The St. Louis Republic., 1900-12-22
He Is Reported Deeply Wounded in
an Affair of the Heart With
a Washington Belle.
SISTERS OPPOSE MARRIAGE.
Because They Want to Keep
Their Wealth Together, Miss
Edith Potter May
Never Wed.
REpIE ELIC SpECIih

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Washington. Dec. 21.-General Corbin left
few days since for visit to his daughter
in New York. The announcement was made
to his friends here that he had gone away
to recuperate from the effects of q severe
cold. but notwithstanding this announce
vent, there runs an undercurrent in soci-
ETY. that the Adjutant General is suffering
from n deeper seated malady than a nero
cold. That he has. in fact. gone away TO
pull himself together from an affair of the
heart. which happily. is not, however. quite
hopeless as yet.
In that mysterious way the secret 1f
which IS always so carefully concealed, So
ciety appears to be in possession Of the
whole story. According to this authority,
the matrimonial attentions SO evident on
the part Of General Corbir toward Miss
Edith Patten have not been meeting with
the success ne would desire for his entire
happiness. There is nothing to find sauit
with In regard to the attitude OF the young
lady herself in the affair. but there is a
whole big book of complaints to be lodged
against the idea Of their sister In this re-
spect. They are distinctly against the idea
OF their sister. Edith. marrying General
Corbin. Not that they dislike him or In any
way regard such an alliance as anything
nut entTeIy z. II ~ Nol tiic
simply they do not wish their sister Edith
To marry any one.
The reasons for this stand are entirely
financial ones. The Patten girls. who 1t is
well known. are among the wealthiest men.-
bers of Washington society. desire to keep
their money all together In the family.
They have had one taste of q portion Of
their wealth being diverted into other chan
ncls through the marriage of their older
sister. who some dozen years since married
cx-Representative Glover OF ST. Louis. at
that time member of Congress. The eX-
perience proved a most costly one, for 1t
resulted not only In complete alienation
from their sister. but involved long ard
expensive law suit. which Jagged an in
termlnabls length of time through the
courts.
Since that time the Patten girls have en-
tertaineJ extensively and had no end OF
attention. But they do not marry 1t is
stated that the oldest. Miss Mary Patten,
is the leader in all family matters and pos
sesses that keen business ability which
marked her mothers management of the
large fortune left by the father. 1t Is she.
society gays who is most strongly opposed
to the idea OF her sister Edith marrying
General CoTbn.
The latter has made no secret Of his at
tention to tho young lady ever since that
well-remembered afternoon In tho late
spring, Wnell, RIteE EsSuiuS ptOdOCshSt III
society invitations to assemble In their
swellest turnouts and form a Rotten Row
back Of the White House. he dashed among
this assemblage of his friends. driving Miss
Edith Patten in the highest dog cart In the
city. This action on his part was taken
at the time by society as tantamount to an
acknowledgment of engagement. Since
then the Adjutant General may have been
seen almost every fine afternoon driving
with the same companion. But SO far
there is no tinkle of marriage bells in tho
air.
OF course, Miss Patten is not Obliged to
ask the consent of her sisters or any one
else In regard to her marriage. but for her
to marry would mean her withdrawal Of her
share Of the Patten money. and that is
what her sisters strenuOusly object to. And.
on the other hand. like an anectionate SIS
ter. Miss Edith Patten does not wish to run
directly counter to the wishes of her fam
lily in this affair Of the heart or anything
else. for that matter.