The Washington herald., 1917-02-15
YOUR WEDDING DAY
And the Famous Men and Women Who
Have Shared 1t.
BY MARY MARSHALL.
February 15-Emenuel due de Chaui-
mes and Theodora shonts.

In all the records Of the alliance OF
rich American girls and foreign noblemen
II would be impossible to find one affair
that was pursued with more tempestuous-
ness and that ended SO unhappily as a
marriage that occurred on February Is.
The due de Chaulnes met Miss Theodore
Shonts when she was studying In Paris
with her sister, She was but a little girl
at the time and the duke, one Of the
most aristocratic and best known young
men In Paris. had little difficulty in win
ming from the young American girl con-
sent to be his wife. His full name was
Emenuel Theodore Bernard Marie d'Al-
bert de Luynes d'Ailly, due de Chaulnes
and de Picquiny and Marquis de Dan
geau. That title alone was enough to
dazzle any young American whose only
claim to social distinction was a pretty
face and a wealthy father.
But the wealthy father objected. Mr..
Theodore Shonts had different ideas about
his daughters career and no doubt he
had ways of knowing that the young
duke had already become a victim OF
various drug habits even before his mar
riage. However, Mrs. Shonts soon used
her influence to win her husbands con-
sent.
Not long before the wedding actually
came of she said: THE due de Chaulnes
is a man of most estimable qualities and
a fine character. He Is one who com
mands admiration not only for his per-
sonality, but by his mental gifts. I thor
oughly approve of him. 1 am not one of
those who deplore international mar
ria ges. True there have been a few that
have been disastrous, but 1t has been
my observation that the greater number
have been successful" Perhaps it was
fortunate that Mrs. Shonts could not
catch a glimpse of what fate was In
store for her little girl and her fascinat-
ing French duke.
When the engagement was finally an
nounced Mr.. Shonts made 1t perfectly
clear to his friends that he had no hand
in the shaping OF his daughters career
and it was quite contrary to his demo-
cratic American notions that the neces-
sary settlement was made for the mar
riage.
The wedding took place in the New
York home of the Shonts family nine
years ago today. The duke was 30 at
the time and Miss Shonts was scarcely
out of her teens. Following the we'd
ding, which lacked none of the gorgeous
ness with which our American girls have
at other times been bestowed upon many
titled foreigners, the young couple went
South and shortly afterwards sailed for
Paris.
Less than ten weeks after the wedding
the duke died, and the circumstances
were such that every one who looked on
could not help but feel that Mr.. Shonts
had been right in his misgivings. Per-
haps 1t was this unhappy affair as much
as any other that lessened the number
Of international marriages in the years
that have followed. In spite Of the ef-
fort of the police of Paris to keep the
details of the death a secret it soon
leaked out that the duke died as a re-
suit of the use of narcotics, and that he
had long been victim of the use of
drugs of many sorts. Shortly after din
ner of. the night that he died he went
with a friend to a fashionable opium
club near his hotel. He was taken later
from the club in dying condition and
reached his wife's side only a short time
before he breathed his last.
Copyright 1917