Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1881 — Refusing a Prince. [ARTICLE]

Refusing a Prince.

Paris Correspondence Ban Francisco Bulletin About a year ago it was announced in all the leading papers of this city that Miss Aver, only daughter and heiress to half of the many millions accumulated by Dr. J. C- Ayer, of Lowell, Mass., was soon to marry one of the Bourbons, a cousin of Don Carlos of Spain. This particular Prince was one of the many impecunious princes out ol situations, who roam about Europe seeking whom they may devour, in the search of rich American ladies, whose fortunes may be utilized in paying the plaved-ont noblemen’s gambling debts. This noble Bourbon was passionately in love with the aforesaid lady’s—fortune, and did his utmost to capture it He used to call every day regularly at the Continental Hotel, where she and her mother resided, and, after being refused, would not take “No” for an answer, but still continued to plead for a shale in the profits accruing and accrued from “Cherry Pectoral.” Sublime spectacle! Contemplate it and weep from sympathy! Figure to yourself the noble scion of the very illustrious aud thrice puissant house of Bourbon going on his knees to $2,000,000 worth of “Sarsaparilla.” But no, I may have overdrawn the picture. It is not certain 'that the noble prinoe actually went

upon his marrow-bones in prop*** peraono. Generally speaking, he did that by proxy. Though he paid court antuousfy aad daily infperson, the Bourbon prises sent a formal demand, by his chamberlain. For, though a “Prince” may. have no cash, as long as he can borrow money he keeps up a petty court, and, of course, must have his ehorofceriabi. Theaalwy of the latter was probably in prospectu—to be paid oat of the “Cherry Pectoral” money when won. On one occasion, when this deputy came to ask the hand of Mias Ayer in

marriage, or rather to inform that young lady that his Highness the Prince A- de Bourbon proposed to oonfor upon her, a plso untitled American, the honor of his name and high-sounding title. Miss Ayer quite peremptorily refused the honor. Where upon the chamberlain exclaimed: “Do not say you refuse him! Oh! no! Tis impossible: Put it in some other form, I beg of you. Say you are unable to accept of the honor offered you. Anything but a refusal. The Prinoe is not an ordinary man to be rejected In this manner!” Notwithstanding the fervid efoquence of the chamberlain, Miss Ayer old refuse his master squarely, peremptorily, and on more than one, more than a dozen occasions. And I say hurrah for the Yankee girl who had Independence enough and sufficient good common sense to refuse to be made tbe unworthy instrument of paying the vulgar debts of a Bourbon Prince! Fortunate would it be for many, very many daughters of rich Americans if they would follow the example of Miss Ayer. No girl who marries thus a man, placed by the silly usages of Continental society on a level much higher than that of a wife, ever succeeds in being recognized as her husband’s equal socially. It is true that she may go where he goes, be invited to the same house, meet the same people, but she is everywhere sneered at covertly and often openly, by this high-toned set, as “That plebeian Americ&ine whose money paid off the gambling debts of Prince-so-and-so, or enabled tbe Count de X to pension off his pretty mistress.” There is not a word of exaggeration in the above statement. I know it to be true and it can be proven.