The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-09-30
CHApTER. XIII

present, one of whom represented the
bone Of contention in the case taking
into consideration the fact that our
ways are as totally opposed as the poles
shall put few questions which it
would afford me keen satisfaction for
many reasons, not all of which are en-
tirely personal, if you would answer,
count. - He ignored Desmoulins, to the
visible perturbation of that worthy.
"What questions?"
care you aware that in the marriage
you propose there is evidence of true
nobility disassociated gener-
ally from marriages of this sort? Your
demand is apparently entirely disinter-
ested? You give all, you demand moth
ing?"
The count rubbed his hands together
violently. est is understood in France, ;"
he finally stated blandly, "that tie
family of the fiancee offers with her a
sum sufficient to insure her husband
against disaster-since, obviously, he
assumes with marriage its expenses, its
sponsibilities, it's reforms. He paus-
ed. "That sum is called dot''
"The aforesaid dot to be reserved for
the wife in case of misfortune Detailing
her husband?"
"Not so. That dot to be paid down to
her suitor's bankers, under the assump-
ton that the income to be drawn from
it will be hers as we'll as his
Admirable! And what is his is
hers?''
The count cleared his throat. Gun
fortunately for the woman, he muir
INJURED, a trifle awkwardly, "the law in
France is what we call raide. %
'Unelastic, +" translated Stornmouth
humorously, if not literally.
''The wife's property is invariably
subservient to the will of her husband, :"
continued the count, with scowl.
Justly" remarked the judge suave-
ly, elf she receives in the marriage con-
tract sum equivalent to the sum ad-
vanced by her parents to be accredited
to her. The
Pardon, monsieur. When an Amer
lean woman of property unites herself
with a distinguished French family, she
receives the title only in exchange for
her personal property
"And her husbands property-what
of that?"
"That stands, in her husbands name
with her own.''
"You mean to say, then, that she
buys his title with her money, her puri-
ty and her youth, demands no security
against possible disaster and is suppos-
ed to tie thankful and contented that
her choice still respects her for such an
evidence Of individual imbecility?"
Monsieur puts it harshly. Why does
monsieur presume that a Frenchman
desires to unite himself with foreign
er? In SO doing the Partisan renounces
his personal satisfaction for all time. A
foreigner, to Partisan born and bred,
is a specimen both uninteresting and
incomprehensible. A Partisan under
stands and is understood by his own
class, by his own customs, by his own
heart. 1t is rarely, unless in middle
age, if monsieur will take into consid-
Grafton most Franco American unions,
that the Partisan is the first to give evil
dence OF q desire to sacrifice himself to
foreigner, even though that foreigner
be as young and beautiful as Miss Del
no." The count laid his hand upon that
portion of his anatomy which is popu-
larly supposed to represent the place
where the heart should be. He bowed
very low indeed, possibly to make up
somewhat for the bald cruelty of his
proposition.
II will put it more harshly still.
Your title, it is obvious, is your only
claim? You propose to offer it for con
sideration?"
Monsieur is pleased to strip my
proposition of its bloom.'
"Pah! 1t has no bloom. 1t is as
starved of ultimate promise as devoid
of the beauty of hope and aspiration, as
barren of the sacredness we Americans
associate with the divine duties, the
tender promise of true conjugal union,
as you are devoid of any sense Of honor
to make it, You call yourself noble
man. Know, then, there is not a savage
in our far west who understands SO lit
tie the law of exchange as do YOU He
chooses his squaw out of his tribe. He
may give her nothing in exchange for
her gewgaws and her maidenhood but
tomahawk and pair of arms with
Drawn in them and a soul teeming with
tho strength Of his savage forefathers,
but he knows the law-an eye for an
eye and tooth for a tooth. He takes
his bride to his heart the way lion
takes his mate. He gives her his man
hood OR his protection-call it what
you will. In any case he stands between
her and lesser brutes who would snatch
her from his arms. A fig for your
vaunted civilization! Give me, were
girl, a virgin man out of one of our
western forests, with the stir of life's
combat in his VEINS without a sou,
only his birthright, the keen desire in
him to succor the weak. Give me man
among men, not fop, who seeks to sell
his debts, dispose of his title and yet
still retain it, figure up his bride as a
means of financial reinstatement. to be