Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-01-03
SORROW AFTER MARRIAGE.

10 general conversatlo0 az Cne
Waldori-Astoria,in in New York, on Mon
day. La Comtesse Louresn de Caavanne
said: "An American girl had better
be dead than married to one of these
foreign aristocrats. Let these so-called
noplemen alone-that is my advice to
every young American woman"
The Comtesse was Miss Ovirda Ber-
son, of Brooklyn, daughter OF Ciptain
Henry John Benson, of the revenue cut
.er service.
"Yes 4; let the American girl beware
If the ,ltled foreigners" confined La
Comtesse. "If she Is married TO one
she will be sorry for ii she will rue 1t.
Nine. l., Comtesse says she knows,
for she has tried it.
81 want to warn American young
women to shun the foreigners with
tiles who try to marry rich wives"
she added. 1T is matter OF barter
aad sale. l was an American girl, and
xhen very young l married French
man of title. When he died. not
long ago, l found among his
oapers contract which be had
made with a person who was In
hat business to find him an eligible
wife with fortune. He paid for the
services Of the person who brought me
his attention in iDstallments. He
.ouandered my money, and my life was
unhappy. My experience 10 typical OF
he roitenness of the foreign arlstocrar
ey, and especially that of France,
Among these impecuniOus mobiles -four
;sh the bu mess OF high class matri-
nonial agents, with quas-social stand
ng, who for u commission find wives
for marrisgeable men of title.
"It is infamy, and want to warn the
poor little American girls who 90
abroad with false notions and who are
asily dazzled by title against the
sham of II.
"As the wife of the Count Cnavanne,
moved for some years in the society OF
be Faubourg ST GERMAN. ] know its
little sins and its big sins. know its
scandals and know it's private history
of IN any persons whose names are spok-
a with awe in the society of New
York city. Some years ago titled
foreigner married an heiress OF New
York whose family was socially prom
lnent.
"If Americans who 30 reverence that
noble son-in-law OF an ambitious Amer
lean house could only know, as l know,
.he scandals and intrigues In which
that mans family have figured it would
he q mighty shock to them. The bis
tories OF many of them will not bear in-
spec,ion.
"When there is marriage without
love how can you keep out scandal e?
High society In France has all too much
of il. 1t is honeycombed with 1t.
"Wnen the poor American Girl, ,
whose papa has q fat bank account, ,
goes to Paris, she is Aattered by after.
lions which she receives from Madame
This and Madame That.
MADAME proposes to introduce her
to her own milliner, where she can &c =
cure the very latest French gOwns.
Such thought! 1t touches the little
American girl, who can never know
that Madame gets q commission from
the milliner. She will get q commits.
sion on the little American girl. too, ii
she can manage to marry her to some
gided nobleman.
"Sham, hypocrisy, deceit and lying
are typical of French noblemen in high
society. Women of title aud fashion
rent their opera boxes by the year. A
night comes when she doesn't care to
90 to the opera. Madame Somebody
offers it to some American family. fiat.
tered to death to be seen in titled
French hwoman's opera box. No; she
won't accept pay, but If the liberal
Americans want to give anything to
milady's poor fund, why, 1t will be ac-
cepted.
"Wnen l left France was assured
of fiue income If would only keep q
sharp watch here for rich American
heiresses intending to go to Paris, and
provide the means for their introduC.
tiop to the proper parties In Paris.
La Comtesss was educated in Paris
convent, and was introduced abroad by
Mrs. Terrence, daughter OF Commo.
dore Vanderbilt. She married when
very young. Her husband died siz
wears ago. She will live temporarily II
Philadelphia.
La Comtesse has written her life ir
the form of q novel. 1t is said to be 9
startling expose OF the inner secrets o
French society. Many conspicuous
persons are reported to figure in it
pages.