Fictionalized account of real-life Julian Poydras (spelled Julien in reality but Julian in this short). The story begins with a poor young married couple arriving home to find a check waiting on the girl. Then we get into the backstory of why she got the check. Julian Poydras meets a pretty girl at Mardi Gras and falls in love. But when he takes her home he discovers, to his horror, that the girl is dirt poor. The narrator described her as living in squalor and ugliness, which was just rude. Anyway, Julian is troubled because he grew up poor and expected his wife to have a dowry, which this girl obviously does not. So he decides to forgo love and focus on business. When he finally realizes his mistake, it's too late and the girl is dead (presumably by suicide). Poydras never marries but amasses a fortune. He writes into his will that his fortune be used to leave dowries to the poor young girls of the parish. Interesting story that I'd never heard before. Not sure how much of it is true and how much is legend but it's a good little story with nice MGM production.
2 Reviews
A Lesson In Romance
boblipton7 May 2022
This episode of Nesbitt's THE PASSING PARADE tells of a canny Louisianan merchant who jilts his love because she has no dowry. He rises to riches and honors, but comes to realize his mistake. Instead, he leaves in his will money for a dowry of young brides with no fortune.
I wouldn't have believed this tale if it had been presented in a story. Yes, here's an excerpt from his obituary in 1824:
"By his will he left for a college at Pointe Coupee, 20,000 dollars. For marriage portions to poor girls of said parish, 30,000 dollars. To each of his god-sons and goddaughters, 5,000 dollars. For marriage portions to poor girls of the parish of West Baton Rouge, 30,000 dollars. To the Charity Hospital of New Orleans, his house on the Levee, between St. Louis and Conti streets, and his house in Bourbon street. To the Poydras Female Asylum, all his houses in Poydras Street, and on the Batture."
Perhaps the tale of his jilted love is merely one of those stories that accrue to famous men. If so, it is a good one.
I wouldn't have believed this tale if it had been presented in a story. Yes, here's an excerpt from his obituary in 1824:
"By his will he left for a college at Pointe Coupee, 20,000 dollars. For marriage portions to poor girls of said parish, 30,000 dollars. To each of his god-sons and goddaughters, 5,000 dollars. For marriage portions to poor girls of the parish of West Baton Rouge, 30,000 dollars. To the Charity Hospital of New Orleans, his house on the Levee, between St. Louis and Conti streets, and his house in Bourbon street. To the Poydras Female Asylum, all his houses in Poydras Street, and on the Batture."
Perhaps the tale of his jilted love is merely one of those stories that accrue to famous men. If so, it is a good one.
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