The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-04-16
HTlED AnEaicln WOMEN.
uoet Of Them Purchase Misery Along
With the Coronets They buy.

The unmarried woman of wealth
in tho United States enjoys proba-
bly, the most enviable lot that falls
to the share Of any female on the
face of the earth. She 10 indepen-
dent of all the world. She can go
where she likes and do as she pleases.
She can buy either pictures or pre-
cious stones according to her taste.
She can summer in Russia and VIM
ter on the Riviera, and there is no
one to say her nay. She can hoard
her wealth if her instincts are mi.
serly, or she can do good with it
without stint should they chance
to be charitable. But the moment
that che consents to permit q Eu-
ropean sristocrat, as greedy for
money as = starving wolf is for
mutton, to assume authoritative
sway over her fortune and her ac-
tions, she becomes one of the
"dumb driven cattle" Of . loveless
marriage.
Apart from personal brutality,
which is a far more 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 dan
gerous elements are the gaming
table and the demi-monde. 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 up
on as a mere trifle to squander at
roulette or baccarat. The titled
husband of q wealthy American
lady lost ten times that sum at
Monte Carlo some months ago. I
had often heard it stated as q fact
that American men are looked upon
as parsimonious and timid players
in the club life of Paris. "Thcy
want to stop when they have lost
some $4,000 or $3,OOO," was the re-
mark of French society man on
this question, "while we, on the con-
trary, consider that we have at that
point only just begun" The recent
catastrophe of the young Duke
Dues, 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 squandering his
fortune, is one of the latest instan-
ces of the kind on record.
AS to the women of the demi-
monde, the hold that certain sirens
Of this class have over the minds
and hearts of their adorers is we'll
recognized element of danger in
European marriages. To begin with,
such little affairs cast no discredit
on the gentleman. On the contrary
he is thought to have lent a luster
to his career, such as is given by
the possession of a famous horse
or dog, if he is known to have taken
charge of q 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 aud by
the church. She acts as the hostess
of his bachelor home, shares his
carriage and his opera-box and is
in all respects q recognized factor
in his life. When he makes up his
mind to get marriedshe is supposed
to be pensioned off, and, in fact, /
have known of ct least one instance
in which, on the union Of q rich
American woman to q French no
bleman, stipulation was inserted
in the marriage contract for the
payment of an annual income to
the bridegroom's former mistress
from the fortune brought him by
his American bride.-Paris letter
to st. Louis Post Dispatch.
Noses Of Great Mem.