The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-03-18
we'll it was for me that they should have az

rived at that moment
The tale was told in moment. The drunk
en- sons were secured, and the woman, in spite
of her defence and vocferations, shared the
same fate. The wounded Indian fairly danced
for JOY, and gave us to understand that, as he
could not sleep for pain. he would watch
over US. You may suppose that we slept
much less than we talked. The two strangers
told me that they themselves had once been in
a similar situation. The next morning our cap
tives were unbound, and after inflicting on them
a proper chastisement, and suitably rewarding
the friendly Indian, we set off towards the set
Elements. During upwards oftwenty five years,
when my wandering extended to all parts of
our country, this was the only time at which my
life was in danger from my fellow creatures
Indeed, SO little risk do travellers run in the U.
States. that no one born there ever dreams of
any danger to be encountered on the road; and
| can only account for this occurrence by sup
posing that the inhabitants of the cabin were
not Americans. Audubon.
~--o~ooo.~--~o-~oo-- -: -: L!4
How GIRLS ARE BoUGHT AND SOLD " GU
know how strictly young girls are guarded in
France under the eyes of their parents, and
how completely their personal independence is
sacrificed to "propriety'' and their parent S
will A gentleman who lately visited a matri-
monial Office in this city, with a view of obtain
ngan insight into the operations of the system,
gives some interesting details in regard to it.
The world, it appears, has in general a false
idea Of these establishments, at least of this
one. s ~@r ..- 5...
1t is generally believed that the chief of the
establishment keeps under key battalion of
ladies that are made to trot around under the
eyes of the visitor, who stands in the position
of the sultan, ready to throw the handkerchief.
Some suppose that they are permitted to see
the ladies who wish to marry through key
hole or some other form of unsuspected bull's
eye. On the contrary, nothingis more simple
than this establishment, and at the same time
nothing is more complicated than its wheel
work.
The women have little to do in these oper-
ations, nearly all the business being accom-
pshed between men. In the conjuga come
dy, of which the chief of the establishments is
the manager, the women play their part with
out knowing it. Thus, he has correspondents
in all the large towns. He is in relation with
all, or nearly all the notaries in France, who
keep him advised of all the different heiresscs
whose affairs they manage The chief ar
ranges these heiresses by divisions according
to their importance, and he pretends that he
is the only man in France who can say, ap-
proximately, each year. the total of the united
wealth of the heiresses of the empire.
gentleman wishes to get married. He is
lawyer, an agent or a merchant. He pre-
sents himself to the chief of the matrimonial
establishment who demands first to know what
are his pretensions. After his visit, the first
duty of the agent is to seek information on the
character and position Of the candidate, and if
these are satisfactory, he appoints new rem
devious and proposes to his client different la
dies. (The ladies, you will recollect, are all
this time ignorant that they are the object of a
speculation.) When the parties come to terms,
the matrimonial agent puts in operation plan
to bring the gentleman and lady together, and
he arrives at this result naturally, without the
lady ever suspecting that she is puppet moved
by thread in the hands of matrimonial
agent.
If the heress lives in the province, the agent
addresses letter to his correspondent, who
can always find a means of bringing these two
unknown individuals in each others presence.
soree, ball, an accidental meeting at the
house of third pary-there are many occa-
sions funiting these two stars destined 10 shine
in the same armament. Once in presence of
the object, the rest is the gentleman's own busi-
ness; he must put bis talent to play. If the
fish bites, it is again time for the agent to step
in and through the agency of the notary, make
for the pretendant the official demand, as sthe
custom in France, for the hand of the lady.
And thus the agent accomplshes, in secret and
without the knowledge of the world or of one
half of the parties concerned, high social mis-
sion, since it is that Of rendering people hap
py and of propagating the species.
Here is an example of the manner in which
these marriages are brought about. The affair
occurred in the department of the Nord At
Lille there lived, three months ago, hand
some young girl, who had fortune of six
thousand francs to bestow on hus band of her
choice. All the young men of that country
had made efforts TO reach the heart of the fair
heiress in vain. She believed that, notwith-
standing her beauty, her admirers sighed more
for francs than for her person. She wished to
be loved (the Old story!) for herself-a log
cabin and her heart
In her quality of rich hercss, the name of
the young girl was naturally, found inscribed
in the books of our aforesaid matrimonial agent
Her name stood high up in the list of the first
category-one of the rares flowers of the ma
trimonial bouquet. At that period our agent
protected a handsome young fellow, who de-
sired nothing better than match such as this.
The agent pointed his finger to the young Lii
1oise, l'etoile du Nord He wrote at the same
moment to his correspondent, put him into the
secret OF the affair, sent him three thousand
francs to enable him to give a ball, to which
was to be invited all the flower of the town.
The morning of the ball the young man fell,
as if by accident, at the correspondents house,
like friend who makes visit unheralded,
appeared at the ball and danced with the young
girl, letting off in her honor whole artillery
of compliments, dwelling especially upon his
quality as stranger. He knew no ole in the
city; he was completely ignorant of the name
of the lady with whom he had the happiness
to dance; but he had never been dazzed with
such bright eyes; he bad never seen or admir-
ed such hair; he had never seen such patrician
hands; such flexible waist; such pretty feet;
such perfect grace, etc.
After the first contre danse, he solicited the
favor of waltz then polka: then m mazourka: