Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-25

making all Europe his empire and its rulers
his obedient servants, Talleyrand had q
queen at home who ruled him by her
beauty, her temper and her exactions, and
mortified him continually by her ignorance,
her blunders and her tantrums.
His marriage was failure in more ways
than one. 1t cut him off from resuming the
Roman purple of the church, and destroyed
all prospect of his securing the "red hat.
1t almost destroyed all intercourse with his
relatives, who could not be induced to as
sociate with his wife. It texposed him to the
contempt and ridicule of society. The
knowledge that his domestic infelicity had
been forced upon him must have added
poignancy to his evaporation and planted
bitterness in his soul.
Women Raised the Rumpus.
As the story goes Madam Grand, who
was remarkable for her beauty, became an
inmate eff his house as his mistress. She also
did the houors OF his table and his salon to
the ambassadors from the courts of Europe
and distinguished foreigners whose presence
in Paris was for the purpose of adjusting
treaties and arranging differences due to the
conquests of Napoleon. These diplomats,
while wondering at the taste and tact of
man in allowing such a woman to occupy
place so prominent, and OF submitting to the
annoyance OF her Stiffness. yet accepted the
situation quietly, rather than raise rumpus
that might endanger their diplomatic
schemes. But the wives OF these foreign
ministers refused to submit to any such
breach of social etiquette. or to give sanction
BY their presence to any such exhibition Of
unblushing effrontery.
Mrs. General Eaton, as related, ruled An
drew jackson as completely as he ruled the
Democratic party. Jackson swore "by the
eternal'' he would make the wives of his
Cabinet oficers-and other women in society
recognize "his little friend Peg" but he
found that "when a woman won't she won't.
Their husbands in consequence mad to re-
sign their Cabinet offices, and Mr.. Calhoun's
political aspirations were blasted. Napo-
leon, on hearing of the social turmoil. did
not attempt to coerce the ladies of the Diplo-
matte Corps.
No Way Out of 1t.
He simply told Talleyrand he must marry
Madam Grand, and gave him "a hours
to make up his mind. To her tears the
great man rsplied by saying: '1 see
only one way of managing this. Let Talley-
rand marry you and all can be arranged;
you must bear his name, or you cannot ap-
pear in his house." TalIeyrand, beset on
all sides, was compelled TO yield. He hated
disturbance. As the woman knew some
of his secrets, he was, as Madam de Remu-
sat observes, afraid to irritate her. He did
not desire a rupture with Napoleon, so in
two days he was married, and the difficulties
with the diplomatic corps were adjusted and
smoothed over.
There was no doubt plenty of gossip over
her blunders, her foolish sayings and her
displays Of temper, but the profound silence
with which they were received BY Talley-
rand checked any display of amusement
when he was present However, in public
he defended her with the remark: "a
clever woman often compromises her hus-
band; stupid woman only compromises
herself"
Beauty After Marriage.
Beauty, which proves so alluring to men
before marriage, loses its power atterward.
A wife may be beautiful as poets dream,
but after marriage beauty becomes second
ary. She must show enough good sense to
sustain the husbands choice as creditable.
Madam Talleyrand was one of the noted
beauties of her time, but she had disagree
able voice, fiery temper. her manners were
bad and she was so intoIerably stupid that
she never by chance even said the right
thing. Altogether it was miserable mar
riage for both of them.
Women take much interest in the domes-
tic lives of great men and women. Histo-
rians mainly conine themselves to public
life and events. But when women pursue
this study they want knowledge of the
sort of man he is at home. Hence memoirs,
biographies and "reminiscences are always
more interesting than the dry details of
history filled with dull list of political
moves and battles, murders and sudden
deaths. Talleyrand's Memoirs, although
rather late in the day, will be welcomed as
q contribution to the history OF his time that
may clear up some mysteries and dispose of
some of the ''prodigious lies told in his
time. What interests the world to know is
the measure of man without his stills.
These set him above his fellows, but they
do not alter his stature.
BESSIE BRAMBLE