The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-09
TovEs OF GREAT MEN.


 In addition to being as blind as the pet aversion. "a bat" and as aimiess and biundering as the same awkward creature winch housed Love Is imprudent and foolish, if the love affairs of some great men remind us'' arisht. Some of them found Poverty for Loves sweet sake. and did not in most cases recognize him. With no thoughts for tomorrow they lived only for today. and were satisfied.
 Some one who has been thinking on this iine cites the following instances:
 Southey one day in November, 1895. led Coleridge's sister-in-law. the fair Miss Edith Flicker to the altar. It was only by dint of resolute saving, even to the extent of dispensing with many a days dinner-that he was able to pay his we'd ding expenses, and so empty was his purse when he had done this that he was compelled to part from his bride at the church door after the ceremony. as he did not know where his next meal was to come from.
 ,Coleridge was almost equally improvi- dent, for after a few weeks of an ideal honeymoon in 6 rustic cottage in the heart of the country he loved so we'll, he saw poverty staring in at him through the lattice panes.' His small stock of money was quite exhausted, and many years of struggle and privation followed on the heels of his brief dream of hap piness.
 The story of Leigh Hunts domestic straits is better known, perhaps, He was the most impractical of men, and his wife was almost as unworldly as himself; and their domestic condition is generally considered to have been one of chronic financial difficulties. Happily, he had many good friends, one of whom was Carlyle. his neighbor. who. whenever he expected visit from Hunt. would leave a sovereign or two lying exposed on the mantelpiece. so as to make the inevitable borrowing as easy as possible.
 Many pathetic stories are told of the privations of Mozart and his young wife during their early married years. Mozart willfully welded penniless girl against the advice of friends, saying proudly: ''I have that within me which will enable me to support the woman I love" But poverty was long an unwelcome guest in thefr house before fame discovered their address: and not only was the family cupboard often bare. but more than once they were caught dancing together to keep themselves warm, when there were no coals in the house.
 
 Wagner was just as confident of his powers to support a wife as Mozart, when, at the age of 26. he married beau tiful but penniless singer; and yet within a few weeks of his honeymoon we find him declaring that the two things he cov- eted most on earth were warm over coat and some hrewood. For twenty years it was a desperate fight for bare existence, and many a time they would have gone to bed hungry If 1t had not been for the kindness of Liszt and a few other friends.
 Samuel Phelps, the great actor, never did a more daring or wiser thing than when he faced the altar with a smiling face and an income. all told, of IS shil- lings week" So poor was he that when he secured an engagement at Leeds he would tramp to York every Saturday night to spend a few hours with his wife, starting on his return journey as the clock struck 12 on Sunday night. In later years. when he had drunk deeply of the cup of Fame. and when his wife was no longer with him to share it. he ex- claimed: "Ah! I was much happier then on IS shillings a week with her to share it than I am now with half the house for myself every night"
 Edmund Keans purse was so empty on the eve of his wedding that he had to borrow half a sovereign from a friend to pay for the ring. and it was only through the generosity of the landlady of the Dog tavern that he was able to offer his bride 6 breakfast.
 Charles Mathews. the "king of comedi- ans" had such infinite faith in himself and, perhaps even more. such an impetu- ous love of Miss Strong. that he under took the responsibilities of married life on twelve shillings a week, and smiled when his friends predicted A honeymoon In the workhouse. And yet during the four short years of their welded hfe no cou. pie In England were more perfectly happy.
 When John Scott, known to fame ir later years as Lord Eldon, ran away witt