The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-22
DOWRIES FOR GIRLS.
Wives Of Senators and Cabinet
Ministers Give Opinions.
BUY a DOG. BUT NOT 4 COUNT.
me Happy Women Of wyoming "A Rich
Man Ought to Give His SON.
in-Lsw . Start.

WASHINGTON CRY, Feb. l6.-fSpecial
Correspondence Should American girls
have dowries? Should we settle portion
upon our daughters at marriage? These
questions / have asked of some of our
most noted society ladies during the past
week, and | find their answers interesting
In the extreme I first called upon Mrs.
Senator John Sherman. She said:
III am in favor of dowries for our
daughters, though do not think the mat
ter.should be q compulsory one as Il Is in
France. / 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 happiness will not hesitate to endow
her upon the event of her marriage. I
have often expressed this sentiment in
our family, and believe that no father.
3 should he possess sufficient means. is JUS
tiled in placing his child in q position
vhere she will be entirely dependent upon
The whims of another. It is q wise regu-
lation Of the French government to pro-
vide by the settlement Of marriage por-
ton. for the permanent support of the
wife, 80 that she can never be left in want,
no matter how improvident the husband
may be-"
HOW ONE COUNT GOT $4,000 YEAR.
Nevertheless know" continued Mrs.
Sherman, s4of any number of instances in
which the system has proved rather dis
astrous. You may probably have heard of
the marriage of Miss Gordon, of Cleveland,
Ohio, to Count Villain, of Belgium. This
affair created quite sensation at the time,
as Miss Gordon was beautiful girl and
the only child of a millionaire, who was
violently opposed to his daughter we'd
ding foreigner. The parents opposed the
match for while and made every effort to
draw their child out of the way of tempta-
ton. The lover, however, was not to be
thwarted, and when the affair became un-
avoidable, the parents determined to make
the best of it. A meeting was arranged
with the lover for the purpose of signing
the settlements. and when the prelimi-
narles were being discussed, the amount
of the dot became a subject of consider
able controversy. At length the father
asked what money the counts family in
tended to bestow upon him. This ques-
ton rather staggered the young man. who
FASTENED to explain that no such custom
prevailed in his country 80 far as the hus-
band was concerned.
Every well them added Mr.. Gordon.
1 Unless you can show an equal amount,
either in money or lands, you can not
have my daughter
"After considerable cabling and much
discussion the question was finally settled
By the consent of the counts father to
transfer to his son property valued at $780,
600. Not until tlIen would the million
aire agree to the demand, and he imme-
diately settled life interest upon the
In o<
Of the amount conferred upon the groom.
Three years afterwards the wife died, and
today the widower continues to receive
the annual allowance agreed upon from
his father-in-law, notwithstanding the fact
Of his second marriage. | might quote
other instances of a similar character"
Mrs. Sherman went on, ''but they would
oil 60 to prove that foreigners seldom
overlook the all-important dot in ques-
ton 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 happiness to
consider"
SHE LOVED ANOTHER.
"You are doubtless familiar" continued
Mrs. Sherman, with Lucy Hooper's adj
vice to her countrywomen? In one Of her
letters written from abroad after her mar
rage, she thus forcibly puts the case: My
dear young American sisters, if you must
have pet, purchase a spaniel, but never
buy French count Miss Hooper's
father, as consul at Paris, had many curious
experiences 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 girls, by the glitter of
Attic. One day while seated at his desk,
he was interrupted by the entrance of
lady, who feelingly explained that her
husband, Frenchman, had informed her
that by the laws of France, which require
the presence of the resident foreign min
lister or at least the consul ut the ceremony
to insure the legality of the contract, their
marriage did not hold good in his own
country and that in consequence of the
absence of such q representative at
the church, she could no longer claim his
allegiance as husband. Sympathizing
with the woman in her trying and ques-
tionable position, Mr.. Hooper very gently
explained that unfortunately there did
exist such law, and that he was powerless
20 help her. To his establishment his WIS.,
itor delightedly exclaimed: Then it is
oil true as he said, and l am free to marry
whom l choose am so glad. for there is
another whom love very dearly
MRS. PosrMAsrER-GEsERAL wANAMAKER.
Mrs. Wanamaker, wife of our postmaster
general, is woman of culture and rare
common sense, and having spent several
years in foreign travel. is fitted to express
intelligent views on this subject. called
upon her one morning not long since and
found her luxuriously ensconced in her
pretty boudoir in the midst of her regular
daily work of correspondence. She was
answering dozens of private notes and let
'ers OF charitable appeals. She said:
tnink that the question of bestowing
s:- uot or wedding portion should be en-
sheiy optional, not compulsory as IL Is
Ssuroad. Such arrangements are in many
Instances productive of much evil and of
x:iaheiai embarrassment. AS an illustra-
s,on OF this recall the case of wealthy
Irehchman who had three welded daught-
sls upon each of whom he,had bestowed q
Hot lar IN excess of his private means.
1wo OF his sons-in-law had been taken into
far.nership with him. and in consequence
Ss had impoverished himself, when other
~lse ne would have been rich in this
sofia goods. Many American girls pos
independent means and their future
provided for without additional endow-
@@en, As to girls not so situated, hardly
ink that any man of means would care
PERMIT hls daughter To leave her home
az S;a.:.noowed, and thereby place her in po-
.se4oh OF comparative dependence"
- SENATOR MCPHERSON APPROVES OF THEM.
Mrs. Mcpherson, wife of the senator
E Sm New Jersey, has spent much of her
.'s IN foreign travel, and probably there
s rev corners of the world which at one
s ,ue or another she has not visited. A
Az J,y1u a, OF keen intelligence and consider
80 literary taste, she has made q careful