILLIAM. Mr.. BARNUM's greatest
show on earth would not be circumstance
in comparison with such an attraction. And
yet nowhere Is the democratic sentiment so
strong and 80 universal as here The
people Of New YORK do not want King or
an Emperor TO rule over them, for they are
sOvereigns themselves. and tho King or
Kaiser who undertook to disturb their au-
thority would meet the fate Of MACMILLAN
In Mexico; but they would like amazingly
10 look upon genuine feudal monarch.
80 also let our American girls satisfy
themselves with the sight and blszonry Of
bersldIc devices not taking them seriously
As objects Of real value worthy OF their puT-
suit. Let them remember that thaTs u no
sovereignty 80 high and uDdisputsd 40 that
which they Eield. and no title comparable Ia
dignity and grandeur with the title VI AIneF.
ian citizen.