Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-03-05

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NH lin HERE is nothing new
ysS under the sun; nothing
whatever.
II that Is not new saying. II Is very
true one, and most true things are old,
and most old things are true, 10 that tho
wonder Is why they have not been ac-
copied and done with long ago. The
reason. suppose. is that every new gen.
GRAFTON. every new individual, in fact, in
sists upon acquiring his own information
for himself and scorns ''other mems
leayings"
Certainly this question Of international
marriages is old. remember as a little
child sitting up at a table to look at the
pictures in big Bible and my favorite
was very spirited cartoon representing
the Benjaminifes descending upon the
vineyards OF Shiloh, believe it was. and
each man seizing a struggling maiden to
carry away To be made his wife. used
TO clamor. they tell me. to be shown tho
Gentlemen Of Benjamin" as ! called
Il.
There in that same old Bible we are
daughters Of men, probably tho earliest
recorded instance OF international mar
riages.
Later on in life learned the story Of
the rape Of the Sabines. and pondered
much upon the probable after life OF
those unwilling brides. and even ven
tured in my cynical young mind to wish
that a fleet Of Sabines might sail into tho
gulf OF Mexico and carry away certain
obnoxious elderly maids from the envi-
rolls Of New Orleans.
Neither history nor tradition tells rs
how any Of these international mar
riages prospered, but i am inclined TO
judge badly. dare say tho sons Of
God. whoever they may have been, were
prim and priggish and soon concluded
that the daughters Of men were bad
lot. and they were sorry they had under
taken their conversion. And dare say
those merry maids of Shiloh sighed moro
than once for the pleasant vineyards
whence they had been torn and the care
less dances which had been their prin-
ciral occupation.
AS for the Sabine brides, ono can well
imagine tho remarks they would upon
occasion make 20 their bridegrooms, or
rather TO their masters, upon the rude
fashion Of their wooing. and how often,
in whatever language Sabines used. they
would say:
What else could I expect from such
brute as You showed yourself that day.
And probably the Sabine gentleman re-
sponded with contemptuous flip Of his
callous fingers or perhaps a touch OF his
whip.
William OF Normandy, wishing 10
make an international marriage with
Matilda Of Flanders. waylaid her as she
came from church, dragged her from her
palfrey, rolled her in the dirt and gave
her a good beating with his stirrup leatl-
ers. | believe II was after that episode
that she and her rnaidens embroidered
the Bayeux tapestries in his honor. SO l
suppose that She was neither manned in
body nor unforgivins in spirit. But, for
all that. have not the smallest doubts
THAT in moments OF conjugsl unreserye
Matilda often alluded 70 tho leathpr.ng
scene. and William as often laulente,i
that their acquaintance had not cnlcd
there.
Bat IL one goes into royal interna-
tionai marriages there is no end really 20
the unhappy histories written between
the lines OF grave annals OF state.
Tie French brides Of English kings.
with their pathetic attempts to import a
Estic OF their national gayety aud grace
into insular commonplace: the devout
spanish iufantas. who found their re-
hgion either tho deadly horror or tho
fppsnt scorn CT French aud English
courts: the naughty Austrian. Marin
Louisa, seorning the Corsican- French
man TO whom she had been harserni;
thai ether unfortunate archdnehess,
Marie Antoinette. whom the French ac-
ensei before all things Of being an Ans
TRAN Auuivichiennel-in TACT, fhes list
Is endless Of unhappy royal inierns-
t'oDal marriages. and We leave them as
We bud them for warning lights.
Ia oiir own day and tine we have p'cn-
- Of example ready at hand. Probably
every one 81 "a j. personally cosnszant
81 st'fne International marriage and can
answer fer curseives whether ss gen
erai thing. these Marriages have t-en
successful Those which ! have cb-
s*ryesl have not. or a least not when 'lle
bride was A. American and me bride
r. soin q anathsr nationality. Tie truth
= that AtarTif2u facn make The very
best hnsoasds e aay men ID tlte ~orii
and American girls are trained ~ shsir
i'ieRs q tne relative oblsgzfiors q mas
fAnsis an wivce - Wlat thfy elsserte
a. bone - thtix oeu f4rsffs and are u'-
terri 'znoTsat q vhsi am sitter fhan a.
Auier-aa mar .xpes IS q las vte
The Ansrf4n. sincerely and nnoer-
sctosis.f. respects and atn1ses wesilaa
a. a eisss ; ferls that she = = cresfa-e
= Re ss1eIiei. protected. 1fftei. O.
ressst. ri essay vfte sisa = q vaeH<
faAs6en ~toss ~ j. voe.na Int STEER
ns 1lfe AMI u4otlaer. srl-
r~se tnfTe = ~ tr..sze1 wossAo - 80
werla Fy@seSesi q - f4ecb lsonoesfis
ffeeoo7n - Ia Arar "a wife. J ssr
foucrsl'e fff< 4ce as sif*srzssis al.g ler
ex,v5stoo f-11s fss, q ~ vornrn = fisa
dernf fnarfis ~ 4 srd ofeer
y - have sefErez fr Themselves . =. ~
of fre~sm- e. rs1ser sf l~ese-@ness.