The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-03
UNHAPPY MARRIAGES.
b Some American Womon of Forum,
Endure From Titled Husbands.

b Some American Women of Fortune
Endure From Titled Husbands.
The unmarried woman Of wealth in the
United States enjoys probably the most
enviable lot that falls to the share Of any
female on the face of the earth. She can
go where she likes and do as she pleases.
She can buy either pictures or precious
stones according to her tastes. She can
summer in Russia and winter on the
Riviera, and there is no one to say her nay.
sho can hoard her wealth il her inHtincts
are misery, or she can do, good with il
without stint should they chance to be char
liable. But the moment that she consents
to permit a European aristocrat, as greedy
for money as a starving wolf is for mutton,
to assume authoritative way over her for
tune and her actions she becomes one of the
dumb driven cattle" of loveless marriage.
Apart from personal brutality. which is a
far moro common cause for complaint
against the titled spouses of American
wives than is altogether comprehended,
there are two great sources of unhappiness
always lying in wait to destroy the peace of
such unions. These dangerous elements
High play at the clubs or at Monte Carlo
forms the recognized diversion of society
men in Europe. The sums staked and lost
often in q single evening are Of startling
proportions. Ten Thousand dollars is looked
upon as a mere trif1o to s%quandera at roulette
or baoGarat. The titled husband of a
wealthy American lady lost ten times that
sum at Monte Carlo some months ago. /
had often heard it stated as a fact that
American men are looked upon as persi-
monious and timid players in the club life
Of Paris. They a to stop when they
have lost some $4,000 or $780," was the
remark of q French society man on this
question, while We. on the contrary, con-
slider that we have at that point only. Just
begun" The recent catastrophe of the
young Duke d'Uzes, who has been put BY
his family under legal control and has been
sent out to travel in Africa on account of
the rapid and thorough way that he was
squanuerlng his fortune, is one of the latest
instances OF the kind on record.
As to the women of the demi-monde, tho
hold hat certain sirens of this class have
over the minds and hearts of their adorers
is u well-recoRnized element of danger in
European marriages. To begin with, such
little affairs cast no discredit on the gentle
man. On the contrary he is thought to have
lent a luster to his career. such as is given
by the possession of q famous horse or dog,
if he is known to have taken charge of a
celebrated actress or dancer. He shows
himself freely in public with the chosen of
his heart, just az though that choice had
been ratified by the law and BY the church.
sne acts as tne hostess or his bachelor
home. shares his carriage and his opera
box, and is in all respects a recognized fac
tor in his life. When he makes up his mind
to get married she is supposed to be pen
stoned off, n in fact l have known at
least one instance at which, on the union
of u rich American woman to a French no.
bleman, a stipulation was inserted in the
marriage contract for the payment of an
annual income to the backgrounds former
mistress from the fortune brought him by
his bride.-Paris letter in st. Louis Post
Dispatch,