The Washington herald., 1916-11-03
YOUR WEDDING DAY
November 3-CarI Maria Weber and
Caroline Brandt.
By MARY MARSHALL.
Ana the Famous Men and Women
Who Have shared Il.

When the great musician Carl Maria
Weber lived and loved in Germany, q
hundred years ago, the temptations that
beset such a genius as he were many
And Weber, in spite of a certain boyish
awkwardness that he carried through
life, was possessed Of an unusual amount
of magnetism of manner. II was per-
fectly natural for the women he met to
be interested IN him-eyen though he
actually made no effort to gain their in
terest. At a time when the livelihood of
. musician depended so much on the
favor Of royalty Weber had to be much
at court and there, as elsewhere, he
was often too much spoiled for his own
good. As a young man, very badly
brought up. by a sometimes indulgent.
sometimes negligent father. he was
would confront q brilliant young musi-
clan attached to the theater and the court
The fact that he actually did make Q
success Of his love, and that he was
married happily and helpfully Is surely
q tribute to his strength Of character
due In part, no doubt, to the German
blood In his veins that keeps through
thick and thin q certain halo around the
idea Of married life.
At the time that Weber first met his
future wife he was In the meshes of an
infatuation for the unprtncipled Therese
Brunetti, the wife Of O dancer, and her
self an actress OF some accomplishment,
who preferred to live at the expense Of
her admirers than by her own honest ef-
fort. He fancied himself much In love
with her and had actually been faithful
to her for several years. Here I have
loved for the first time he wrote IN his
diary just before meeting the woman he
actually did marry, 'and this woman
Possesses every quality which would
make me happy. She fancies sometimes
that she loves me-but II IL not true .
l will do all for her happiness-bury the
bitter certainty deep within me, and
work" II was for this woman who was
as incapable Of knowing the meaning Of
real love as she was intriguing that
Weber was wasting his life in anxiety
and worry. Fortunately for him q wom-
an who deserved the love Of which he
was capable and whose influence was
distinctly opposite to that of Brunetd
soon appeared. This was the charming
young singer. Caroline Brandt, whom
Weber first met when she was singing
the leading role Of one of his operas
weber was naturally influenced by the
charm Of his own protegee," says Web
er's biographer. but very soon the quail
ties of her character, her spotless repu-
tation, her retired life with her mother
her refusal of the homage Of the noble
and fashionable frequenters of the the
ater, her always cheerful but modest
countenance-produced a singular revolu-
ton in his heart"
Weber was not naturally nckle and
he struggled long with himself before he
acknowledged that his devotion for Bru-
netti had waned. In an effort to make
amends for his wandering fancy he gave
his one time charmer a birthday supper
at much cost. The final thrust that killed
his love forever was seemingly a small
one. 1t was the fact that she showed
much more interest for the oysters which
at great expense-he had provided for
the party than for the beautiful gold
watch and charms symbolical Of their
love which he had had made for her
But the love Of Weber and Caroline
'ndt did not run entirely smoothly.
When, after their engagement had lasted
for year, he told her that he wished
her to leave the operatic stage on her
marriage there was q little misunder-
standing. But eventually after three
years they were married-ninety-nine
years ago-and from that point In the
career OF the great musician he seemed
to be entirely lnder the guidance Of
his good angel. and the memory of CAL
eulating Brunetti never returned to
torment him.
Gr.o,-,f.A. ,naN