The Red Cloud chief., 1897-03-19
Men.

roma palace, used
to say hat she
mad only known Of one really happy
marriage made by an American girl
abroad says the New York Post. In
those days, being young and limo
cent. we considered that remark very
cynical. and in our hearts thought
nothing could be more romantic and
charming than for a fair compatriot to
assume u historic title and retire after
her marriage to her husbands estates,
to rule smilingly over him and a de-
voted tenantry. very much as II APP
pears In the last act of a comic opera.
when a rose-colored light is burning
the orchestra plays the last bril-
liant chords OF a wedding march. Then,
also, there seemed to our perverted
sense a sort Of poetic justice about the
TACT mat money. gained honestly but
prosaically In groceries OF gas. should
go to regild an ancient Hagon or prop
up the crumbling walls of some robber
stronghold abroad. Alas! many
thoughtful years and many cruel reali-
ties have taught us that our gracious
hostess OF the seventies very nearly
was right and that marriage under
these conditions IL apt to be much
more X h comic opera after the
curtain has been rum down, when the
lights are out. the %applauding public
gone home and the weary actors. slow
ly brought back to the present and the
positive, are wondering how they are
to pay the rent or dodge the warrant"
In ambush around the corner. These
marriages come about generally from
a want OF knowledge of the world. The
father becomes rich, the family travel
abroad, some mutual friend (often
from purely interested motives) pro-
duces a suitor for the hand of the girl
In the shape OF a prince" with a title
that makes the whole simple American
family culver with delight. After a
few visits the sutton declares himself;
the girl is flattered, the father loses
his head, sees visions OF his loved
daughter h%obnobbing with royalty, and
Intoxicating thought!) snubbing the
"swells" at home who had shown grea,
reluctance to recognize him and hi!
family. 1t is next to impossible 70,
him to get any reliable information
about his future son-in-law in a coun
try where he has not a single social re
lation, belongs to nc club and whose
idiom is a sealed book to him. Ever,
circumstance conspires to keep TIT
flaws in the article for sale In tn,
background and put the sutton in al
advantageous light. After a few weeks
wrestling, p~aterfamilias agrees to par
with a handsome share of his earnings
and a marriage is arranged" In tn,
case where the girl has retained som
of her self-respect the sutton Is obliged
to come to this country for the cere
mony. And, that the contrast may no
be too striking, an establishment Il
hastily gotten together, with hired liv
cries and n~ew-bought carriages las II
a recent case in this state). The sen
s%ational papers take 1t up and publish
faxed" portraits of the bride and he
noble spouse. The sovereign OF tn,
grOom's country enchanted that som
more American money is to be import
ed into his land) sends an economical
present and an autograph letter. Tn,
act ends. Limelight and slow music!
In a few years inc of dissent ant
trouble float vaguely back to the girl,
family. And finally, either a grea
scandal occurs and there Is one NOR,
dishonored home in the world, or
wretched, heartbroken woman, thou
sands of miles away from the friendl
and relatives who might be some com
fort to her. makes up her mind to &C
cept anything" for the sake OF he
children, and tries to build up agaiI
some sort OF an existence OF the re
mains Of her lost happiness, and he,
father wakes up from his dream I,
realize that his wealth has only served
to ruin what he loved best In the world
Or, again, instead Of being sad, the cir
cumstances become delightfully."- comic
as in a certain case we know of, wher,
the daughter, who married into an In
dolent. happy-go-lucky, impoverishe,
Italian family, had inherited her faith
er's business push and energy alonj
with his fortune, and Immediately Sc
about running" the whole estate q
she had seen her father do his bank
trying to revive a h~alf-forgotten indus
try In the district, scraping and white
washing the picturesque old villa, pro
posing her husbands going into bust
ness. and In short dashed head dow
against all their national prejudice
and inherited traditions, until her new
family fairly loathed the sight of he
brisk American face. and the poor sh'
had tried to help sulked In their newl,
drained houses and refused to be com
forted. Her ways were not their way
and she seemed to them unlike Italian
ladies-almost unsexed. as she trampe'
about the fields. talking artificial man
ure and subsoil blowing with the men
And yet neither Of these people wer
to blame. And the young Italian ha'
followed the teachings of his family