The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-25
DON'T MARRY A DUKE.
Prominent American Women
Give Advice to the Girls.
FOREIGN ALLIANCES RISKY.
The American Husband = Nobieman I'm
His Habifs-Opinions of Mrs. Proc
tor, Mrs. Miller and Others.

is still talking of the gorgeous wedding of
Florence Audenreid TO Count Forest Di-
vonne. 1t was gorgeous in the extreme,
and the brides wedding gown cost for
tune. 1t was of cloth of silver, and its
train was twelve feet long. 1t was Won
derfully embroidered, and the wedding
veil was the finest of duchesse lace, and
this was pinned to the brides dark hair
by diamond feur de us. The bride wore
at her corsage magnificent spray of dia-
monds which the count gave her, and she
was, all told, more gorgeously clad than
Sheba's queen in her glory. The groom
was quite as gorgeous as she. He wore
coat embroidered with gold lace. There
were iewelled orders ON his breast, and his
costume was that which he wears at court.
All Washington City bowed down in
honor to the couple, and all the
diplomats of the capital were present.
Secretary Blaine brought the.bride into ST.
Matthew's church on his arm. and he led
her up TO the front of the church, where
he handed her over to the groom. The
French minister was the counts best man
and two of the counts noble brothers
came over from Europe to attend the we'd
ding. The presents were numerous and
valuable in the extreme. There were
pounds upon pounds of solid silver. The
counts brother gave the bride a sapphire
bracelet, and there were diamonds and
jewels and plate OF all description. The
pride looked beautiful, and she is exceed
ingly rich. She is about medium height,
has dimpled cheeks, dark eyes and a most
corpulent bank account. She will make
striking addition to the rich American
girls who have married mobiles, and her
marriage brings again to the front the sub
ject of international marriages.
Should our American girls marry dukes?
Are titled husbands desirable? The ques-
ton is one of interest to all American fam
lilies. Nearly 100000 of us go TO Europe
every year Young and old European no.
bles are casting about for pretty and
wealthy American brides, and the Worlds
fair of 1898 will flood the country with for
tune hunters. have discussed the situa-
ton with the leading ladies of the capital
this week and ind them up in arms, and
III one and all cases opposed to foreign
marriages.
MRS. SECRETARY PROCTOR THINKS 1T RISKY.
/ first called on Mrs. Proctor, the wife of
the secretary of war. She said:
II think that there is great risk in
every foreign marriage At present | do
not feel that / would like my daughters to
wed among strangers, but one can never
be sure how opinions may change through
force of circumstances. Doubtless there
are very many instances of love matches
of persons of different nationaities that
might be quoted as examples of lifelong
happiness. Yet in every marriage there is
much to test the devotion, even when the
individuals have been surrounded through
life by the same customs and domestic in
fiuences, and where marked differences
exist one could hardly expect perfect har-
mony."
MRS. SENATOR DoLPH.
Mrs. Dolph considers all marriage to be
Mt best a lottery, and when contracted with
foreigners, a very great risk that no parents
should be willing for their daughters to
incur.
GAS to titles" responded the senator's
wife, mo woman who sells herselffor such
price can expect true welded happiness
! think it is high time that stop be put
to the growing habit among Americans
and mothers should guard their children
from temptation in this respect. Probably
more marriages are made between for
eigners and families of officers of the navy
than any other branches. owing to the OPP
portunity offered for intercourse with rep
resentative residents at foreign ports
where squadron officers find charming
solace for their leisure hours in the society
of bright, young American girls. 1t seems
to be the general impression that Nellie
Grants married life has proved anything
but happy one. Yet Mrs Grant never
loses an opportunity of speaking of her
daughters perfect content and pleasant
domestic life in her English home"
MRS. ATToRNEY-GENERAL MILLER AGAINST
DUKES.
Mrs. Miller, wife of the encouragement,
does not approve of girl marrying out
side of her own nationality. Said she:
ut is far safer and happier to we'd one
whose education and associations have
been in the same sphere. One can seldom
he sure of the preconceived views and
habits of stranger to our customs, and it
is a serious risk TO enter the matrimonial
state without thorough Investigation
into mans credentials. Even if all
seemed satisfactory | do no think [ would
care for a child of mine to leave her home
as the bride of a duke or of any other
titled arstocrat. Still, true love is the all
important point, and it has no national
bounds"
IT DOESN'T PAY, SAYS MRS. BLANCHARD
Mrs Blanchard, wife of the representa-
tive from Louisiana, is typical Southern
woman of enlarged views. She writes
me:
Many American girls have married for
| eigners, and few 10 their happiness. The
| great majority have married TO their sor-
| row. Most emphatically | do not think it
| advisable tor our girls to seek or wish for
| foreign alliances. Too many are dazzled
| and imposed upon by the seeking adven-
| turerS who parade n seedy title in the
! hope of alluring beauty and wealth. 9th
| ers who marry among the nobility or wed
1 foreigners OF position and who Ind con-
/ geniality, enter into sphere of life where
! the conditions are so different from what
! they are accustomed to that the change
cannot be altogether conducive 10
| contentment. The chances that the match
| Is made from mercenary motives on the
| husbands part IN the case of a foreign
| union are far greater than ever when the
| man rs an American. Under these tircum-
stances would say that as a rule our girls
! who wed their own cOuntrvmen are far
happier than the American brides of dukes
I or lords To be sure, Miss Mary Endicott
! made happy match when she swore al
/ legiance In love and honor to the Hon.
| Joseph Chamberlain. She met with a
| warm welcome on the other side and She
/ has won universal admiration Yet We
! can hardly consider the English as stranp-
! ers, since so many OF our oldest families
| claim them as progenitors. and the old
/ Puritan stock. from which the Fndicotts
| descended, claim 10 have stepped unon
! New England soil from the deck of the
Mayiower
THE VIEWS OF A CUBAN LADY
Mrs. Menocal, wife of Engineer MenocaI
! I. : y, ut present in charge of the Mic.
aragusn canal project, is a Cuban bv birth
/ though from her twenty-one wears os
! welded life in the United States she has