Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1901-07-05
SAD STORY Of THE
FIRST SOUTHERN GIRL
70 WE'D ROYALTY.
BY Judson Carlisle.


BY Judson Carlisle.
$e-.-.-9@.-.9s-.-.-
At this period, when SO many ALI
ances are projected between the dnugh-
tiers of Americas financial nabobs and
the scions of European royalty, the
mind naturally reverts to possibly the
first, and undoubtedly the most famous
and romantic, marriage of this charac-
ter that the social annals OF this coun
try records.
Just century ago lacking two years
Jerome Bonaparte, the brother Of the
great Napoleon. was on a pleasure tour
In America. A dashlng captain OF the
French navy, bearing a name surround
ed by a halo of witchery which was
then exciting the interest and awe of
the political world, young Jerome was
necessarily a social lion. While his en-
peror brother was planning military
and diplomatic enterprises which were
destined to change the political geogra-
ply of the world this unsophlsticated
youth was unwittingly succumbing to
the winsome wiIes OF n brilliant and
ambitious American girl soon to be
come his estranged wlfe-a woman
who, It has been bravely asserted,
would have changed the fortunes OF
France had she been the consort OF the
emperor himself. This girl was Eliza.
beth Patterson. the daughter OF VII.
liam Patterson, of Baltimore, one of the
wealthlest citizens Of this continent.
Vlvacious. beautiful. accomplished ann
bilious, headstrong, she was accorded
the foremost place among all the bellies
who graced the many social functions
at the national capital and other cen
ters In that historic period.
Mutual admiration was the result of
the first meeting of Jerome and Miss
Patterson. Soon the courtship excited
the attention of the young lady's fami-
ly, and her father emphasized his dis
approval by sending her away. Sepa.
ration did not prevent frequent com
municatiOn between the lovers, and the
determined young woman made known
her purposes to her irate father by
stating, II love Jerome BCnaparte, and
would rather be his wife II only for
one day than make the happlest mar
rlage In the world" She soon returned
to Baltimore, and within four months
after they first saw each other. on Dec.
20. 1903, the youthful lovers were mar
ried by the Catholic bishop OF Balti-
more.
The wedding was an international
sensation and was followed by festivi
ties and hospItallties planned on a roy
al scale. An extensive tour for those
days through the New England and
middle states was sIgnallzed by unex
ampled ovations IN the fashionable
world. In the glamour and enthusiasm
OF democratic festivities the eventual |
lty OF royal dlsfavor was sadly dis.
counted. ..
The father OF the bride had already |
received warnings that the marriage |
would not meet with Napoleon's sane
ton and that his approval would be
necessary TO any happy or peaceful al |
lance.
The brother OF the bride was lmmc |
diately dispatched to London and Paris |
armed with necessary credentials from |
Washington to invoke the aid Of our |
representatives abroad TO effect a con
Citation with Emperor Napoleon |
James Monroe. the minister AT the |
court OF st James, and Livingston at |
Paris exhausted the agencies Of di. |
plomacy In their efforts, but TO no |
avail Proposals were made TO the en- |
peror that munficent bounty would |
be provided for Jerome. Finally n |
promised reconciliation was secured |
from JerOme's mother and all the fam.
lily except that most important person
age, the emperor, who remained omi. |
nously silent. This silence was pain. |
fully broken I'm about four months |
when the emperor sent peremptOry or
ders to the French consul general In |
America to withhold Jerome's supplies |
and prohibiting all French vessels from
receiving on board the young person"
with whom Jerome was consortlng. |
He sent word to jerome that II he
would return to France without Miss
Patterson "the error Of the moment"
would be overlooked
In the meantime the brother. Robert |
Patterson, wrote home and warned
Elizabeth against coming to France, as
the wrath OF Napoleon was very bit
ter. Before the warning was received
the young couple had already sailed
for Portugal. French and English
vessels, which had for weeks watched
for every ship which might possibly
have the young couple on board. were
fortunately evaded.
Jerome leftIhis young bride at Lis.
bon and proceeded to Paris alone. Ills
tory merely SconJectured as to how
he was received. Very soon the young
wife left . Lisbon under advice from
Jerome and sailed for Amsterdam IN
the same vessel IN which she left
America. Her vessel the Erin, was
not allowed to land. After weeks
waiting the Erin sailed for England,
and the fair but dlscOnsolate bride
was landed at Dover. From thence
she went to London, and on July 7,
1906, she gave birth TO son. After
many months Of narrowing suspense
she began to realize the treachery VI