The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-02-22

to WOmen's Rights
Should American girls have dowries Should
we settle portion upon our daughters at mar
rage? These questions have asked Of some
of our most noted society ladies during the past
week, and find their answers interesting in
the extreme. first called upon Mrs. Senator
John Sherman. She said: III am in favor Of
dowries for our daughters, though l do not
think the matter should be compulsory one,
as it is in France. l believe, however, that
both husband and wife are all the happier from
the possession of means of their own, and every
parent who values his daughters best happi-
ness will not hesitate to endow her upon the
event of her marriage. have often expressed
this sentiment in our family, and believe that
no father, should he possess sufficient means, is
justified in placing his child in position where
she will be entirely dependent upon the whims
cf another. 1t is wise regulation of the
French government to provide by the settle
ment of marriage portion for the permanent
support of the wife, so that she can never be
left in want, no matter how improvident the
husband may be-
HOW ONE COUNT GOT $4,000 A YEAR.
ssNevertheless, know" continued Mrs. Sher
man, tof any number of instances in which the
system has proved rather disastrous. You may
probably have heard of the marriage of Miss
Gordon, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Count Villain,
of Belgium. The affair created quite sensa-
tion at the time, as Miss Gordon was beauti-
full girl and the only child of millionaire, who
violently opposed his daughter wedding a
q foreigner-5sT The parentS opposed the match for
while and made every effort to draw their
child out of the way of temptation. The lover,
however, was not to be thwarted, and when the
I. ,osl l.Il %I1 H.
termined to make the best of it. meeting
was arranged with the lover for the purpose of
signing the settlements, and when the prelimi-
naries were being discussed the amount of the
dot became subject of considerable contro-
versy. At length the father asked what money
the Counts family intended to bestow upon
him. This question rather staggered the young
man, who fastened to explain that no such
custom prevailed in his country so far as his
country was concerned.
very we'll, then, added Mr.. Gordon, 'un-
less you can show an equal amount, either in
money or lands, you cannot have my daughter
''After considerable cabling and much discus
sion the question was finally settled by the con-
sent of the Counts father to transfer to his son
property valued at one hundred thousand dol
lars. Not until then would the millionaire
agree to the demand, and he Immediately settled
a life interest upon the young couple of ten
thousand dollars year, 10 per cent. of the
amount conferred upon the groom Three
years afterward the wife died, and to-day the
widower continues to receive the annual allow
ance agreed upon from his fatherin-law, not
withstanding the fact of his second marriage.
/ might quote other instances of similar char
acter," Mrs. Sherman went on, "but they would
all go to prove that foreigners seldom overlook
the all-important 'dot in a question of marriage
with an American girl; no matter how fondly
they may love the woman, and the subject is
worthy of more serious consideration among
those who have their children's lasting happi-
ness to consider.
SHE LOVED ANOTHER.
''You are doubtless familiar" continued Mrs.
Sherman, ''with Lucy Hoopers advice to her
country women? In one of her letters written
from abroad after her marriage she thus forcibly
puts the case: My dear young American sis
ters, if you must have pet purchase a spaniel,
but never buy French count. Miss Hoopers
father as Consul at Paris had many curious ex-
periences brought to his notice in his official
capacity, not the least original of which was
the case of young wife whose fancy had been
enthralled, like many another American girl,
by the glitter of title. One day while seated
at his desk he was interrupted by the entrance
of lady, who feelingly explained that her
husband, a Frenehman, had informed her that
By the laws of France, which require the pres
ence of the resident foreign minister or at least
the consul at the ceremony to insure the legal
ity of the contract, their marriage did not hold
good in his own country, and that in conse-
quence OF tne absence Oh SUCH representative
at the church she could no longer claim his al
legiance as husband. Sympathizing with the
woman in her trying and questionable position,
Mr. Hooper very gently explained that un-
fortunately there did exist such law, and
that he was powerless to help her. To his
astonishment his visitor delightedly exclaimed,
'Then it is all true as he said, and am free to
marry whomI choose. am so glad, for there
is another whom / love very dearly"
MRS. POSTMASTER GENERAL wANAMAKER.
Mrs Wanamaker, wife of the Postmaster
General, is a woman of culture and rare com
mon sense, and having spent several years in
foreign travel is fitted to express intelligent
views on this subject. i called upon her one
morning not long since and found her luxu-
riously ensconsed in her pretty boudoir in the
midst of her regular daily work of correspon-
denee. She was answering dozens of private
notes and letters of charitable appeals. She
said: II think that the question of bestowing
dot or wedding portion should be entirely
optional, not compulsory, as it is abroad Such
arrangements are in many instances productive